Japanese (日本語)

is spoken by about 124 million people on the islands of Japan, including Ryukyus. Japanese is composed of a large group of dialects. A large number of Japanese words derive from Chinese loan elements. The present writing is in kanji and hiragana, with katakana being used chiefly for foreign loan words.

Faculty

Shigeko Gotoh, Instructor

 

Degree(s) / Institutions

M.A., TESOL San Jose State University, San Jose, CA

B.A., Sociology Tokyo Womens Christian University, Tokyo, Japan

Classes at WVC: Japanese 1A / 1B

Japanese 2A / 2B

Japanese 50A

Experience: West Valley College 1998-Present

Foothill College 1997-Present

Cabrillo College

San Jose City College

S.F. Japanese Language Class Inc. (supported by Japanese Government) Taught language arts, social studies, and mathematics. 1989-2004

Personal message to prospective students:

I respect students who are going to learn Japanese, because Japanese is quite different from English and other European languages. You might have some difficulties on the way to learning it, but dont be discouraged. I would like you to learn it through your personal interests. Lets learn with fun!

Personal interests:

Japanese traditional and pop culture

Cooking and eating

Visiting art museums

Painting