Living/Learning Center Programs

The University of Vermont

http://www.uvm.edu/llcenter/

JAPANESE HOUSE

This residential program is open to all UVM students who are currently studying or who have studied Japanese culture or language and also to Japanese international students willing to share their knowledge and skills. Members will live and learn together and teach each other in a Living-Learning Center suite. Use of Japanese language in suites will be encouraged but not required. Program activities will encourage participation by all members of the UVM community and the local Vermont community who wish to share their interest in Japan, including visiting and resident speakers of Japanese. Basic to this program are the convictions that the best way to learn is to teach others and that experience is essential to the learning process. Program activities will be guided by participant interests and made as enjoyable for all as possible. The Program will be directed by two instructors of Japanese.

Program Overview

This Japanese culture and language residential learning program is designed for students eager to study Japanese culture and/or language in mutual teaching and learning activities. Its major goal is to explore Japanese culture through shared activities. Use of the Japanese language in suites and during program activities will be encouraged but not required. The residential component of the Japanese House is open to all UVM students who are currently studying or who have studied Japanese culture and/or language and also to students who have native or near-native fluency in Japanese and are willing to share their knowledge and skills. The extra-residential components of the Japanese House encourage participation by all members of the UVM community and of the local Vermont community who wish to share their interest in Japan, especially including visiting and resident Japanese nationals. Basic to this program are the convictions that the best way to learn is to teach others and that experience is essential to the learning process. Program activities are guided by participant interests and are made as enjoyable for all as possible.

Japanese House Program residents are encouraged to take Japanese language courses at the relevant level or to participate during the conversation session of the advanced Japanese conversaion/communication courses.

Student Needs

This Program is designed to meet several educational needs of students studying Japanese language and/or culture. It addresses the needs of these students for:

(a) Opportunities for active, personal engagement with aspects of Japanese culture such as Japanese arts and crafts, Japanese cuisine and cooking, Japanese films and literature, etc.

(b) Using Japanese language in extra classroom settings and with native speakers other than their instructors

(c) Learning by sharing their knowledge of Japan with other interested persons, both fellow students and community members

Learning Objectives

Enhanced Knowledge of Japanese Culture

Action Steps

• Teams of program members and students taking Japanese language courses organize and lead educational events consisting, for example, of a lecture by a guest speaker, a presentation on some aspect of Japanese culture or life by students, a showing of a Japanese cultural video and a feature film, a demonstration/workshop on Japanese tea ceremony, flower arranging, calligraphy, cooking, martial arts, etc. These events are usually open to the public.

• Program members will have occasional gatherings with Japanese students of UVM and other colleges.

• Program members will occasionally collaborate with students of Japanese at St. Michael's College and South Burlington and Essex High School at gatherings.

Enhanced Japanese Language Fluency

Action Steps

• Program members who are Japanese language students or (near-)native speakers will be expected to use Japanese as much as possible when speaking with other language students or (near-)native speakers both during and outside of program activities and especially within the program suite(s).

• Program activities will include a session on basic Japanese phrases and frequently be conducted bilingually in Japanese and English.

Community Service

(a) All program activities will encourage participation by all those with knowledge or interest in Japan from both UVM and local communities. It will make a special effort to make welcome both international and resident Japanese speaking students.

(b) Program members will participate in multicultural campus events and present Japanese culture to the UVM and outside communities.