In this post, I share my thoughts on using a textbook called Marugoto for over 5 years as a Japanese language teacher. This textbook is perfect if you know a lot of Japanese vocabulary and grammar but cannot speak it.
Introduction to Marugoto
Marugoto is a Japanese language textbook issued by the Japan Foundation. This book is very helpful in improving communication skills, including the ability to speak and listen. The official website of Marugoto has the following explanation.
In Marugoto, using Japanese to actually communicate is the goal. The goal is not just to increase your knowledge of grammar and sentence patterns. Can-dos are set as objectives that show what you will be able to do in what situations, and you study Japanese that can be used in real-life situations.
the Marugoto official website
The series includes the following nine books
- Starter Katsudoo
- Starter Rikai
- Elementary 1 Katsudoo
- Elementary 1 Rikai
- Elementary 2 Katsudoo
- Elementary 2 Rikai
- Pre-Intermediate
- Intermediate 1
- Intermediate 2
For Katsudoo（activities） and Rikai（understanding）, the official website provides the following explanations.
Starter (A1) consists of two books: Katsudoo（Coursebook for communicative language activities） and Rikai （Coursebook for communicative language competences）. In Katsudoo the aim is to develop practical communicative ability through listening to a variety of Japanese and through speaking practice. In Rikai you are able to systematically study the language systems needed for communication.
So, roughly speaking, I understand that Katsudoo focuses on listening and speaking, while Rikai focuses on reading and writing. For example, in the Starter Katsudo book, all Hiragana and Katakana readings are shown in Romaji, but in the same level of Rikai, only up to lesson 10 of the 18 lessons have Romaji. The Starter’s level Rikai also deals with Kanji readings, but the same level of Katsudoo does not have a Kanji section. Also, in Rikai there are numerous writing and reading exercises, while in Katsudoo there are only a few.
Advantages of Marugoto
Marugoto is a great resource for learning Japanese with the following advantages.
- Clear Can-dos on what you will be able to do in what situations
- Second language acquisition theory can be practiced
- Full color printing
- Support sites
Clear Can-dos on what you will be able to do in what situations
In Marugoto, the Can-do is the first step in learning what you will be able to do in what situations, and then you will learn the vocabulary and grammar necessary for that. The can-dos are very specific. This is a completely different characteristic from grammar-oriented textbooks like Minna no Nihongo.
In the Teaching Guide of Minna no Nihongo, there is a Learning Goal. For example, the Learning Goal of Lesson 22 is as follows
To be able to describe and explain people and things in more detail using the adnominal modification.
Teaching Guide of Minna no Nihongo Shokyuu I, 2nd Edition
I used to think that this was somewhat true myself, but upon closer inspection, it does not say in what situations and for what purpose it is used to describe in detail.
Also, the learning content in the same lesson are as follows.
| No. | Leaning Content |
|---|---|
| 1 | 〜 wa Noun-modifying clause + noun desu |
| 2 | Noun-modifying clause + noun wa ~ |
| 3 | [Noun-modifying clause + noun o verb |
| 4 | Noun-modifying clause + noun ga ~ |
| 5 | Dictionary form + time, appointment, errand ga arimasu/arimasen |
How many “noun-modifying clauses” are there? Well, if I say it is consistent with the “learning goal,” it is.
On that point, in Marugoto, the Can-do is very clear, as shown below.
| Level | Lesson | Can-do | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary 1 | 16 | Make a simple presentation about the results of a questionnaire | 朝ごはんを食べる人は10人です。（There are 10 people who eat breakfast. ） |
| Elementary 1 | 17 | Talk briefly about the custom of present giving in your country. | スポーツのとき使うものをあげます。（I will give her/him something to use when she/he plays sports. ） |
| Elementary 2 | 2 | Give a description of someone’s clothes and physical appearance | 赤いサリーを着ている人です。（It is the person who wears a red sari.） |
| Elementary 2 | 7 | Ask your friend to help as a volunteer at an event/Respond to a request for help | 踊りが教えられる人を探しているんですが。（I’m looking for someone who can teach me how to dance.） |
All the examples in this table use noun modification. But first there is a can-do, and noun modification is used to achieve it. So it is very clear when to use noun modification. At the very least, I think that students who studied in Marugoto would be able to easily connect situations like the one in the table above with noun modification.
