Japanese for Everyone: A Functional Approach to Daily Communication

Japan Publications Trading Company, 2008, 383 pages Paperback £22.99. ISBN-13: 978-4889962345

Review by Roberta Ignirri

This revised edition of Japanese for Everyone represents a solid foundation for anyone seriously interested in communicating in Japanese.
Each of the 27 lessons begins with dialogues set in real life situations and is followed by detailed lists of new vocabulary, clear grammar notes and practical exercises.

The variety of exercises is one of the strengths of this textbook as students are offered ample opportunities to reinforce what they have previously learnt in the dialogues.

The use of romaji is kept to a minimum so that learners will have to pick up hiragana and katakana as rapidly as possible, while kanji are gradually introduced.

Although this book is designed for classroom use as well as self-study, I would not recommend it to self-taught beginners of Japanese as the text quickly progresses to a level when a teacher over the shoulder is required.

This is the first in a series of reviews of educational resources by UK teachers. Roberta teaches at Teesside Preparatory & High School in Stockton-on-Tees.