Beginning Japanese Textbook - 2nd Edition by Michael L Kluemper & Lisa Berkson & Nathan Patton & Nobuko Patton (Mixed Media Product)

Book Synopsis

Beginning Japanese is a complete Japanese textbook and language learning package for beginning learners.

Start speaking, reading and writing Japanese today with the most exciting new introduction to the Japanese language! It follows the story of Kiara, an American exchange student who lives in Japan and loves to study Japanese. With the help of her Japanese friends and the time-traveling Tomo Tanuki (raccoon dog), Kiara learns to speak, read, and write Japanese while she visits famous people and places in Japanese history.

Illustrated with manga-style comics--a fun way to learn Japanese and written by experienced high-school Japanese teachers, this Japanese textbook will show you how to pronounce Japanese; read and write hiragana, katakana, and 125 essential kanji; and understand conversational Japanese.

Key features of this program:

• An engaging storyline--including a time travel adventure--unfolds as learners advance, adding motivation to master the language.
• Authentic written, visual, and oral materials embedded naturally throughout.
• Kanji is taught beginning with Chapter 1--and together with current vocabulary rather than separately. (At the end of Vol. 1 you'll know 151 kanji).
• Technology is used extensively for authentic tasks.
• A dedicated website provides additional content and updates.
• Content is aligned with the ACTFL National Standards.

The accompanying online audio and bonus material includes:

• Native Japanese language speakers.
• Pronunciation guides.
• Dialogues.
• New word lists.
• Fun songs.
• Listening activities and tests.
• Extensive printable exercises.

The Beginning Japanese Website includes:

• Online games and activities.
• Additional information and updates.
• Downloadable Hiragana Practice Book, Katakana Practice Book, kana practice sheets.
• Downloadable kanji and kana flashcards.

Beginning Japanese is the first volume in a 2-level series. Deepen your learning with the Beginning Japanese Workbook, a volume of drills and exercises that reinforce the lessons in the textbook. If you already speak basic Japanese, continue your learning with the second level, Intermediate Japanese. Whether you're learning Japanese for fun, preparing for a Japanese proficiency exam, or want to achieve AP- or IB-level competency, Beginning Japanese is your key to becoming a confident Japanese-speaker.

Review Quotes

"Beginning Japanese is a comprehensive textbook for beginners of Japanese. [...] Overall, this textbook includes many useful cultural and linguistic notes as well as helpful hints for developing proficiency. It is well organized and easy to navigate. The quality of printing and binding is superb. Most importantly, it is filled with numerous creative ideas of the passionate authors who have rich experience of teaching Japanese. Beginning Japanese is a very unique, exciting and excellent textbook especially for young learners of Japanese. " -- Eriko Sato, Assistant Professor Dept of Asian and Asian American Studies, Stony Brook University; The NECTFL Review: A Journal for K - 16+ Foreign Language Educators

"It provides web-based and supplementary audio resources in addition to the textbook, which progressively give students more exposure to language a little beyond their expected level of attainment, and which immerse students in culturally authentic contexts." --Geoff Biesinger, AATJ Journal

"Last year, I discovered the Beginning and Intermediate Japanese series by Kluemper. I changed textbooks immediately after experimenting with it for a week." --Kyler Jackson, Japanese Teacher, Thomas Jefferson High School

"One of the newer textbooks in the intermediate space, and a little more lively perhaps than the integrated approach." --Japanesestudent.info blog

About the Author

Michael L. Kluemper served as a board member of the National Council of Japanese Language Teachers from 2001-2008, and has worked on national task forces for the implementation of a Japanese AP course. He lives in Louisville, KY.

Lisa Berkson was honored by the Association of Indiana Teachers of Japanese as the language teacher of the year in 2007. She currently teaches Japanese and Chinese language classes at Dobson High School in Mesa, AZ.

Nathan Patton teaches Japanese language at Scott County High School in Georgetown, KY where he serves as Chair of the World Language Department.

Nobuko Patton (1960-2018) taught Japanese at the University of Kentucky, Georgetown College and Jessie Clark Middle School in Lexington, KY.