Has anyone on JF passed the AP Japanese Language and Culture Exam?
 

Okay, I've looked far and wide for decent info on the (U.S.) College Board's AP Japanese test. It's in May and I really want to pass it. It's ranked as being between JLPT level 3 and 2. So has anyone on this forum passed it? There's only one publisher offering textbooks for it (Cheng and Tsui) and their textbooks are pretty expensive, I'm thinking about getting the "Strive for a 5' and "Adventures further in Japanese" which will total atleast $70, has anyone used these books? Is it worth it? Will "Japanese for Busy People Vol. 3" get you to the level you need to pass it?

And probably no one on here has even heard of this test and these are probably pointless questions but eh... doesn't hurt to ask, right?

Also, this test from what I understand is more thorough in testing your Japanese ability than JLPT because they equally test each area; Listening, speaking, writing (well, typing anyway), and reading. The only part I think I'll be able to pass is the reading part D': and I might be able to do the typing part, but I know I'll fail the listening and speaking part all day long. I'm working on the listening and stuff, but I can't even try to speak in Japanese. I feel so like, ashamed when I do..? I can only practice speaking it when I'm outside and %100 sure on one can hear me. I guess it's the strong paranoia that I'll be lumped in with the other stupid caucasian 'otaku' girls who don't really know Japanese who do that GAY *I'm a retarded anime girl* squeaky-voiced crap "KAHWAEEEEY DASU NAAAYYY". (And no, for the record, I don't heighten my voice when I speak Japanese :mad: and I don't watch anime either.) I have to practice speaking, but I just don't know what to do. I just don't think I'm ready to practice on Skype and stuff yet. And how do I get over this phobia? I mean when my dad asks me to speak Japanese and starts 'demanding' that I do in 'scary dad voice' (my dad was fluent in Japanese as a child, but has lost most of it now) I get so nervous and humiliated I wanna die D: I can't be the only person who's experienced this phenomenon. Advice?

And hot damn, everthing I type magically turns into tl;dr! lol Sorry guys.:mtongue:

Sorry, never even heard of it.

Japanese for Busy People is what the other native English teachers in my municipality used to pass JLPT 2, so I presume it will work for you if the AP test is rated as less difficult than level 2. Take it from me though, there's no way you can get to that level by May.

I study four hours every day and have since May of 2008, and I could maybe pass level 3, but I haven't bothered trying because I have my own method of learning (I'm interested in using myself as a linguistic guinea pig, and I am trying to keep my learning as close to how Japanese children learn, including vocabulary, kanji order, etc, which is NOT how most gaikokujin learn Japanese). If I studied according to the surefire pass method, I'd mess up my own research.

Anime is not as useless as some people say it is. Once you have a decent command of the basics of the language, watching anime can indeed allow you to learn a lot of slang and less than polite Japanese that may come in useful later (although won't let you pass the the tests!). I have a few key phrases I use when my kids start getting a bit too out of control, and I learned them from anime (but they, of course, are used in actual life).

I know this is a bit off topic - but I say try for the test. Seriously. In my opinion - after having learned Japanese purely by exposure and watching other people do the surefire study method - you have a HIGHER chance of passing the test with the "natural" acquisition.
I never took 3, but I`m guessing it is in the same style as 2 and 1. You have the advantage if you actually know things and are not just regurgitating memorized patterns. Listening is heavily weighted, and even at 1 it`s never anything more difficult than what you`d encounter watching a bit of tv.

Umm you need to strive for the JLPT tests. specifically level 1. That is the one employers care about. I honestly would not waste my time with the test you are talking about. Getting past it will not get you a job or anything. I mean i guess if you want a well rounded evaluation of mediocre Japanese ability (according to how you described this test) it is good, but for the money you pay it does not at all seem worth it to me. So I guess my question is what do you expect to gain from passing this test?

The AP (advanced placement) Japanese test is one of the many tests that can be taken by high school students who enroll into AP classes, which they aren't at many high schools, but they are in college-prep schools that attribute to both honors and IB students; like the one I'm in myself. AP exams only give you a college-level exam for that subject, so I would expect it to barely be along JLPT3 if even that. It is surprising that your school even has that Japanese class though, since mine is known as a great school in Florida, yet we only have AP Spanish, French, Latin, and Chinese. =_="

Anyways, I know this from taking my AP classes/exams and have heard how easy the AP exams are for Chinese, so I assume that another eastern-Asian language would be just as simple. This is probably because we are not expected to do well in these courses due to the difficulty of the languages compared to English-speakers and other learners of the "romantic" langauges. I have also heard the AP Spanish exam, however, is probably the hardest language exam due to the usefulness of it to Americans today.

College credit. If you do well on the AP exams, you gain college credit, which is quite useful. In high school I took a bunch of AP science exams and got 4's and 5's, and even though I'm no longer a science major they are still useful because that's less credits I need to earn in college to graduate.

