Hey, there. Kei here. :D
Welcome to 日本ランド (Japan Land). I created this World for those Otakuites out there that are interested in the Japanese language, but have no idea where to start. I've looked over the internet and in many Japanese language books (that I've personally used both in and out of college) and noticed that while there are some very beginner-friendly sites out there, a lot of them jump right into the whole structure of things and don't leave much room for explanation or questions (admittedly, the lessons I gave back on myOtaku were much along that line!). But! I figure, for those of us here that have a real interest, why not give teaching a shot.
On this World, I plan on giving only an introductory course; that is, I only plan on teaching what elementary school students are taught in Japan (as that's the way I was taught and, as such, I only have the "right" to try and teach what I know). If you would like to study intermediate Japanese or continue on after the lessons have stopped, by all means, head to your local bookstore and pick up some advanced books, or look online. There are a lot of places where one can continue their study of the Japanese language. :)
As far as breakdown, it will likely be as follows: New vocabulary (Tuesdays), Grammar (Thursdays), Kanji (Fridays), Open Questions (Sunday).
Anyone who looks at this World and has a question about the lesson (or anything else, for that matter), please leave it in the comments for the lesson. I will try my best to answer it on Sunday. I may also do special lessons if the question warrants it and/or if there is a lot of demand.
I would like to stress that I am also a student of Japanese. I'm still studying, too. If I don't know the answer to a question, I will admit it and I will do my best to find a source that can answer the question for you. That's a promise. ;3
As far as qualifications, I have graduated from the University of Evansville (Evansville, IN) where I studied Japanese under several sensei, most notably Dr. Yoshiko Nagaoka of Nagoya University. I also have received 4th Level certification in the Japanese language from The Japan Foundation c.a. December 2007.
And that's that. From here on, I will give lessons to the best of my abilities. I hope you all can learn something from my blatherings.
よろしくお願いいたします！ (I humbly ask you to regard me favorably.)
