Are you looking to learn Japanese online? The Marugoto Japanese Online Course, offered by the Japan Foundation on the JF Japanese e-Learning Minato platform, provides a comprehensive and engaging way to master the Japanese language. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about this exceptional online course.
Discover Marugoto: Your Gateway to Japanese Language and Culture
“Marugoto” itself refers to the acclaimed coursebook series, “Marugoto: Japanese Language and Culture,” developed by the Japan Foundation. This series is meticulously crafted based on the JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education. The core philosophy of Marugoto is communication. It’s designed to empower you to use Japanese effectively in real-life situations while fostering an understanding and appreciation for Japanese culture. The Marugoto Japanese Online Course is the digital embodiment of this successful textbook, bringing its interactive and culturally rich lessons to your fingertips.
To delve deeper into the coursebook and its underlying principles, visit here.
Understanding the JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education
The JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education is a valuable framework for both learners and educators. It serves as a benchmark for teaching, learning, and assessing Japanese language proficiency. Inspired by the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), the JF Standard allows you to understand your Japanese level based on practical “can-do” statements. It clearly outlines what you should be able to accomplish in Japanese at each proficiency level.
Explore more about the JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education here.
Who is the Marugoto Japanese Online Course For?
This Learn Japanese Online Course is specifically designed for adult learners worldwide. Its online format makes it ideal for individuals who are keen to learn Japanese online but struggle with time constraints due to work, school, family responsibilities, or geographical limitations. Whether you are a busy professional, a student with a packed schedule, or someone without access to local Japanese classes, Marugoto Online offers a flexible and accessible solution.
The Marugoto Japanese Online Course is fully compatible with PCs, tablets, and smartphones, allowing you to learn Japanese online anytime, anywhere, fitting study seamlessly into your daily life.
Course Levels Offered: Charting Your Japanese Learning Journey
The Marugoto Japanese Online Course aligns its levels with the JF Standard for Japanese-Language Education, ensuring a structured and progressive learning experience. Currently, courses are available for A1 and A2 levels, with plans for expansion in the future.
A1 Level (Beginner Japanese Online Course)
- Can-do statement: Understand and use familiar everyday expressions and basic phrases to satisfy concrete needs.
- Skills you’ll gain: Introduce yourself and others, ask and answer basic personal questions (residence, acquaintances, possessions), and engage in simple interactions with patient and helpful speakers.
Alt text: Graph depicting A1 level Japanese proficiency according to JF Standard, highlighting basic communication skills.
A2 Level (Elementary Japanese Online Course)
- Can-do statement: Understand frequently used expressions related to immediate needs (personal/family information, shopping, local areas, employment).
- Skills you’ll gain: Communicate in routine tasks requiring simple information exchange on familiar topics, describe your background, immediate environment, and basic needs in simple terms.
Alt text: Graph illustrating A2 level Japanese proficiency as per JF Standard, showing ability to handle simple routine conversations.
Future Levels: B1, B2, C1, C2 (Intermediate to Advanced Japanese Online Courses)
While currently focused on A1 and A2, the Marugoto framework extends to advanced levels. Here’s a glimpse of what you can expect as you progress:
B1 Level (Pre-Intermediate Japanese Online Course)
- Can-do statement: Understand main points of clear standard input on familiar topics (work, school, leisure).
- Skills you’ll gain: Handle most travel situations in Japanese-speaking areas, produce simple connected text on familiar topics, describe experiences, dreams, and briefly explain opinions and plans.
Alt text: Graph showing B1 level Japanese proficiency in JF Standard, emphasizing ability to manage familiar situations and produce connected text.
B2 Level (Upper-Intermediate Japanese Online Course)
- Can-do statement: Understand complex text on concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions.
- Skills you’ll gain: Interact fluently and spontaneously with native speakers, produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects, and explain viewpoints with pros and cons.
Alt text: Graph representing B2 level Japanese proficiency in JF Standard, indicating fluency in interaction and detailed text production.
C1 Level (Advanced Japanese Online Course)
- Can-do statement: Understand demanding, longer texts and implicit meaning.
- Skills you’ll gain: Express yourself fluently and spontaneously, use language flexibly for social, academic, and professional purposes, and produce well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects.
Alt text: Graph depicting C1 level Japanese proficiency as per JF Standard, highlighting fluency, flexibility, and detailed communication in complex topics.
C2 Level (Proficient Japanese Online Course)
- Can-do statement: Understand virtually everything heard or read with ease.
- Skills you’ll gain: Summarize information from various sources, reconstruct arguments coherently, and express yourself spontaneously, fluently, and precisely, even in complex situations.
Alt text: Graph illustrating C2 level Japanese proficiency in JF Standard, showcasing near-native comprehension and expression skills.
Alt text: Visual text graphic emphasizing the comprehensive levels covered by Marugoto Japanese Online Course.
Language Support: Learning in Your Preferred Language
The Marugoto Japanese Online Course offers explanations in multiple languages to support diverse learners.
| Level | Language of Explanation | Online Course | Coursebook |
|---|---|---|---|
| A1 | English, Indonesian, Thai, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, French, Portuguese | Marugoto A1-1 (Katsudoo & Rikai) | Starter (A1) |
| Marugoto A1-2 (Katsudoo & Rikai) | |||
| A2 | English, Indonesian, Spanish | Marugoto A2-1 (Katsudoo & Rikai) | Elementary 1 (A2) |
| Marugoto A2-2 (Katsudoo & Rikai) | |||
| English, Spanish | Marugoto A2-3 (Katsudoo & Rikai) | Elementary 2 (A2) | |
| Marugoto A2-4 (Katsudoo & Rikai) | |||
| A2B1 | English | Marugoto A2B1-1 | Pre-Intermediate (A2/B1) |
| Marugoto A2B1-2 |
Future expansions will include more languages to further enhance accessibility.
