千葉センター FAQ
Welcome! ようこそ！
Chiba Center is an NPO and online study group of Black creatives who want to be successful professionally in the Japanese market. This language is very challenging for native English speakers, and therefore we take it seriously. We expect students to do daily self-study for at least 15min everyday, and attend class 2-3 times per week.
The instructions below will help you prepare for your first class. Before your first class, you should:
*have a Gmail address
*have a desktop or laptop computer with functioning video camera
*ensure that your study environment will be very quiet and stationary during the class
*setup the Japanese rōmaji keyboard on your iPhone
*type a brief intro message in English or Japanese on our Discord intro section
*make sure you eat before or after class; please do not eat during class
We group students in classes based on skill level. The Beginner level we call “white belt” and it includes anyone who has not yet fully mastered hiragana and katakana.
What is a hiragana?
Hiragana are a type of written character somewhat similar to an alphabet. Hiragana are simple (1-3 lines) and generally curly/curvy in shape, like these: の す む
Each Hiragana represents a sound.
What is a katakana?
Katakana are also simple syllabic characters representing each Japanese sound, somewhat similar to an alphabet. Katakana are more straight-lined and angular in form than hiragana.
Some katakana are: ム ス レ
Katakana are primarily used for words of foreign origin (basketball, computer, coffee) but also used for plants and animals that have difficult kanji, and for adding an emotional emphasis to words in a way similar to how we use italics in English. Each katakana represents a sound.
What is a kanji?
Kanji are the Chinese characters used in Japanese writing. Several thousand exist, and many still have the same look and meaning in modern Chinese. Kanji are used for most nouns, and almost always occur as the first character in a verb, adjective or adverb.
Kanji can be very simple and many are pictographic:
人 human 木 tree 三 three
Kanji are often very complex:
綺麗 beautiful 願 request
Kanji usually have just one meaning and several possible pronunciations.
How do I type in Japanese on my phone?
If you have an iPhone:
1) Begin on your home screen, and open your Settings app.
2) Scroll down and select “General.”
3) Scroll down and select “Keyboards.”
4) Once on the Keyboards screen, select “Keyboards” again.
5) Select “Add New Keyboard” at the bottom of the screen.
6) Scroll down to “Japanese.”
7) Select the Rōmaji keyboard. (not kana)
8) Use the Globe icon on your keyboard to toggle through the different language options. Romaji keyboards look essentially identical to an English keyboard with the exception of the “space” and “enter” buttons, and the addition of a hyphen key.
If you have an Android phone:
1) Begin on your home screen, and select your Apps.
2) Open your Settings app.
3) Scroll to the right and select the System tab.
4) Select “Language and Input.”
5) Select “Keyboard and Input Preferences.”
6) Select “Samsung Keyboard.”
7) Select “Add Input Languages.”
8) You may need to download Japanese from the Android store. It will be stored under “Downloaded Languages”. To switch from English to one of your new Japanese keyboards, hold down the space bar and scroll.
What is Discord?
Discord is a free app for voice, video, and text chat. Chiba Center uses Discord as a tool during live classes (via the #class-lessons channel), a way to share updates and news, and to foster communication amongst colleagues. Chiba Center has different channel topics including Japanese art, music, food, study resources, etc.
How do I join the Chiba Center on Discord??
Download the Discord app to your mobile phone and follow the prompts to create a username, then click the Discord link at the top or bottom of our website.
How do I sign up for Chiba Center classes?
Every Friday or Saturday after the last class, the weekly class schedule is updated in Google Sheets. Five students maximum are permitted in each class. Upon sign up, Google Meet invitations for your selected classes are sent, typically on Sundays (first day of the new week of classes). The schedule changes weekly based on student demand. We accommodate students across multiple time zones, and our base time zone is Central Standard Time (Chicago). If you have a time request, please submit it to a Moderator on Discord or make a request in one of the public channels.
What is your cancellation policy?
Students are expected to attend class if they sign up, except for life emergencies. Since only 5 students are permitted per class, it is expected that you’ll attend the classes that you have signed up for. If you are unable to attend a class due to an emergency, please notify a Moderator on Discord and post a message in the Global Chat channel to @everyone so another student can take your spot; be sure delete your name from the signup sheet right away if you find out that you can’t attend a class.
Does Chiba Center offer private lessons?
Chiba Center does not offer private classes because the group aspect of learning is our focus. You are encouraged to seek out a study buddy using the Study Buddy channel on Discord. There is also a Study Buddy group voice chat channel on Discord for group study sessions.
How can I find a study buddy?
Visit the Study Buddy channel on Discord (found under “Study Resources”) and post your request.
How do I get invited to Twitter Spaces/Clubhouse lessons?
Twitter Spaces links are posted in the Discord a couple hours in advance.
Join the Chiba Center club on Clubhouse and look for notifications. Clubhouse rooms are typically held on days when we do not have regularly scheduled video classes. Students are encouraged to start their own Clubhouse rooms for group study at any time.
Can I attend class while in a car?
No.
Can I eat during class?
No.
Can I attend more than one class per day?
With instructor approval.