This paper discusses the development of a syllabus for elementary-level college courses in the Japanese language, with a focus on course purpose, objectives, learning materials and resources, setting, learning activities, testing, and other considerations. It examines the characteristics of students who take elementary Japanese courses and reviews theories of learning relevant to this group. Course objectives are reviewed in light of Bloom's taxonomy and expected outcomes of the course, along with the use of textbooks, workbooks, and audiovisual materials; the physical setting of the classroom; and the learning environment. The paper also discusses effective teaching techniques related to lecturing, questioning, small group activities, homework assignments, and testing and evaluation. It looks at various learning activities that can be incorporated into the course, focusing on active learning, different developmental levels, differential styles of learning, and coaching students. The paper then examines various approaches to testing, along with the issue of student perceptions of Japanese as a difficult language to learn. An appendix provides a syllabus checklist. (MDM)