Hi, I am Shingo SATO, a native speaker with more than 10 years of experience teaching Japanese.
Irodori : Japanese for Life in Japan, created by The Japan Foundation, is a comprehensive language learning resource for students who are interested in learning the Japanese language. As a Japanese language teacher, I use this book too. In this blog post, I’ll provide an in-depth review of Irodori Japanese for Life in Japan.
Introduction to Irodori Japanese for Life in Japan
Irodori : Japanese for Life in Japan is an online language learning resource created by The Japan Foundation. The program is designed to help students learn Japanese through interactive lessons and activities that focus on language, culture, and day-to-day life in Japan. Irodori : Japanese for Life in Japan is available in both English and Japanese, and it is free to use.
For another free PDF, you can read the following post.
The Japan Foundation is a non-profit organization that was established in 1972 to promote international cultural exchange and understanding between Japan and other countries. The organization has a long history of providing language learning resources, as well as other educational programs, to students around the world.
Irodori : Japanese for Life in Japan is the latest language learning resource created by The Japan Foundation. The program is designed to be comprehensive and easy to use, and it includes activities, lessons, and tools that are designed to help students learn the language.
Overview of the content and structure of Irodori Japanese for Life in Japan
The structure of Irodori‘s lessons depends on the can-do’s. The can-do’s are divided into the following four major categories.
- Listening
- Speaking
- Reading
- Writing
Each lesson emphasizes input (listening and reading).
After Can-do lesson, the book also has “kanji” and “tips for life in Japan” sections.
Let’s take a look at the structure of each.
Listening
For listening can-dos, a lesson might be structured as follows.
- Presentation of can-do
- Vocabulary introduction
- Listening comprehension
- Attention to grammar
As in the next “Speaking,” you will always listen to the audio at least three times during the vocabulary introduction: the first time you just listen, the second time you listen and say, and the third time you listen to the vocabulary which is read randomly and you choose the vocabulary that is read.
You also listen to the same audio over and over again in listening comprehension, and since different questions are asked in the first and second (and sometimes third) sessions, you never get bored with listening comprehension. I like that the point of attention changes each time.
And finally, we focus on grammar. Again, you listen to the audio. Here the grammar items are blank, and you fill in the blanks as you hear them. This is a natural way to focus attention on grammar.
There is also a grammar note, but it is up to the teacher to decide whether or not to cover it in class. According to second language acquisition theory, knowing the theory of grammar is not the same as being able to actually use it, and this book seems to reflect that.
Speaking
For speaking can-dos, lessons are often structured as follows.
- Presentation of the can-do
- Vocabulary introduction
- Listening comprehension
- Attention to grammar
- Speaking practice
The first four steps are the same as the previous “Listening” step. In speaking practice, you listen to an example of a conversation, shadow it, and then speak. You are first doing input (listening) and then output (speaking).
Reading
In the reading lesson, first can-do’s are presented, but after that there are no set steps. It has to do with reading various things. For example, reading and understanding the Japanese on a sticker on a message app, or reading the ingredients section of food to check for allergens. In this way, just as in real life, the purpose of reading comes first. It is not reading for the sake of reading.
Writing
Writing lessons are often structured as follows.
- Presentation of the can-do
- Reading examples
- Writing
For example, you read an example of how to fill out a medical questionnaire given at a hospital, understand what to write and where to write it, and then actually write it.
In addition, the writing lesson is sometimes combined with the reading lesson. For example, in the reading lesson, you read a message telling your friend that she or he is going to be late, and in the next writing lesson, you write a message to your friend that you will be late too.
As with speaking lessons, the order is input first, then output.
Kanji and Tips for Life in Japan
After the lesson dealing with can-do’s is over, there are two more sections, “Kanji” and “Tips for Life in Japan”.
Whether it is Kanji or Tips for Life in Japan, you will learn things related to Can-dos. For example, if your Can-do is “to make a reservation at a restaurant by phone,” you will learn kanji words such as “reservation” and “phone number. Also, in Tips for Life in Japan, you can learn about smoking in restaurants, how to pay the bill at restaurants, and so on.
Pros and Cons of Irodori Japanese for Life in Japan
Based on my teaching experience, Irodori has many advantages, but it also has some drawbacks.
Advantages of Irodori
The advantages of Irodori include:
- Free of charge
- Easy to use and comprehensive
- Well-structured and organized
- Designed based on the second language acquisition theory
- Flexible and allows students to tailor the lessons
- Includes a variety of resources
- Includes audio and video recordings（videos are available in the online course）
- Includes interactive activities
When compared to other language learning resources, Irodori Japanese for Life in Japan has several advantages. It is free of charge. The program is comprehensive and easy to use, and it includes a variety of activities and lessons that are designed to help students improve their understanding of the language. The program also includes a variety of resources, such as a dictionary, a grammar guide, and an audio library.
However, when compared to other language learning resources, Irodori Japanese for Life in Japan does have some drawbacks.
Disadvantages of Irodori
The drawbacks of Irodori include:
- Offers romaji only for the first two lessons
- Students have to print out the book by themselves if they want printed material
This book offers romaji only for the first two lessons. So you will have to be able to at least read hiragana and katakana after that. And students may have to print the material by themselves, because it is offered in PDF only right now. Irodori has 1,400 pages in total, so it may be costly.
Who is Irodori Japanese for Life in Japan Best Suited For?
Irodori Japanese for Life in Japan is best suited for starter and elementary level learners.
Also, intermediate level learners who know a lot of vocabulary and grammar but cannot speak may want to learn in Irodori. This is because the emphasis at Irodori is not on language knowledge, but on the ability to actually communicate.
Conclusion
Irodori : Japanese for Life in Japan is a comprehensive language learning resource that is designed to help students learn the language and gain an understanding of Japanese culture. The program is easy to use and includes activities and lessons that are designed to help students improve their understanding of the language.
The program has many advantages, including its comprehensive approach to language learning and its flexibility. Additionally, the program includes a variety of resources and activities that students can use to improve their understanding of the language.
You can see what the book is like at Irodori Official Website.
Please read the following post for information on the Irodori Practice app that allow you to practice language knowledge.
If you want to access videos of Irodori easily, the following post may help you.
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