Intermediate Japanese Textbook - by Michael L Kluemper & Lisa Berkson

About the Book

The excitement of learning Japanese continues!

Book Synopsis

This is complete Japanese textbook and learning package for intermediate level students.

In the intermediate level of this highly-acclaimed new series, learners will continue to study Japanese through an engaging storyline which slowly unfolds over the arc of the text, keeping things interesting and adding the motivation needed to master new material. This story-based approach is a great way to learn Japanese. The emphasis in Intermediate Japanese is on real-life situations drawn from contemporary Japanese culture and authentic written, visual and oral materials embedded in the lessons.

Available in both hardcover and paperback, Intermediate Japanese includes an accompanying audio disc and free web-based multimedia resources with additional exercises. A separate Workbook is available with corresponding one-of-a-kind practice activities.

Key features of this program:

• The focus is very visual. The book's narrative is told with manga-style story pages, and the CD-ROM uses colorful video.
• Authentic written, visual, and oral materials are embedded very naturally throughout the book.
• Independent learners and classroom students alike will find this an accessible and upbeat way to master contemporary Japanese.
• Kanji characters are emphasized here more than in other textbooks and are taught as an integral part of learning Japanese spoken vocabulary, rather than separately.
• By the end of this book, learners will have mastered 149 additional kanji, for a cumulative total of 300 kanji.

The online media kit includes:

• Native Japanese language speakers.
• Pronunciation guides for all new words.
• Accompanying dialogues.

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 flash cards.

Beginning Japanese is the second volume in a 2-level series. Deepen your learning with the Intermediate Japanese Workbook, a volume of drills and exercises that reinforce the lessons in the textbook.

All media content is accessible from the Tuttle Publishing website.

From the Back Cover

more author bio:

Lisa Berkson has been teaching Japanese language at the high school level for eight years. Her introduction to Japan came as a Rotary Club exchange student in high school. She returned to Japan after earning her B.A. from Georgetown University, and spent two years in Kyoto, studying Japanese and teaching English. Subsequently, she entered the M.A. program in Asian Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. For the next several years she worked in related fields, including as a proofreader for the Japanese version of Time magazine, as a tour guide, and as a freelance technical translator, before returning to graduate school to earn her teaching certificate. She led the Japanese language program at Warren Central High School, in Indianapolis, IN, for seven years, and during that time worked actively with the Association of Indiana Teachers of Japanese. AITJ honored her by nominating her for Japanese language teacher of the year in 2007. She currently teaches Japanese and Chinese language classes at Dobson High School in Mesa, Arizona, and is president-elect of the Arizona Association of Teachers of Japanese.

Review Quotes

"If you are looking for a low [to] intermediate Japanese textbook that uses English explanations, furigana and also dedicates a section to teaching Kanji, you have found the one...I haven't quite found a book that does...everything. I think this one hits that sweet spot of serving as an all-encompassing main textbook." --Hangukdrama and Korean blog

"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 has been teaching Japanese language and visual arts since 1999. He served as a board member for the National Council of Japanese Language Teachers from 2001-08 and has been involved in long-term planning committees for the council as well as ACTFL (The American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages). Today, Kluemper is a College Board Consultant for the AP Japanese program and lives in Louisville, KY.

Lisa Berkson was introduced to Japan as a Rotary exchange student in high school. After earning her B.A. from Georgetown University, she returned to Kyoto for two years to study Japanese and teach English. Later, she worked actively with the Association of Indiana Teachers of Japanese. AITJ honored her by nominating her for Japanese language teacher of the year in 2007. She lives in Mesa, Arizona.