Look, if you feel confident enough, take it. The worst that can happen is you waste the test fee, which isn't that bad. Best case scenario, you get some extra college credit, which IS helpful.

Edit: Also, watching anime isn't a bad thing. Being like the 16-18-somethings who wear naruto headbands in public, is. It's a good way to practice listening, if you ask me, because you're exposed to variety of different styles of speaking and voices.

This is not accurate information. Passing level one means you have obtained native level fluency. Employers care about level two or higher, and specifically what grades you made on your level two if you did pass. I know both from personal experience and from the experiences of other native English teachers in my municipality. As an example, with a high enough score on level two, and certain education courses at a Japanese university, I can be granted a permanent teaching license in Kyoto Prefecture. This is my eventual, although not immediate, goal.

I'm gonna disagree with you there. I have passed level 1 and am not close to native. You can get into some colleges if you pass level two I have heard, but the vast majority of employers that would hire you for Japanese ability require level 1. Or lets just say that if you have between somebody with level 1 and somebody with a level 2 to choose from.. as an employer who would you pick? What you have stated seems to be a job where Japanese is necessary for survival, not to be used professionally. Is that correct?

Ok, I guess that is a good reason then. College was quite a while ago for me, so possibilities like that are not the first things to pop into my head nowadays :)

This is not what I've heard, been told by employers, or read. Now I will grant that perhaps you are trying to compete with Japanese people for jobs in Japanese companies that have nothing to do with internationalism, per se. I wouldn't know. I am not interested in doing this, nor is anyone I work with.

What I have been told is:

1) Level 2 is required for translating work, interpretation work, public affairs work, and obtaining teaching certification in Japan (this is not some sort of foriegner teaching cert, it is the same teaching cert as native Japanese teachers). Level 1 is not required (although it certainly doesn't hurt!)

2) Level 2 is required for admission to universities in Japan. Level 1 is not ordinarily required.

3) Level 1 is considered, by the test administrators, to make one as fluent as native speakers. Whether that is reality or not, it is what I was told.

If you have sources stating otherwise, I'd like to see them, because my research and career planning has me eventually taking level two to get my Japanese teaching certification, which in addition to level 2, requires courses at a Japanese university.

Well I am happy you have heard otherwise, but whenever I have done job searches on the net nearly all of the jobs where Japanese is to be used as part of the work requirements (and not just to get by) the employer wants you to be top notch. Most want somebody who is fluent/native/business level. Meaning you need to be at LEAST at level 1.

Take a look at the jobs listings on this site for instance. [CFN]CAREER FORUM.NET-Career Site for Japanese-English Bilinguals

I do not know who would hire somebody who only has level 2 to be a translator or interpreter, because it is really not sufficient. Could you please show me these jobs you have found?

Also, where have you found it written that the test administrators have stated that they equate passing level 1 with being on par with a native speaker? I can tell you from personal experience that passing level one does not make you like a native speaker. So I would like to see your sources for such claims.

The one point I can agree with you on is getting into a university because I have heard level 2 will get you in to some (not all).

I have passed 1. It`s not native level by any stretch. No test could accurately measure that, and regardless - 1 doesn`t require full points to pass.

The universities I attended and those I looked into all required JLPT1 for admittance unless you were entering a Japanese language study course. Only then was 2 an option.

Translation and interpretation relies a lot more on other qualifications than on JLPT. I am sure there are excellent translators and interpreters out there with only 2 - but I (and any company I can think of) would never choose to hire one based on that alone. JLPT1 has the advantage in every way.

I also have NEVER heard that you could get a Japanese teaching certificate with only a 2. You have to take the classes to do so, and you need the 1 to take the classes. It`s kind of like the work visa. Even if your job doesn`t need a degree, you need one to get the visa... You may not need a 1 to get the certification, but you need it to take the classes that are necessary for the certification.

Level 2 is great as something to aim for, a good way of gauging your progress, and good for gaining confidence. But in the work market, it is pretty useless.

I was specifically told by education officials in Kyoto prefecture that only two was required to take those specific classes.

Clearly the information I was provided with was incomplete or incorrect, because pretty much nothing said above by either you or Rick match what I was told by my superiors (Board of Ed).

Perhaps the situation is different if you already have some level of teaching certification outside of Japan... If I recall correctly, weren`t you already a teacher before coming to Japan? That may make a difference, as it may just be a matter of adding a few courses on top of what you already have to make you eligible for Japanese certification.

When I was looking into getting certification to either teach kindergarten or elementary school - the classes I would have needed to take all required "university level Japanese"... Defined as JLPT1.

I was, yes, and the program specifics are directed to those already teaching, so, perhaps you are correct. I'll clarify today.