Learn about Japanese proficiency tests
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Intro |
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| Michael: What are some common Japanese proficiency tests? |
| Risa: And how do I choose the right one for me? |
| Michael: At JapanesePod101.com, we hear these questions often. Imagine the following situation: Emma is talking to Jack about her attempts to motivate herself to study Japanese harder. She says, |
| "I will take the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test tomorrow." |
| Emma Egawa: 明日は日本語能力試験です。 (Ashita wa Nihon-go nōryoku shiken desu.) |
| Dialogue |
| Emma Egawa: 明日は日本語能力試験です。 (Ashita wa Nihon-go nōryoku shiken desu.) |
| Jack Jones: 日本語能力試験？JLPTですか。 (Nihon-go nōryoku shiken? JLPT desu ka.) |
| Michael: Once more with the English translation. |
| Emma Egawa: 明日は日本語能力試験です。 (Ashita wa Nihon-go nōryoku shiken desu.) |
| Michael: "I will take the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test tomorrow." |
| Jack Jones: 日本語能力試験？JLPTですか。 (Nihon-go nōryoku shiken? JLPT desu ka.) |
| Michael: "The Japanese-Language Proficiency Test? You mean JLPT?" |
Lesson focus |
| Michael: There are many reasons why people learn the Japanese language, and you definitely have your own. Perhaps you want to live and work in Japan or study there for a few years. Regardless of what your reasons may be, obtaining a certificate is one of the best measurements of your attainment so far. And what better measurement of your fluency in the Japanese language than the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test? |
| In Japanese, the test is called |
| Risa: 日本語能力試験(Nihon-go nōryoku shiken) |
| Michael: It’s a criterion-referenced test designed to evaluate the Japanese language proficiency of non-native speakers. This test is held twice a year both in Japan and in selected countries; however, in some regions, it is only done once a year. In Japan, the test is administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology. Outside of Japan, it is administered by the Japan Foundation co-proctors test administration with institutions specially established for this specific purpose. Until 2003, the JLPT was required of any foreigner who wished to enter a Japanese university. It has since been replaced by the EJU or |
| Risa: 日本留学試験 (Nihon ryūgaku shiken) |
| Michael: Nonetheless, passing the JLPT is still a minimum requirement for most learning institutions and will help you go a long way. The JLPT consists of five levels, where number one indicates the highest proficiency level. |
| Michael: The N5 is the “basic level,” or |
| Risa: 基礎レベル (Kiso reberu) |
| Michael: At this level, students are expected to understand some basic Japanese, as well as be able to read and understand expressions written in katakana, hiragana, and basic kanji. At the same time, students on this level are expected to be able to comprehend conversations encountered in daily life and understand important details from short conversations that are spoken slowly. The N4 is the “elementary level,” or |
| Risa: 初級レベル (Shokyū reberu) |
| Michael: At this level, students are expected to understand basic Japanese, as well as be able to read and understand passages on daily topics written in basic Japanese vocabulary and kanji. Students at this level are also expected to be able to comprehend daily life conversations and follow the content of such conversations, provided they are spoken slowly. The N3 is the intermediate level, or |
| Risa: 中級レベル (Chūkyū reberu) |
| Michael: At this level, students must have the ability to understand to a certain degree Japanese that is used in daily situations, as well as be able to encapsulate information found in newspaper headlines. Students at this level are expected to be able to read writing encountered daily that is slightly difficult to understand. Moreover, at this level, students are expected to be able to comprehend systematic everyday conversations that are spoken at almost a natural speed. The next level is N2, the Pre-Advanced Level, or |
| Risa: 中上級レベル (Chūjōkyū reberu) |
| Michael: At this level, students are expected to understand Japanese used in daily situations, and in various circumstances. In terms of reading ability, students are expected at this level to be able to read materials written on a variety of topics, follow their narratives, and understand the intent of the author. At the same time, students at this level are also expected to be able to comprehend orally-presented materials, such as news reports, provided they are spoken at least at natural speed. In addition, students at this level are expected to understand the relationships of the people involved and the crucial points being conveyed in the materials presented. The last and highest level is N1, which is the Advanced Level, or |
