Dr Mayumi Parry
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2026 (23/02/2026 - 20/06/2026)
- Study level
- Undergraduate
- Location
- St Lucia
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- St Lucia
- Coordinating unit
- Languages & Cultures School
JAPN1012 is a beginner-level Japanese course that students can take either at the same time as JAPN1011, or after completing JAPN1011. Students who have completed any JAPN2*** or JAPN3*** coded courses are not eligible to enrol in this course. JAPN1012 introduces approximately 72 kanji to students who are learning or have learnt hiragana and katakana scripts. The course develops foundational skills for functioning in everyday life in both written and oral Japanese; students learn to introduce, describe and discuss people, maps and locations, and physical environments. Students build cultural understanding and competence through engaging with a foreign language, and develop effective language study strategies.
The Summer Semester external course offering may be cancelled unless a minimum of 20 students enrol.
JAPN1012 is designed to continue beginner students' study of the Japanese language through learning the basic functions and associated grammar and vocabulary for use in everyday situations such as discussing locations and giving directions, talking about daily, past and future activities, explaining reasons, making requests, and many more language functions. Students who have learnt are or learning the two phonetic syllabaries, hiragana and katakana (46 syllables each), will be introduced to approximately 72 kanji (Chinese characters). Students build cultural understanding and competence through engaging with a foreign language, and develop effective language study strategies.
All classes will start from Week 1.
Course requirements
Assumed background
The course is for:
- Students who have completed JAPN1011 or JAPN1013 or equivalent, and have done no subsequent Japanese study.
- Students with no experience studying Japanese, who will take JAPN1012 at the same time as JAPN1011. These students must complete a Japanese Language Questionnaire through our online Language Course Placement Advisor. Placement in a course is not confirmed until this is done and the appropriate placement has been issued.
- Students who are placed directly into JAPN1012 by the online Language Course Placement Advisor.
Students who have substantial prior experience of Japanese are not eligible to enrol in this course. This includes students who have completed any JAPN2*** or JAPN3*** coded courses at UQ. Please also note that enrolment may be refused on the basis of such knowledge or abilities, and enrolment in a different course may be recommended. If a student enrols in a course for which they hold incompatible qualifications, they may be advised to cancel their enrolment, and continued enrolment may result in a forfeiture of credit for this course. Any misrepresentation in the placement process may be raised as a misconduct matter.
Prerequisites
You'll need to complete the following courses before enrolling in this one:
JAPN1011 (or companion course)
Recommended companion or co-requisite courses
We recommend completing the following courses at the same time:
JAPN1011
Incompatible
You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:
JAPN1010, JAPN1023
Restrictions
Summer Semester External or In Person course offering (or both) may be cancelled unless a minimum of 20 students enrol.
Course staff
Course coordinator
Lecturer
Dr Penny Bailey
Dr Mayumi Parry
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
Classes are not recorded. Students are strongly encouraged to attend classes in order to develop their skills in Japanese in the live environment.
Public holidays:
Alternative arrangements for affected students will be announced through the Blackboard site.
Class allocation:
In order to optimise the student experience, it may be necessary to reallocate students to a different class from their first choice.
Before this happens, every effort will be made to enable students to voluntarily change into an alternative class that is suitable.
Please note: Teaching staff do not have access to the timetabling system to help with class allocation. Therefore, should you need help with your timetable and/or allocation of classes, please ensure you email hass.mytimetable@uq.edu.au from your UQ student email account with the following details:
- Full name,
- Student ID, and
- the Course Code
Additional information and support can be found here.
Aims and outcomes
JAPN1012 aims to develop communicative competenceﾠboth in spoken and written form at a practical level in Japanese, to introduce fundamental grammatical structures of Japanese, to raise awareness and understanding of the nature of Japanese and cultural aspects through studying its linguistic systems, and to acquire language learning strategies which will help the students take charge of their own learning and communication.
ﾠ
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Communicate in spoken and written Japanese on course-related topics, using appropriate patterns, vocabulary, script (hiragana, katakana, and assigned kanji), and culturally appropriate expressions.
LO2.
Acquire a range of independent strategies to support ongoing Japanese language learning.
LO3.