Also, as you can see, there are opportunities for repeated study (if not of all sentence patterns), so it should be easy to retain.
Second language acquisition theory can be practiced
To put it roughly, second language acquisition is a field that researches methods of acquiring second languages that work for everyone.
According to the theory, second language acquisition requires a large amount of input (listening and reading) and a small amount of output (speaking and writing).
And you can easily practice this theory with Marugoto.
For example, when using Katsudoo, listening comprehension begins immediately after the words are introduced.
This listening comprehension is at a level where you should be able to roughly understand the language, as many parts of it are using the words that have been introduced earlier.
Then, there is a pattern of listening to four or more conversations that contain the words and sentence patterns necessary to accomplish the Can-do.
Listening to a large number of conversations at a level that you can roughly understand is the large amount of input necessary for second language acquisition.
Then there is also speaking practice, which is considered a small amount of output.
Full Color Printing
As you can see in the following image, Marugoto is printed in full color.
This makes me excited. No, not only me, students are excited too. It might even inspire students to open the book a bit after they get home.
It might even inspire students to open the book a bit after they get home.
Support sites
Marugoto has support sites that help you learn more effectively.
For example, on the official website, audio files can be downloaded. Whether you have the book or not, it is free!
You can learn everything in Marugoto（up to Pre-Intermediate level）in the website called Minato that requires registration..
Marugoto Plus is also available without registration, but I recommend Minato to students. In Minato, it is possible to check the progress of your study. Of course, registration is free.
Minato requires registration, but it is possible to check the progress of your study. Of course, registration is free.
You can also play games.
When you watch videos, you can choose to watch with or without subtitles.
Role play as the characters in the videos is available too!
You are supposed to speak when you see the speaker symbol and “You” in the lower right and left corner of the screen.
I was excited as I tried it out.
Disadvantage of Marugoto
Marugoto is one of the best resources for learning Japanese, but it also has the following drawbacks
- The learning process can be uncomfortable
- There is a charge for the book
If you think that grammar is the first step in learning a foreign language, you may feel uneasy learning with Marugoto. As mentioned earlier, learning in its entirety begins with listening. However, this book is based on second language acquisition theory, which may be new to you. When you are trying something new, you may feel anxious.. Trust the textbook and the teacher and follow them.
It is inevitable that the books are paid for. However, up to Elementary 2, you can learn almost the same content in a free PDF book called Irodori. Irodori is also a textbook created by the Japan Foundation based on second language acquisition theory. There is also a free online course, which is also an option. For more information about this book, please read the the following post.
Where You can Learn with Marugoto
Even if you are interested in Marugoto, it may be difficult to know which Japanese language schools use it.
If the Japan Foundation is in your country, please contact them. They may be able to help you find such a Japanese language school. Or, the Japan Foundation should offer Marugoto course on a regular basis. For example, the Japan Foundation in Kuala Lumpur runs a Marugoto course online.
If you still have difficulty learning from a teacher, look for a teacher on platforms such as CafeTalk or Preply.
If you don’t need a teacher, you can use an online course. Minato or Marugoto Plus, introduced earlier, can help.
Conclusion
In this post, I shared my thoughts on using a textbook called Marugoto for over 5 years as a Japanese language teacher
The advantages are as follows.
- Clear Can-dos on what you will be able to do in what situations
- Second language acquisition theory can be practiced
- Full color printing
- Support sites
On the other hand, there are the following disadvantages.
- The learning process can be uncomfortable
- There is a charge for the book
Overall, I recommend Marugoto as a resource for learning Japanese. In a nutshell, the reason is that this book will improve your ability to use Japanese. I think all the shortcomings can be overcome.
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