Unsure of your level? Take the Japanese Test for Course Recommendation to find the perfect starting point!
Course Types: Choose Your Learning Style
Explore the Two Distinct Course Types in Marugoto Japanese Online Course
Self-Study Course (Independent Japanese Online Course)
This option provides interactive study content for learners who prefer to learn Japanese online at their own pace and schedule. It’s ideal for self-motivated individuals who thrive in independent learning environments.
Tutor Support Course (Guided Japanese Online Course)
For a more structured and interactive experience, the Tutor Support Course combines self-study content with personalized guidance. You’ll benefit from tutor feedback on assignments, live online lessons for each topic, and the opportunity to connect with fellow learners in a group setting. This course is perfect for those who appreciate structured learning and community interaction.
Katsudoo Course vs. Katsudoo and Rikai Course: Understanding the A1 Level Options
For beginner Level A1, Marugoto offers two paths:
The Katsudoo Course is designed for casual learners who want to focus on practical communication. Through listening and speaking practice, you’ll develop essential conversational skills for everyday situations.
The Katsudoo and Rikai Course provides a more comprehensive approach for learners aiming for a deeper understanding of Japanese. It combines Katsudoo’s practical communication focus with systematic learning of Japanese language structure (Rikai), covering reading, listening, writing, and speaking skills.
For detailed information on Katsudoo and Rikai, please visit here.
How to Study in the Katsudoo and Rikai Course: A Step-by-Step Approach
Both Katsudoo and Rikai courses are thematically aligned. Each topic comprises two lessons, studied sequentially: first Katsudoo, then Rikai, ensuring a cohesive and reinforcing learning experience.
Discover the current course offerings at JF Japanese e-Learning Minato and start your Japanese learning journey today!
Registering in a Course Registration on JF Japanese e-Learning Minato (free) is required to enroll in the Marugoto Japanese Online Course.
Course Content: Engaging Materials for Effective Learning
What Study Materials Will You Use to Learn Japanese Online?
The Marugoto Japanese Online Course uses two main types of study content: Katsudoo and Rikai, designed to build your communicative Japanese skills effectively.
Katsudoo: Practical Communication Skills
Katsudoo lessons follow a 6-step approach to develop practical communication skills for everyday situations:
Step 1: Know the goals: Understand the learning objectives and communicative situations.
Step 2: Look, Listen and Try Saying: Practice pronunciation and intonation by listening and repeating.
Step 3: Listen and Find: Develop listening comprehension by understanding conversations and noting key expressions.
Step 4: Try Using: Practice speaking and writing Japanese through video-based prompts and interactive exercises.
Step 5: Can-do Check: Self-assess your progress towards achieving the lesson goals.
Step 6: Life and Culture (Even-numbered lessons): Explore Japanese life and culture through photos and videos, gaining cultural insights alongside language skills.
Rikai: Deep Dive into Japanese Language Structure
Rikai lessons offer an 8-step path to understand the building blocks of the Japanese language:
Step 1: Basic Sentences: Identify the key grammatical structures and sentence patterns for the lesson.
Step 2: Japanese Script and Vocabulary: Practice writing Japanese script (Hiragana, Katakana, Kanji) and build essential vocabulary.
Step 3: Kanji: Learn Kanji characters relevant to the lesson topic, expanding your reading and writing abilities.
Step 4: Conversation and Grammar: Understand grammar rules and sentence structures in context through example conversations.
Step 5: Reading: Enhance reading comprehension with short texts related to the lesson theme.
Step 6: Writing: Develop writing skills by composing short pieces in Japanese.
Step 7: Quiz (A1-1, A1-2 only): Test your understanding with quizzes (available for beginner levels).
Step 8: Nihongo Check: Self-evaluate your ability to use appropriate Japanese in various situations, ensuring practical application of learned grammar and vocabulary.
Self-Study Support: Ensuring Your Success
Worried About Self-Studying Online? Marugoto Has You Covered!
The Marugoto Japanese Online Course provides extensive support to ensure a successful self-study experience.
Overall Support: Comprehensive Resources at Your Fingertips
Access a wealth of resources including course overviews, foundational Japanese knowledge, grammar materials, vocabulary lists, Kanji resources, and more. All these materials are downloadable in PDF format for offline access.
Lesson-Specific Support: Instant Help When You Need It
Within each lesson, easily access meanings and explanations for vocabulary, basic sentences, and Kanji. Look up unfamiliar words or grammar points instantly to keep your learning flow smooth.
Study Content Support: Deeper Understanding and Cultural Insights
Enrich your learning with supplementary explanations for new words and expressions, and delve into Japanese culture with informative content integrated within the lessons. Gain a deeper understanding of both the language and its cultural context.
Staying Motivated with Self-Study: Marugoto’s Features for Continued Learning
Concerned About Staying on Track with Self-Study? Marugoto Keeps You Engaged!
The online course allows you to learn Japanese online at your own pace, time, and location. Personalized “My Page” features help you track your progress and stay motivated on your Japanese learning journey.
My Page “Study Progress”: Visualize Your Achievements
Track your study progress visually, seeing completed lessons at a glance. Monitor your daily progress and stay motivated as you see your learning journey unfold.
My Page “Portfolio”: Reflect on Your Learning Journey
Your “Portfolio” records your language and culture studies, including self-evaluations and written exercises. Review your past work, reflect on your progress, and celebrate your accomplishments throughout the course.
Ready to experience the Marugoto Japanese Online Course? Try the trial version today and discover the engaging and effective way to learn Japanese online!
[Sample Lesson
