A BRIEF OUTLINE OF
'JAPANESE-THE KITANI METHOD'

1.                     Bird’s-eye view disclosure: It discloses and has the students acquire within the first 20 lessons the entire framework of the Japanese language - that is, the conjugation systems of predicates (i.e. verbs, adjectives and the linking verb), as well as the accurate use of case particles, (i.e. -GA, -O, -NI, -DE), etc., and the concept of 'the topic and the focus,'(i.e. the relation between the particle -WA and case particles).

2.                     Daily conversational language: Although the above sounds quite demanding, each lesson (usually an hour) is filled with fun and satisfaction through acquisition of practical everyday expressions.

3.                     Full use of your English knowledge: It utilizes English most efficiently as the intermediate language.　 It concentrates mainly on the differences of Japanese from English.　As human languages, Japanese and English share many common areas and factors which do not require students to spend time studying.

4.                     Various memory strategies: It treats students as adults who have already passed their normal period for language acquisition.　Therefore, it rejects repetition practices and meaningless drills.　Instead, it employs various innovative methods, which include English-based pneumonic association strategies for memorizing key target words and phrases, examples of which are: "Get the Car, Sue" plus "Making Doughnuts" for the days of the week ("Get" = Getsu-yobi, "Car" = Ka-yobi, and so on); or "You live near the church" → "Sunday mass" for, SUN-DE I-MASU (meaning, "I live in ...").

5.                     Visualization of rules: It does not stress students' errors, but instead has students reach the right answer through efficiently designed cues and various colorful flash cards.

6.                     The latest ‘Top down’ approach: It does not force students to lay the bricks from the bottom up, but urges them to acquire the overall framework as quickly as possible, and then to add additional components of detail as daringly as possible.

7.                     Medal contest for quick & fluid utterance: Memorizing key sentences is the backbone for producing timely utterances when needed.  Without memorizing key sentences, however hard you study, you are likely to find yourself mute when it comes to your hour of need.

8.                     4-Consecutive-Hit System: The first hit: You encounter those sentences needed for your daily use for the first time during the lesson.  The second hit: You hear them again on MD or cassette out of class.  The third hit: When you do homework, you translate the English version of the sentences on the homework into Japanese just as you hear on MD or cassette.  The fourth hit: You review the sentences during the following lesson when we go over the homework.  At this time, the sentences are again recorded on MD or cassette.

9.                     The cutting-edge textbook: Its textbooks consist of a "Main Text," a "Core Grammar," and a "Translation of the Main Text."　The Main Text is only 45 pages, thanks to the succinctness of its pedagogical method.　These texts, in addition, can be used for students at any level - from total beginners to the most advanced students, some of whom are proficient enough to translate "The Nikkei Shinbun."　50 lesson hours of this method will boost a novice student to an intermediate level of Japanese, and an intermediate student to an advanced level.

10.    Out-of-class activities: We reinforce learning through providing opportunities for mingling with Japanese people such as outings to Japanese restaurant with instructors, monthly tea gatherings, other periodical excursions, and so forth.