| Risa: 上級レベル (Jōkyū reberu) |
| Michael: This is the highest level where students are expected to have the ability to understand Japanese used in a variety of situations. For one, they must be able to read materials with logical complexity or abstract ideas, comprehend the structure and content of what they are reading, and follow the narratives and the writer’s intent. In terms of listening ability, students at this level are expected to be able to comprehend news reports, lectures, and coherent conversations spoken at natural speed. |
| For all five levels, the JLPT test is divided into three main sections. First, there’s the Language Knowledge section, or |
| Risa: 言語知識 (Gengo chishiki) |
| Michael: This section consists of tests on vocabulary |
| Risa: 語彙 (Goi) |
| Michael: and grammar. |
| Risa: 文法 (Bunpō) |
| Michael: And then, there’s the Reading section, or |
| Risa: 読解 (Dokkai) |
| Michael: and, finally, there’s the Listening section, or |
| Risa: 聴解 (Chōkai) |
| Michael: Passing the JLPT means achieving an overall passing mark for the total points, and passing each of the three sections individually. Each section has a total of 60 points, with 19 points as the pass mark. The overall pass mark is 100 for N1, 90 for N2, 95 for N3, 90 for N4, and 80 for N5. Keep in mind that raw scores are not directly used to determine whether an examinee has passed. Instead, raw scores are converted using a standard scale, with the resulting scaled scores broken down by section. |
| Michael: All of this is to ensure that the skills of the examinee are not unbalanced. This means a student cannot pass by doing well on the listening section, but not on the written section, and vice versa. |
| Michael: The application period for July’s session is around early March until the last week of April. For December’s session, the application is around early August until late September. Test results for the December examination are announced in February the following year for students taking the test in Japan. For overseas candidates, the announcement is made in March. Results of the test are sent to the candidates via their respective organization or test center. Passers will receive a certificate, or |
| Risa: 認定証 (ninteishō) |
| Michael: As we already mentioned, the JLPT has been replaced by the EJU as a standard admission test for non-Japanese students applying to study in Japan. If the JLPT is solely a multiple-choice examination, the EJU consists of sections requiring students to write in Japanese. And, in addition to assessing language proficiency, the test also includes Japanese as a Foreign Language, Japan and the World, Mathematics, and Science. |
| Michael: The EJU is administered by the Japan Student Services Organization or JASSO. Several testing locations can be found across Japan, as well as in some other Asian countries. Applicants coming from Europe, Africa, and America have to travel to Japan to take the aforementioned test, which is scheduled in June and November each year. |
| [Summary] |
| Michael: In this lesson, we had a look at two major Japanese proficiency tests, which are the |
| Risa: 日本語能力試験, (Nihon-go Nōryoku Shiken) |
| Michael: or JLPT, and |
| Risa: 日本留学試験 (Nihon Ryūgaku Shiken) |
| Michael: or EJU. The websites of each of these tests will be linked in the lesson notes so you can find further information about them. The validity of scores for the EJU is only two years. For JLPT, the certificates do not expire. |
| Cultural Insight |
| Michael: The JLPT is administered by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology, also known as the MEXT. Did you know that the MEXT regularly sends teachers, or |
| Risa: 教師 (kyōshi) |
| Michael: around the world to teach in Japanese schools outside of Japan? These schools are referred to as |
| Risa: 日本人学校 (Nihon-jin gakkō) |
| Michael: Literally “School for Japanese People,” these are full-day Japanese schools primarily intended for Japanese citizens living abroad, and are designed for children with parents working on business, education, or diplomatic missions overseas. |
Outro |
| Michael: Do you have any more questions? We’re here to answer them! |
| Risa: またね！ (Mata ne!) |
| Michael: See you soon! |
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