日本語
Learn Japanese
with Hills Learning LA

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Language Levels

We have developed our own curriculum based off of standards and best teaching practices. There are 40(+) levels for Japanese for beginner through advanced that we students can take both in a group and a private level format. Please see the below details for levels and the next section for our group class schedules. 

Japanese Classes

for every level

  • Beginner
  • Pre-Intermediate
  • Intermediate
  • Upper Intermediate
  • Advanced

Beginner Japanese students learn the basics of Japanese such as greetings, classroom phrases and conversational skills. They also learn how to shop, order food and discuss in detail their schedules and activities. They can form basic sentences and also be able to read and write Hiragana, Katakana, and some Kanji.

Adv Beginner Japanese students go more in depth with everyday life skills in Japanese. They start out by discussing one's home and giving commands, then traveling and giving directions, and finally they can discuss their experiences and hobbies. Students start to learn how to do more advanced discourse. 


1-6
 ACTFL Standards

   NOVICE HIGH

 JLPT Equivalent

   N5

Pre-Intermediate students start out with phrases and vocabulary to discuss their travels in depth. Included in this is discussing experiences abroad, but also descriptors on recommendations and making appointments. Pre-Intermediate 2 enables students in depth to go shopping and go to restaurants, moving beyond basic vocabulary that was covered in Beginner 2. Pre-Intermediate 3 teaches students how to address needs in the doctor's office, and describing in general your body and feelings. Pre-Intermediate 4 introduces students to the formal language in Japanese, all its conjugations and uses in the business context. Level 5 is movies, and Level 6 is technology and change, where students can discuss their lives and how technology and change affects them. 

1-6
 ACTFL Standards

   INTERMEDIATE LOW

 JLPT Equivalent

   N4

Intermediate students will work to expand their speaking, reading, listening and writing skills. Intermediate students can communicate about themselves fluently, have mastered all basic grammar and vocabulary from the beginner and pre-intermediate levels. Intermediate students learn how to navigate situations outside themselves, where they need to communicate and get around in all difficult situations. In the higher intermediate levels, students will challenge themselves to communicate outside of everyday situations. 


1-16
 ACTFL Standards

   INTERMEDIATE MID to HIGH

 JLPT Equivalent

   N3

Upper Intermediate students are trying to prepare to work and function like an advanced student. Students start to move beyond just speaking in concrete terms and instead get used to speaking in abstract terms about language. Topics such as community, current events, history, and other subjects are brought up and discussed. Students also start focusing much more on real world resources and materials, dramas, tv shows, music, and other materials created for Japanese native speakers.  


1-16
 ACTFL Standards

   INTERMEDIATE HIGH to ADVANCED LOW

 JLPT Equivalent

   N2

Advanced students are feeling accustomed to discussing difficult subjects in language. From current events to economics, students will be discussing abstractly on a variety of levels. It is assumed that all students can both discuss themselves thoroughly and also navigate all intermediate needs in language. Advanced students start out by really trying to get used to speaking abstractly, and then they move forward into discussing specialty areas using language. Most students at times will sound like native speakers and should be able to be understood by speakers of the language not accustomed to speaking to non-native speakers.  


MULTIPLE
 ACTFL Standards

   ADVANCED MID to SUPERIOR

 JLPT Equivalent

   N1

Class Details

Please see the below group class schedules and private lesson information.

-Our usual schedule is 1.5 hours per week for 8 weeks (12 hours total)
-Interested in more than one semester? Please look at our class bundles
-Get a discount on your next semester if you refer a friend / family member
-Check course details for more information on the textbook

Private Classes for Adults


Would you like to get the best out of your experiences traveling to Japan? How about you’re looking to develop in depth knowledge and functionality in Japanese, and group classes in the past haven’t worked for you? Do you have a specific need in Japanese to develop your language skills quickly?

Hills Learning’s curriculum for Japanese comprises both language and cultural instruction. For each class, we follow our SWIRL methodology, developing at least three of the five language skills per class. Our main goal for Japanese private lessons is to develop conversational skills, but we also specialize in test prep (JLPT and others), cultural etiquette, business, or just general language acquisition.

Within this basic framework, Hills Learning’s staff develops curriculum and assessments based on student needs and goals. Private lessons are a unique opportunity for students to learn Japanese at their own pace.


Private Classes for Teens and Kids (Tutoring)

Are you interested in having your young teen or kid learn about the Japanese language and culture? How about your teen watches hours of anime or reads manga, and would like to learn the Japanese language? Maybe your family has ties to Japan, or your child would just like very much to travel there?

Hills Learning offers a unique opportunity for kids and young teens to learn Japanese in private lessons. We can not only teach them the basics of the alphabets, reading, writing, and conversation, but it’s also possible that the classes your child is taking with us can be transferred to their respective high school or college for credit. Please see for credit for further information.

For more general information on our Japanese classes for kids, please CONTACT US

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Phone: 212-784-0694

Our mission is to inspire the confidence to communicate in a foreign language, stimulate motivation to achieve each individual’s goals, and encourage a lifetime of language learning.

Fully Accredited

Hills Learning has been fully accredited since May of 2016 by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools.

Native-Speaking Teachers

We spend lots of time and energy recruiting the best native speaking teachers for the languages we offer.