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KCP offers a unique opportunity to become proficient in the Japanese language and to thoroughly experience the Japanese culture. Our 80 faculty and staff are each experienced and eager to help students. Most of the students at KCP are from other Asian countries such as Korea, Thailand and Taiwan; this makes for a truly unique educational experience. Class size is only 15 to 20 students with an average of 3 instructors per class. Students get the attention they need and deserve. KCP is the right choice for dedicated students who want to learn about Japan and its language. Studying with a diverse student body from around the world contributes to the experience. In today's climate of global understanding, it is vital to appreciate cultural practices, political and economic systems, and historical backgrounds of countries different from your own. At KCP International Japanese Language School, students from many different cultures, with distinct languages and traditions, can learn the Japanese language and culture . . . and grow together in their understanding of each other. Many Asian students in the program are genuinely interested in American life and culture, so there is plenty of opportunity for spirited social exchange. Students pursue two courses at KCP: Intensive Japanese Language and Japanese Culture.
This course is the main focus of this program. KCP realizes that students enter with varying Japanese language backgrounds, which may have stressed different aspects of learning. Special emphasis is placed on holistic language education which stresses all 4 communication skills—listening, speaking, reading, and writing—to help students achieve both general knowledge of the Japanese language and practical ability. We employ the Direct Method: classes are taught in Japanese without a vehicular language such as English. We do this because KCP teaches students from all over the world, and there is truly no common language other than Japanese. But more important, we want to help students to think in Japanese by listening in Japanese. If we were to translate Japanese to students’ native languages (often with totally different grammar structures), it would take a significant cognitive effort for students to convert what they hear into Japanese—a task that is counter-productive to learning to think in Japanese. On arrival in Japan, students take a placement exam to determine their appropriate class level. Students learn from 150 to 250 kanji each term, depending on the level. There are over 220 classroom hours of instruction in each semester term. This is a rigorous program: students spend 3 to 5 hours studying each day. Instruction is in 3-hour blocks. Each student gets plenty of support, with several instructors for each course as well as an assigned language advisor and a student coordinator.
KCP promotes an understanding of Japanese culture with lectures and organized excursions to some of the most notable happenings in Tokyo. Taught in English, the course takes place on Saturdays. You’ll hear lectures on classical entertainment, customs, lifestyle, business, economics, politics, history, psychology, religion, and so on. To further broaden your knowledge, you’ll visit some relevant sites. Typical excursions have included Kamakura, the Edo-Tokyo Museum, Nikko, Asakusa Temple, the Imperial Palace, NHK Broadcasting Company, a Sumo beya, and Kabuki and Bunraku theaters, as well as opportunities to explore traditional Japanese art forms. In addition to the culture and civilization curriculum, optional educational activities and excursions are arranged throughout each year as extracurricular activities for all KCP students. This will give you and other students from around the world a great opportunity to meet each other in informal, non-classroom settings.
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