ObjectivesThe course is designed to provide a functional knowledge of the Catalan language as well as introducing students to the specificity and diversity of Catalan culture.
Course descriptionLearning outcomes
On successful completion of this module students will have reached an intermediate level of ability in the language and have acquired a general understanding of Catalan culture.
Teaching and learning methods
This course is structured around thematic units, each one dealing with a relevant everyday topic and tackling one or more grammar areas. Reading, writing, listening and speaking skills will be developed through a variety of integrated exercises. There will be one two-hour class per week reserved essentially for culture, grammar, reading and writing activities and one single hour class devoted mainly to oral an aural activities. You are expected to work at home on the topics presented in class. For updated information on the course you should check the Blackboard site regularly.
Assessment method
Dates of assessments will all be confirmed by your tutor and posted on Blackboard.
End-of-semester examination [50%] including an oral examination in May.
Bibliography and resources
The following are recommended for purchase:
* Anna Poch and Alan Yates, Teach yourself Catalan (Hodder & Stoughton, 2004)
* A Catalan-English bilingual dictionary, preferably one of the following:
o Catalan Dictionary: English-Catalan / Catalan-English (London & New York: Routledge, 2002)
o Diccionari Oxford Pocket Català (Oxford University Press, 2007)
o Collins Student’s Pocket Dictionary (Ediciones Grijalbo, 2006)
And these are recommended for reference:
* Alan Yates, Teach yourself Catalan. A Complete Course for Beginners (NTC Publishing Group, 1993)
* Marta Mas et. al., Digui, digui. Curs de català (Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat, 1998)
* _________, Veus. Curs de català 1. Llibre de l’alumne (Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat, 2005)
* _________, Veus. Curs de català 1. Llibre d’exercicis i gramàtica (Publicacions de l’Abadia de Montserrat, 2005)
* Max W. Wheeler, Alan Yates and Nicolau Dols, Catalan: A Comprehensive Grammar (Routledge Grammars, 1999)