Overview
This language module is designed for students with an A1+ standard of the language in the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR). It is for students who have completed Level 902/002 Beginners 2 or who have some knowledge of the language, such as a rusty GCSE. Through a variety of methods students will develop an elementary competence in reading, writing, listening and speaking and an understanding of elementary grammar. At the end of this 12 weeks module students will be half-ways towards an A2 proficiency level in the CEFR and will be able to carry out everyday tasks in the language and to attempt unfamiliar ones. Students will be able to follow and hold a simple conversation and function in daily life using the language. They will have a good understanding of life and culture of some of the countries where the language is spoken and the intercultural skills necessary for their language proficiency level.
Syllabus
Content:
- Family history.
- The work place.
- Towns and Landscapes.
- Food and drink – restaurants.
- Health and Illness.
- Keeping fit.
- Spare time activities; sport and fitness.
Grammatical structures:
- Verb tenses – present, past, future, conditional.
- Cases – use of cases after prepositions.
- Adjective endings.
- Modal verbs in the conditional tense.
- Word order in more complex sentences.
- Expressing preferences
- Comparative and superlative expressions
Weekly Schedule
Week 1: Getting to know you: Talking about ourselves, our job, likes, and dislikes. Describing our family.
Week 2: House and home: Describing where we live, rooms, and furniture. Moving home.
Week 3: Tourism: Describing landscapes, saying where we have been and where we would like to go.
Week 4: Shopping: Expressing preferences, choosing items and their quantities, dealing with problems when shopping.
Week 5: Towns and cities: Speaking about where we live and places we have visited.
Week 6: Sport and fitness: Describing how we keep fit. Evaluating the benefits of popular sports and activities.
Week 7: Health and illness: Talking about health issues; describing accidents.
Week 8: World of work: Discussing issues in the workplace.
Week 9: Food and drink: Making arrangements, ordering in a restaurant, dealing with problems.
Week 10: Events and festivals: Expressing congratulations and gratitude. Invitations and proposals.
Week 11: Revision and consolidation: Preparation for assessment.
Week 12: Written and speaking tests will take place this week. Completing the assessment is required for students taking the course as part of their degree. For all other students, taking the tests is also strongly recommended, as a measure of your progress and learning.
Textbook details:
Study Hours
The total number of study hours for this module is 150 hours, in line with undergraduate university modules. This includes class meetings, assessment preparation and self-directed study in line with guidance from the course lecturer.
If you are studying on the extracurricular option, we recognise that the total number of hours that you may be able to study every week may depend on your availability and previous experience studying languages, however, expected contribution to classes, homework completion, and learning outcomes will not vary.
Course Lecturer: Dr John McInally
John completed his PhD at the University of Liverpool in early 2024. A specialist in Belgian colonialism in Africa and cultural production about the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, he has held the position of Research Fellow in Francophone African Studies at the University of St Andrews since March 2024. Having previously been a French and German teacher in secondary schools, John taught both these languages alongside undergraduate cultural modules at the University of Liverpool from 2018 to 2024. John has lived, worked and studied in both France and Germany and has a passion for the language of both countries as well as a deep interest in the history and cultures of the areas in which they are spoken.
Fees for language courses are £190/£95.
Please note that the ‘last date available to book’ date is only a guide. We reserve the right to close bookings earlier.
In order to avoid disappointment, please be sure enrol as soon as possible. Registrations will not be processed until the following day if received after 3pm.
Visit our fee bands page to see which fee applies to you.
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