Recognise variation in Japanese language use and the diversity of its users across social, regional, and cultural contexts.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Participation/ Student contribution |
Course placement
|
27/02/2026 5:00 pm |
|
| Participation/ Student contribution, Practical/ Demonstration |
Course Participation
|
16% |
2/03/2026 5:00 pm 9/03/2026 5:00 pm 16/03/2026 5:00 pm 23/03/2026 5:00 pm 30/03/2026 5:00 pm 13/04/2026 5:00 pm 20/04/2026 5:00 pm 5/05/2026 5:00 pm 11/05/2026 5:00 pm 18/05/2026 5:00 pm 25/05/2026 5:00 pm 1/06/2026 5:00 pm
There are 23 tasks in all: i.e. one task component for each class session. The tasks are due in hard copy at the end of each class session. Students who are absent from class must submit by 5pm the next Monday via a Blackboard submission link; these are the due dates listed here. Note that tasks for Modules Q & R (classes in Week 9) are due by Tuesday in Week 10 because the Monday of Week 10 is a public holiday. |
| Presentation |
Oral Presentation 1 - WEEK 8
|
18% |
23/04/2026 - 24/04/2026
WEEK 8 Sign up for a timeslot. The student's assigned timeslot will be considered the due date and time for this assessment. |
| Examination |
Writing Exam - WEEK 11
|
34% |
14/05/2026
WEEK 11 The Writing Exam is held during Workshop sessions, in the usual classroom, in Week 11. The Workshop session the student is enrolled in is considered to be the the due date and time for this assessment. |
| Presentation |
Oral Presentation 2 - EXAM PERIOD
|
32% |
15/06/2026 - 19/06/2026
End of Semester Exam Period. Sign up for a timeslot. The student's assigned timeslot will be considered the due date and time for this assessment. |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Assessment details
Course placement
- Hurdle
- Online
- Mode
- Oral, Written
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution
- Due date
27/02/2026 5:00 pm
Task description
All students who have not completed JAPN1011 at UQ are required to demonstrate that they have been correctly placed in JAPN1012. Failure to do so will result in a maximum grade of 3 for the course. This is a hurdle requirement. No assessment items will be marked until this is completed. The link for the placement questionnaire is here: https://languages-cultures.uq.edu.au/study/whats-my-language-level
Students who have completed JAPN1011 and no further study are not required to take the questionnaire again.
Some students may be required to complete further placement processes to pass this hurdle assessment, such as a face-to-face interview during class.
Use of Gen AI & MT: Completing the Placement Questionnaire is an unsupervised, individual, online task, and according to UQ rules, use of Generative AI and Machine Translation cannot be banned for such assessment. HOWEVER it is not in your best interest to use Generative AI tools. If the work you submit does not reflect your actual language ability, you may be placed in a course that is inappropriate for your level, which could negatively affect your learning and performance. This may also be considered an act of student misconduct under the UQ Student Code of Conduct due to the misrepresentation of your capabilities.
Hurdle requirements
Placement in this course via this placement questionnaire is a hurdle requirement. Students who are not able to meet the due date due to late enrolment must contact the Course Coordinator as soon as possible to ensure they comply with this requirement. No assessment items will be marked until this is completed. Failure to complete this task will result in a maximum grade of 3 for the course.Submission guidelines
https://languages-cultures.uq.edu.au/study/whats-my-language-level
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
Students who are not able to complete this task by the due date must contact the Course Coordinator as soon as possible to ensure they comply with this requirement.
Course Participation
- Hurdle
- In-person
- Online
- Mode
- Oral, Written
- Category
- Participation/ Student contribution, Practical/ Demonstration
- Weight
- 16%
- Due date
2/03/2026 5:00 pm
9/03/2026 5:00 pm
16/03/2026 5:00 pm
23/03/2026 5:00 pm
30/03/2026 5:00 pm
13/04/2026 5:00 pm
20/04/2026 5:00 pm
5/05/2026 5:00 pm
11/05/2026 5:00 pm
18/05/2026 5:00 pm
25/05/2026 5:00 pm
1/06/2026 5:00 pm
There are 23 tasks in all: i.e. one task component for each class session. The tasks are due in hard copy at the end of each class session. Students who are absent from class must submit by 5pm the next Monday via a Blackboard submission link; these are the due dates listed here. Note that tasks for Modules Q & R (classes in Week 9) are due by Tuesday in Week 10 because the Monday of Week 10 is a public holiday.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02, L03
Task description
Course Participation assesses students’ overall contribution to each class session (0.6 marks) as well as their completion and submission of a specified task in written or oral format (0.2 marks).
There are 23 class sessions in total. The best 20 marks will be counted towards your final participation mark. 0.8 x 20 = 16 possible marks. However, please note the hurdle requirement in the section below.
