Japanese Language Courses in Sapporo, Japan

SIL Sapporo Nihongo Gakko:
Our warm and friendly school is based in Sapporo, north Japan. Sapporo is a metropolitan city of 1.89 million and the fifth largest city in Japan, is the governmental, economic, and cultural center of the prefecture of Hokkaido offering a wide variety of educational and recreational opportunities. What sets Sapporo apart from other major Japanese cities are its low cost of living and its small foreign language-speaking population. This is beneficial as it makes staying in Sapporo relatively inexpensive, and the necessity to communicate in Japanese reinforces classroom training.

Intensive Courses:
In our intensive courses we offer four or five different levels, from elementary to advanced. The classes focus on both conversation skills
with the good comprehension and applications of the grammar and in some higher class levels the preparation for the Japanese Language
Proficiency Test.

In all SIL classes, students should express their own ideas in Japanese. Please note that a good knowledge of Elementary II level is enough for challenging JLPT level 3, and for some students to be able to pass it.

Elementary Level:
Develop basic conversation skills.
Learn to express yourself more freely in Japanese.
Please note Kanji are used in study materials as appropriate but will not specifically be taught during classes.

Beginner:
Zero starter. Student's first stay in Japan and first time studying Japanese.

Elementary I:
Has stayed in Japan for at least half a year; can listen to and understand spoken Japanese.
Aims for the ability to converse in simple sentences using basic verb and particle patterns, not broken Japanese, as well as being able to appropriately use adjectives in all tenses.
Students at this level are expected to have a target of around 100 kanji and a vocabulary of 500 words. Aiming for the 4th level of the Japanese Proficiency Exam.

Elementary II:
Has successfully completed JBP Vol. 1 or Minna no Nihongo and the 4th level of the Japanese Proficiency Exam. Aiming for the ability to use correct particles and construct the correct sentence patterns, and read short sentences (ex. Minna no NihongoII. ~L40). Students at this level are expected to have a target of around 200 kanji and a vocabulary of 800 words. Challenging the 3rd level of the Japanese Proficiency Exam.

Elementary III:
Has successfully completed the E-II level.
Targeting the volitional, passive, causative, giving/receiving patterns, the conditional patterns (nara; ba), and other advanced level grammar and expressions; can with relative ease, freely express one's ideas (for example, asking for information on the telephone, making and declining requests).
Ability to read and write short sentences and simple long sentences.
Targeting kanji of 300 and vocabulary of 1,500. Aiming for getting more than 80% of the 3rd level of the Japanese Proficiency Exam.

Intermediate Level:

Intermediate I:
Has successfully completed all elements of elementary grammar. Using this as a foundation, can use high level grammar and simple idiomatic expressions in useful every day life conversations and situational explanations, ability to read and write simple sentences. Targeting kanji of 1,000 and vocabulary of 6,000. Has passed the 3rd level of the Japanese Proficiency Exam, first attempt at the 2nd level of the Japanese Proficiency Exam.

Intermediate I Conversation:
Same as above but not aiming for passing the proficiency exam. Goal of simply improving conversation and hearing skills.

Intermediate II:
Has successfully completed the I-I level. Ability to freely express oneself satisfactorily, utilizing expressions and patterns learned at the I-I level. Has previously studied for the 2nd level of the Japanese Proficiency Exam. Second attempt at the 2nd level.

Advanced Level:

Advanced I:
Using high level grammar and idioms, can talk about and exchange ideas regarding social issues, ability to read the newspaper, essays and novels, and write essays. Targeting kanji of 2,000 and vocabulary of 10,000. Has passed the 2nd level of the Japanese Proficiency Exam, first attempt at the 1st level of the Japanese Proficiency Exam.

Advanced II:
Has successfully completed A-I and can freely use those expressions, ability to arrive at a high-level proficiency usage (for example, ability to discuss and deliberate social and current affairs, read and write a thesis). Has studied for and/or taken the 1st level of the Japanese Proficiency Exam, second attempt at the 1st level, or has successfully passed the 1st level.