Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

N/A

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

To provide students with the following:

i. The ability to survive in the most typical situations met by visitors when travelling abroad for a few days.
ii. An awareness of the nature of language and language learning.
iii. An interest in the countries where the language is spoken and the people from these countries.

This is the first part of a Dutch Beginners course designed with the non language specialist in mind. It is intended for absolute beginners and covers the four skills: writing, reading, speaking and listening. At the end of the module, the students will have gained an awareness of the basics of the language. They will understand and use some familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type.

Outline Of Syllabus

I.       Introducing yourself and others: name, origin, residence, age, occupation, area of study
II.       Filling in forms of registration
III.       Talking about family and friends
IV.       Talking about essential items for study and objects of daily life
V.       Shopping for basic items and furniture

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

All areas of grammar, vocabulary and background knowledge related to the skills listed below.

Intended Skill Outcomes

Speaking
Introducing yourself and family, spelling, counting, describing items, expressing like/dislike, looking for items of study and daily life.

Listening
Understanding native speakers in situations as above provided they speak slowly and with a reasonably clear accent.

Writing
Filling in forms, describing the family, writing short emails.

Reading
Ability to filter relevant information from simple texts referring to contexts as outlined in syllabus, understanding content of simple forms and common public notices by various strategies of decoding.

Cognitive skills
Students will learn:
To understand the functions and structures of English and of Dutch at beginners level
To understand the relationships between various languages
To apply a range of strategies for language learning
To locate and make use of technology for language learning

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

1. Teaching in the language seminars will focus on communication skills. Grammar will be taught systematically to enable students to produce and manipulate the foreign language. Use of the target language will be made as much as possible to develop listening skills. All four skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking are fully integrated in the language seminars and associated work and preparation, and will be tested equally.

2. Independent learning and learner autonomy are further developed through online guided tasks, pair and group work, assessment preparation and completion, and self-study at home, via the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and in the Language Resource Centre. Particular initiative is expected from students, e.g. course participants will be asked to contribute their own materials to the classes and activities.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The portfolio will help students assess their progress and identify their strengths and areas for improvement. It will test student’s ability to communicate effectively, identify relevant information and produce a structured text in the target language.

General Notes

N/A