Miharu Nittono

This semester is MUCH HARDER than first semester. The grammar patterns get more complicated, but the amount of time dedicated to each pattern remains the same. I averaged a 90-95 on the grammar quizzes last semester, and ended with an A in the class: This semester, spending the same amount of time studying for this class, I'm averaging an 8-85 and expect an A- or B+ this semester. Nittono-sensei is still great, but because her quizzes involve so much more than just the "new" grammar patterns we are learning, they become much harder as the amount of grammar patterns we learnt increase. I wish she would tell us more explicitly what is going to be on the daily quizzes. Kanji handwriting grading is strict. Averaging A- on the homework sheets, compared to A last semester.

First semester Japanese I — fast-paced course, but content is pretty easy to understand. 4 classes a week is pretty rough sometimes, but Nittono-sensei does her best to make it engaging! She is a really funny lecturer, and her class is very interactive. I found that it really helped me improve my listening and conversational skills. The content moves very fast. Sometimes we cover 1-3 grammatical patterns a class, and there is not much time to digest past patterns before we move on to the new ones, but that's just a feature of most language classes here, I think, and not unique to Nittono-sensei's teaching style. Encourage doing the vocabulary Quizlets a day before and reviewing the vocabulary and grammar patterns day of: the one thing I wish was more consistent was Nittono-sensei's quizzes. Often we don't know what will be on the quiz, or she will tell us what grammar pattern is on the quiz, but we are also expected to recall old grammar patterns, which can be hard to do. Overall, if you study hard, this class will be fair—if you don't, then you will fall behind quickly. Exams are open-note, but they are not easy. I was pretty advanced in my class and averaged an A- on the exams. Regular coursework helps make up for this grade deflator though, and I ended with an A in the class. Projects are easy 100s, and so is class performance, the FLIP grammar quizzes, and most homework as…

Nittono sensei is a really kind woman and a good teacher. I was disappointed to see some mixed reviews because I think most people in my class agreed that she was great. She is passionate about the material (and wants you to be too) and gives beautiful, detailed feedback. She clearly has a sense of humor and keeps class light-hearted. She's even a little quirky; every day she asked what special/obscure/cute holiday it was in Japan (acronyms that are often derived from the dates). If you try to contribute and make a little bit of an effort, you will do well, I think. We regularly read through passages assigned for homework while in class, which didn't feel like the most efficient use of time. She explains the grammar well and will answer ANY and EVERY question. Take advantage of that! I rarely turned things in late so I can't speak to if she's a stickler about deadlines, but she's reasonable and the assignments are clearly outlined on the syllabus so there's not much ambiguity. During our final oral exam, she kept the mood light and cracked jokes so that it didn't even feel like an oral but a conversation. Do not hesitate about taking her section!

Nittono-sensei is going to work incredibly hard on this class, and you are too. I have mixed thoughts about this, and will try and break it down. PROS: - Nittono-sensei is really serious about this: she prepares hard, and works you like a dog - You're going to get exposed to far more rigorous materials than at any previous time: your readings will be long (15+ pages a day is not uncommon), you will be writing a huge amount of take-home essays, learning a lot about writing natural sounding Japanese, and will spend lots of time on it. I cannot say how much this class has helped me become a better writer of Japanese. I will say that I was terrified the entire time. - You'll see a range of materials for the first time at Columbia - No hand holding at all. Full speed ahead. - Very few have got this far and survived - Super-small class sizes, plus more reasonable class sessions CONS: - The gap between fourth and fifth year Japanese is enormous. Even if you're a super-dedicated student, if you lack a natural affinity for the language and got to fifth year from basically hauling ass the entire time, you're going to get kicked in the face by how much harder it is than four year. In part, this is because all your classmates will be close to native or just really hard workers/really good linguists/grad students. If you feel weak, you will not feel happy in this class. Nittono is seriousl…

A typical lecture starts with Nittono holding up hand-made flashcards b4 a vocabulary quiz as though we were in nursery school, and this quiz part usually takes up about 1/5 of class. We only need to be able to read and know the definition. Its level supposedly corresponds to the N1 level of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test. Then we move on to reading a rather outdated article of her choice, which nobody seems to care for or have read before the class. Each student haltingly reads it aloud in class followed by a discussion on the article. Although the discussion generally revolves around a set of questions accompanying each article, it often becomes bogged down, especially when we get divided into groups. We don’t study grammar, so workload is manageable. We write a weekly 2 or 3-page essay on the article we read, which is the highlight of this course btw. What bothered me and a few others I spoke to is that Nittono’s reading selection is a reflective of her rigidity and perhaps personality, in other words a crashing bore. Nittono’s grading policy is completely arbitrary and something that you must be aware, for the extent of her unfairness may take you by surprise one day. I must put the record straight here. Nittono only acknowledges absence arising from serious sickness with a doctor’s note. I am a graduating senior and had to miss a few classes for job interviews. Sh…

more vocabulary, a lot more kanji, grammar forms, etc

I would definitely recommend the class if a student met 1 of 2 requirements: 1) you are going to use Japanese professionally, or 2) you just really love Japanese. I think it is a great experience, but for undergraduates it doesn't make practical sense to take the class (because of the opportunity cost of taking extra language courses as an undergraduate). 1 Columbia University: Arts & Sciences Fall 2022 Course: JPNSGR5016_001_2022_3-FIFTHYEARJAPANESEI : JPNSGR5016_001_2022_3 - FIFTH YEAR JAPANESE I Instructor: Miharu Nittono

Nittono sensei is great. She moves pretty quickly, but is always open for questions and tries to help those who do not understand. She never once got annoyed with a student who asked a "dumb" question. She also has a great sense of humor and a cheerful disposition.

Nittono sensei is the nicest, sweetest lady ever. She is a wonderful teacher and you will feel privileged to have had her. This class is very difficult so it's important to have a good teacher to succeed. Be warned, an A in this class is for only the best students who actually keep up and work at least a couple of hours on Japanese every single day from the moment the semester starts to when it ends. If you fall behind, or if you're not very good at memorizing 25-30 words in one night, forget it.

- 4-5 take home essays throughout the semester; lowest one can be re-written for revised credit - An oral presentation derived from an essay - The usual Japanese quiz every day Final is essentially a take-home essay assignment