However, they do omit some basic vocabulary (e.g. mother and father!) and leave you wondering about some grammar. So I recommend following up with the Japanese for Busy People series. It goes into things in more depth. You can also learn to read and write the Japanese characters.

If you happen to have any other questions, or would just like to say hi – my skype is mizuuko

From some of the recordings you’ll probably understand more – for example here http://kantanda.wordpress.com/.....1/#more-10
you can download an mp3 full in Japanese.

I’ll keep that in mind, because I’ll have new students this summer

I understand how difficult it is to teach all the different pieces. I perfectly understand teaching desu first because teaching the correct use of だ is just too much for beginners. However, I still stand by teaching the dictionary form of verbs first. You need to memorize two rules for masu-conjugation. It takes like 5 minutes to explain.

Great thing to see there are many more people that think that kana and kanji are essential and you should teach them everything from keigo to unpolite forms.

I just wouldn’t agree on the point where you say we should start from dictionary form. I mean, it should come early enough, but it’s safer to have a native invited to a beginner’s class of people who think that masu/desu is a right way to address a stranger. And they’re right.
Unfortunately, eeverything cannot be taught at once.

Cheers, and best of luck in your perfectionism in learning languages.

I will visit more often!

I’m currently using Elementary Japanese by Yoko Hasegawa of the University of California, Berkley. I’ve found this book to be very good. Up until I bought this book I studied on my own from online guides. I figured I should get a good text book that has what I need to learn otherwise I might as well not get one at all, so it took me a very long time till I found a book that I liked (one that fits the standards that you laid out for the most part) and so far this book has worked great for me. Although quite a bit of the first half is just review for me it helps explain what I didn’t know very well, and I get the new grammar very fast. It mostly teaches by example sentences which I find really cool, but it still has very nice explanations. The explanations are also short and strait to the point, although I feel sometimes the explanations are a little to short because the book was after all made to be used in a class room (but works just as well for self study). So yeah, this book fits all of my requirements, it only uses kana/kanji, teaches at least 10 kanji every lesson (starting at lesson 3), has plain form early on, very good explanations, and even comes with a CD with simple audio for all the vocab lists, dialogs in the book, and even extra listening activities. Another thing that I really like about this book is that in the index it has charts of all the kanji taught in the book, complete with stroke order and readings. Along with the kanji charts they have conjugation charts which are invaluable for reference. There is two volumes to this book, the first one is supposed to be the first half of the semester of a college Japanese class, and of course volume two takes up the second half of the semester. I have also looked at げんき and although I do find it a nice book I like Elementary Japanese more, mainly just a personal preference I guess. I hope this post helps anyone looking for a good book since it’s always nice to have more than just one choice.

So anyways, I was wondering if anyone had suggestions for an intermediate book. Although I’m no where near ready for intermediate I’m still curious and looking for a decent enough book. I figure given how long it took me to find a decent beginners book I might as well start looking for an intermediate one now so I’ll have it when I finally need it hehe.

Best of luck to all of you in your Japanese studies!