Online Low Beginner Japanese Thursday 7:15pm - 8:15pm PST (August 6th to September 10th) The class size is 3-6 students per class. Instructor: Elsiemae

🇯🇵 Low Beginner Japanese – Online Class

For learners in Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose & the Bay Area

📅 Course Dates

This class will meet from August 6th to September 10th.

Format: Online, small group (3–6 students)
Schedule: Weekly live classes

👥 Who This Course Is For

This course is designed for students who already have a very basic foundation in Japanese. If you have completed a beginner course before, studied some Japanese in the past, or already know basic greetings, Hiragana, and simple sentence patterns, this class will help you build on that knowledge and continue progressing with confidence.

If you are based in Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, or elsewhere in the Bay Area, this is a great opportunity to continue learning Japanese in a small, supportive group with personalized attention.

📖 What You’ll Learn

In this course, students will strengthen their foundation in spoken and written Japanese and begin communicating with greater ease. You’ll learn to:

• Expand your vocabulary for everyday life and common situations

• Use a wider range of basic sentence patterns correctly

• Improve your reading fluency in Hiragana and begin working with additional written Japanese

• Speak more comfortably about daily routines, preferences, and simple experiences

• Ask and answer a broader range of practical questions

• Improve listening comprehension through guided practice

• Gain confidence using Japanese in short everyday conversations

• Deepen your understanding of Japanese culture and polite communication

🌍 Themes and Topics Include

• Daily routines and activities

• Talking about likes, dislikes, and preferences

• Describing family, friends, and people around you

• Shopping and asking about prices or items

• Ordering food and interacting in simple restaurant situations

• Talking about time, schedules, and plans

• Getting around and asking for simple directions

• Everyday etiquette and cultural norms in Japan

💬 What to Expect

Each class includes:

• Live, interactive instruction with an experienced teacher

• Clear explanations of grammar, vocabulary, and sentence patterns

• Guided speaking practice in pairs and small groups

• Continued reading and writing practice in Japanese

• Listening activities to build comprehension and confidence

• Cultural insights to support real-world communication

• Light, manageable homework to reinforce learning between classes

✅ By the End of the Course, You’ll Be Able To:

• Use a wider range of everyday Japanese expressions with confidence

• Take part in short conversations about familiar topics

• Ask and answer practical questions in everyday situations

• Read Hiragana more comfortably and recognize additional common written forms

• Understand more slow, clear spoken Japanese

👩‍🏫 About the Instructor

Elsiemae is a bilingual Japanese and English instructor with a strong academic and teaching background. She holds a Master’s degree in Japanese literature and a Bachelor’s degree in English literature from Portland State University, where she also taught Japanese as a graduate teaching assistant. She has taught and tutored Japanese in both the U.S. and Japan, including experience with university students, U.S. military personnel, and community learners. Her teaching style is fun, supportive, and culturally immersive, helping students build practical communication skills while gaining a deeper understanding of Japanese culture.

🏫 About the School

This course is offered by Polyglottist Language Academy, based in Berkeley and serving students throughout the San Francisco Bay Area—including Oakland, San Francisco, San Jose, and beyond—with both in-person and online language classes. Our small-group format allows students to receive personalized attention while building real confidence in speaking, listening, reading, and writing.