Course Participation is marked according to the following marking criteria (0.8 marks total per class session):
Class Contribution (0.6 marks maximum)
- 0.6 mark = Actively contributes to class activities for the entire session, uses language taught in class, engages respectfully with others.
- 0.3 marks = Contributes to class activities for most of the session, makes some attempts to use language taught in class, engages acceptably with others.
- 0 marks = Makes little to no contribution.
Task submission (written/oral) (0.2 marks)
- 0.2 marks = Complete response, acceptably accurate use of the language [and script] introduced in class.
- 0 marks = No submission / Incomplete or largely incorrect response.
This task component is provided on the PowerPoint during class, and it is due for submission at the end of class or for students who are absent from class via a Blackboard submission link by 5pm the following Monday. All tasks must be handwritten (with a stylus or a pen/pencil).
Use of Gen AI and MT:
This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use AI and/or MT technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance. A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.
Hurdle requirements
Students must achieve 8 marks or more (ie. at least half of the full 16% weighting) on the Course Participation assessment in order to pass the course.Submission guidelines
Blackboard submission link
Deferral or extension
You cannot defer or apply for an extension for this assessment.
No extensions are allowed for this assessment task as it has been designed to encourage regular engagement with the course content and to support the sequential nature of learning and feedback in this course.
Late submission
Students may submit the task via Blackboard by 5pm on Mondays (the following week).
Oral Presentation 1 - WEEK 8
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 18%
- Due date
23/04/2026 - 24/04/2026
WEEK 8
Sign up for a timeslot. The student's assigned timeslot will be considered the due date and time for this assessment.
- Other conditions
- Student specific, Secure.
- Learning outcomes
- L01
Task description
Oral Presentation 1 is held in Week 8. Students will sign up for a 1-hour session. The assigned timeslot will be considered the due date and time for this assessment. No classes are held in Week 8.
This is a live presentation, held in person. You will be presenting to a small group of peers from the course; please support each other by being engaged and courteous audience members.
Students will prepare and present a 2-3 minute presentation in Japanese on a topic released in Week 6.
The presentation should include a selection of the course content covered in Weeks 1-7 (Modules A-N), which is suitable for use in the presentation in order to demonstrate their understanding of course content. The presentation should not be read from a script—it should be memorised and presented at a natural speed, spoken in a way that conveys meaning (ie not a monotone or "reciting" style of delivery).
After their presentation, students will be asked around 4 questions in Japanese related to their presentation and content taught in the course.
Students should familiarise themselves with the marking criteria before starting preparations, so that they know what they are being assessed on.
Use of Gen AI & MT:
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted in the presentation venue. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct. You may however find it useful to use these tools to plan and practice for your presentation.
Hurdle requirements
Oral Presentation 1 is a hurdle requirement for the course. Students who fail to give a presentation cannot receive a grade of higher than 3 for the course.Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
The maximum extension length ensures that assessors can provide timely feedback, supporting the progressive, sequential, and cumulative nature of language learning that underpins this course.
Writing Exam - WEEK 11
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Examination
- Weight
- 34%
- Due date
14/05/2026
WEEK 11
The Writing Exam is held during Workshop sessions, in the usual classroom, in Week 11. The Workshop session the student is enrolled in is considered to be the the due date and time for this assessment.
- Other conditions
- Secure.
- Learning outcomes
- L02, L03
Task description
The Writing Exam will be held during Workshop sessions in Week 11.
The Writing Exam requires students to respond to exam questions such as short response, complete multiple choice, fill-in-the-blank, matching tasks, and tables, and write paragraphs in Japanese on the topics provided. It tests students' grasp of the required content taught in Weeks 1-10 (Modules A to T), and requires handwritten responses. Handwriting will be marked with reference to the Genki textbook guidelines (see handwriting styles in the "Reading and Writing" section).
A practice assessment will be provided during class.
Use of Gen AI & MT: This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Students with exam adjustments in place should contact the Course Coordinator directly and apply through Unitask well before the deadline to activate them for this assessment.
Also, a reminder that the Writing Exam is a hurdle requirement for the course. Students who fail to submit the assessment cannot receive a grade of higher than 3 for the course.
Hurdle requirements
WEEK 11 The Writing Exam is a hurdle requirement for the course. Students who fail to sit the assessment cannot receive a grade of higher than 3 for the course.Exam details
| Planning time | no planning time minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 90 minutes |
| Calculator options | No calculators permitted |
| Open/closed book | Closed book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to defer this exam.
