Development of Special Subject Japanese Courses: a Hybrid Approach for Enhanced Engagement and Autonomy

The purpose of this project is to comprehensively develop and implement a hybrid curriculum for the new special subject courses for elementary and intermediate Japanese (Japanese I through IV) at MIT Global Languages. Scheduled for AY 2024-2025, these courses integrate three hours of in-person instruction with one hour of asynchronous learning, catering to diverse student proficiencies, learning styles, and skill retention rates. This approach addresses the growing diversity in student motivation and needs, including a rising number of self-taught students. With a focus on optimizing learning efficiency and fostering learning autonomy, the project seeks to establish a robust foundation in basic Japanese language skills while nurturing collaborative and interactive language capabilities.