This Workbook has been specifically written to accompany the Course Book - A First Course in Japanese. This course is designed for senior high school students who are beginning their study of Japanese in the last two years of high school. It contains hiragana, katakana and kanji reading and writing practice, as well as grammatical exercises, composition, reading and listening comprehension, and crosswords.
Two audio CDs cover all the listening exercises. The complete script of the CDs is also included in the book.
Hiragana and Katakana
It is desirable for students to learn hiragana and katakana before they commence using the Course Book. However, it is possible for teachers to conduct lessons orally while students acquire hiragana and katakana reading skills.
Kanji
There are 79 kanji for reading and writing, ten recognition compounds and four single recognition kanji used for this course. About six kanji are introduced in each unit, and reading and writing practice is provided at the beginning of each unit. Stroke orders are given on pages 341-345 of the Course Book.
Wonderword and crossword
Students will have fun finding words in the Wonderwords or solving crossword puzzles.
Grammatical exercises and writing, reading and responding
Exercises for required grammar and writing practice on genkoyoshi are given.
Reading comprehension
At the end of each topic, some comprehension passages are given for students to test their reading comprehension skills.
Listening comprehension
At the end of each Unit, listening comprehension is given. The CD script for the listening is given at the end of the Workbook. Each item is read twice with a five second pause. Students will have to stop the CD to write their answers.
Speaking
Questions are given at the end of each Topic in the Course Book. However, the Workbook also provides exercises for speaking.
Fudeko Reekie, BEd (Tokyo Gakugei University), PTC (University of Saskatchewan, Canada) has worked in Foreign Affairs (Asahi Newspapers in Tokyo), as a tour advisor (Ansett Airlines in PNG), as a Japanese lecturer (Canterbury University, NZ), and has many years’ experience as a classroom teacher in Australia. She is presently a senior Japanese teacher at All Saints’ College in Bathurst. Her other books include Japanese for Tourism, Japanese for Primary School (a series of books for K to Year 6 students and Teachers’ Resource books) and two Excel Senior High School books (one for Continuers and the other for Beginners).