Oral Presentation 2 - EXAM PERIOD
- Hurdle
- Identity Verified
- In-person
- Mode
- Oral
- Category
- Presentation
- Weight
- 32%
- Due date
15/06/2026 - 19/06/2026
End of Semester Exam Period.
Sign up for a timeslot. The student's assigned timeslot will be considered the due date and time for this assessment.
- Other conditions
- Student specific, Secure.
- Learning outcomes
- L01, L02
Task description
Oral Presentation 2 is held in Week 2 of the Exam Period. Students will sign up individually for a 20-minute time slot.
In this assessment the student will be presented with an image and a short text in Japanese. They will be given one minute to prepare; no note-taking is permitted during this time. The student will be asked to read the text aloud. They will then be asked questions in Japanese about the text and image, and relevant questions about themselves. The assessment takes approximately 15 minutes in total.
The task will require students to read aloud hiragana, katakana, and kanji, and demonstrate that they comprehend meaning of the text that they have read, and that they can discuss and describe an image. The focus is on demonstrating a grasp of the content covered in class; other vocabulary or grammar, even if it is more advanced, will not be awarded higher marks.
Use of GEN AI & MT: This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Likewise, students are not permitted to receive help from any other person to complete this task.
Hurdle requirements
Oral Presentation 2 is a hurdle requirement for the course. Students who fail to give a presentation cannot receive a grade of higher than 3 for the course.Submission guidelines
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.
The maximum extension length ensures that assessors will be available for marking.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 24 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student does not use communication strategies and barely attempts to communicate at all. The student is unable to use most basic script or form sentences in written and spoken Japanese. |
| 2 (Fail) | 25 - 44 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student does not use communication strategies and demonstrates little or no understanding of written or spoken Japanese. Pronunciation is frequently incomprehensible and speech is characterised by frequent one-word utterances. Written Japanese is extremely limited in range of structures and vocabulary, with frequent errors in form and use of scripts. |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 45 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: The student hardly uses communication strategies and demonstrates a limited understanding of spoken and written Japanese. Pronunciation is frequently incomprehensible. The student speaks haltingly, relying heavily on memorisation. There are frequent errors in both speech and writing; and in both the form and use of scripts. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student does not use communication strategies effectively. Comprehension of written and spoken Japanese is generally good but details may be missed or misunderstood. The student's pronunciation is generally comprehensible but some lapses occur. The student tends to use formulaic expressions rather than original utterances, and uses a narrow range of vocabulary. The student usually uses characters accurately, however, errors occasionally affect the intended meaning. |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student occasionally uses effective communication strategies and understands most written and spoken Japanese when vocabulary and structures which are introduced in the course are used. The student's pronunciation is generally comprehensible but some lapses occur. Fluency is subject to fluctuation. The student attempts to use a range of characters, vocabulary and structures, with occasional attempts at creativity. While errors occur, they do not on the whole affect the intended meaning. |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student occasionally uses effective communication strategies and understands written and spoken Japanese well when vocabulary and structures which are introduced in the course are used. The student uses comprehensible pronunciation and generally responds fluently and appropriately. In speech and writing, the student uses a range of vocabulary and structures although accuracy of use fluctuates. Creative use of language may often be attempted. The student uses characters introduced with a high degree of accuracy. |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: The student effectively uses communication strategies and is always able to understand both written and spoken Japanese when vocabulary and structures which are introduced in the course are used. The student uses consistently comprehensible pronunciation and responds fluently, appropriately and confidently. In speech and writing the student uses a wide range of vocabulary and structures with accuracy, and attempts to use language creatively. The student uses characters introduced in the course accurately. |
Additional course grading information
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Additional assessment information
In order to pass the course, students must complete the placement requirements, achieve at least 8% on the Course Participation assessment (half the possible 16%), and sit the hurdle requirement assessments: Oral Presentation 1, Writing Exam, and Oral Presentation 2. Students who fail to meet these requirements will not be eligible for a grade above 3.
Marking criteria and/or marking rubrics are available in the ‘Assessment’ folder in Blackboard for this course.
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Library resources are available on the UQ Library website.
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Workshop |
Workshops and Tutorials Workshops and tutorials are taught in the same format. These are in-person, interactive sessions. The focus is on reading and writing kanji (in addition to established skills in hiragana and katakana), listening and speaking skills, and activities in the Genki textbook and workbook. Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03 |
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments for Students Policy and Procedure
- AI for Assessment Guide
- Recording of Teaching Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.