Postgraduate Course: Swahili 1A (AFRI11001)
Course Outline
| School | School of Social and Political Science |
College | College of Humanities and Social Science |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Postgrad (School of Social and Political Studies) |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | Swahili 1A is an introduction to the Swahili language. Swahili 1B builds on Swahili 1A. Both courses present a contemporary, relevant, stimulating and interactive experience in learning the Swahili language - the most international of all the indigenous languages on the African continent, and a language that is important for research and work in the greater East Africa region. Swahili 1A and Swahili 1B are based on a brand new and fully-integrated Swahili curriculum and workbook that has recently been designed by the course tutor. The courses provide a wide variety of visual and audio material taken from 21st century East African life, and incorporate genuine conversations, scenarios and reading materials, as well as interviews with Swahili authors and scholars, and references to contemporary themes such as mobile banking, local entrepreneurialism and a thriving music scene. The course is unique in that it seeks not simply to aid learners in everyday interactions, but also in performing basic research and understanding contemporary East African society. |
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | No previous knowledge of Swahili language is required for entry to the course. There are no co-requisites or prohibited combinations.
Auditing is not permitted under any circumstances |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | No |
Course Delivery Information
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| Delivery period: 2013/14 Semester 1, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Learn enabled: Yes |
Quota: 30 |
Web Timetable |
Web Timetable |
| Class Delivery Information |
The course will be delivered through a series of:
- Interactive lectures
The 2-hour interactive lecture introduces new vocabulary and grammar. The interactive element of each lecture will see students working in groups to perform various exercises set by the tutor. The subsequent practice and discussion stimulated by these exercises will encourage a deeper understanding of newer concepts than would be possible under a purely didactic approach.
- Workbook tutorials
The 1-hour workbook tutorials are aimed at further developing the knowledge gained during the 2-hour interactive lecture through the usage of the various exercises, reading materials and audio/visual recordings contained in the workbook. This enables students to solidify their understanding of new concepts through practice and discussion and allows the tutor to expand on relevant East African themes, which should serve to make the language more stimulating and relevant. Where possible, workbook material will also be supplemented by external sources.
- Weekly conversation classes
These allow students to interact with native speakers of Swahili in smaller groups. These classes will be conducted solely in Swahili and thus learners will be taken out of their comfort zones and forced to think and converse to the best of their abilities. Other than enabling language practice, the key focus of these sessions will be to improve pronunciation and establish linguistic norms and scenarios. |
| Course Start Date |
16/09/2013 |
| Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 10,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 10,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
156 )
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| Additional Notes |
Auditing is not permitted under any circumstances
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| Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) |
Written Exam
40 %,
Coursework
20 %,
Practical Exam
40 %
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| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours:Minutes |
|
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| Main Exam Diet S1 (December) | | 2:00 | | |
Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes
Swahili 1A and Swahili 1B aim to provide students with a strong grounding in the key concepts of Swahili grammar, over 1,000 vocabulary items and an introductory insight into both traditional and contemporary elements of East African culture and society. The course also aims to be challenging, stimulating and interactive, providing students with ample opportunity for practice in speaking, reading, writing and listening.
By the end of Swahili 1A, learners should be able to demonstrate a good knowledge or around 500 items of vocabulary, the vast majority of key tenses in both affirmative and negative forms, a wide range of question words and the first 8 noun classes. They should also be able to confidently use numbers in relation to telephone numbers, times and dates.
After taking Swahili 1A and Swahili 1B, students will be equipped with a working knowledge of everyday Swahili to aid travel, work and research in East Africa. This would provide the basis for further study of Swahili at the intermediate level. |
Assessment Information
Assessment
Written Exam 40 %, Practical Exam 40 %, Coursework 20 %,
Written Exam:
40% 2-hour written examination
Practical Exam:
20% 1-hour listening examination
20% 10-minute oral examination
Coursework:
20% continuous bi-weekly examinations
Examinations will be conducted in weeks 3, 5, 7 & 9. Only the best 3 results will be counted. These tests will cover a combination of listening, reading and writing skills. The themes covered in each exam will be as follows:
- Week 3: vocabulary and grammar from weeks 1 & 2
- Week 5: vocabulary and grammar from weeks 3 & 4
- Week 7: vocabulary and grammar from weeks 5 & 6
- Week 9: vocabulary and grammar from weeks 7 & 8
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Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
GRAMMAR
WEEK 1 Personal and possesive pronouns
Introduction to the Swahili verb
WEEK 2 Swahili verb formation: present, past and future
To have & to be
Basic question words
WEEK 3 Negating Swahili verbs in the present, past and future
Locative and temporal question words
Week 4 Verb review
Question forming
Week 5 Introduction to Swahili noun classes and Adjectives & object markers (basics)
Nouns of class 1 & 2
Week 6 Agreement system (classes 1-11)
The perfect tense
Nouns of class 3 & 4
Week 7 More complex agreements in classes 1-11
The -ka- tense
Nouns of class 5 & 6
Week 8 Possessives
The habitual tense
Nouns of class 7 & 8
Week 9 Demonstratives and Locatives
The reciprocal tense
Week 10 The passive tense
Nouns of class 9 & 10
Week 11 Noun class and tense review
THEMES
Week 1 The importance of Swahili greetings
Introductions
Family members
Week 2 Food and drinks
Shopping & markets
Week 3 Where are you going and when?
Likes and dislikes
Time phrases
Week 4 Places, dates, directions
East African transport
Buying a sim card in East Africa
Week 5 Your family
Describe what you see
People & professions
Week 6 Mount Kilimanjaro Tree Planting Project
Swahili students from around the world (sharing experiences)
Week 7 BAKITA
Swahili Poetry
Meet Haji Gora Haji
Week 8 Going to the barbers (kinyozi)
Forms of media in East Africa
Meet Ally Salleh
Vitendawili (Swahili riddles)
Week 9 Arranging meetings & Swahili time
Phone conversations
Using maps
Week 10 East African festivals
Traditional and modern East African music
Bi Kidude
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| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
Wilson, Peter. 1985. Simplified Swahili. London: Longman.
TUKI. English-Swahili Dictionary / Kamusi ya Kiingereza-Kiswahili. Dar es Salaam: Institute of Kiswahili Research / Taasisi ya Uchunguzi wa Kiswahili
TUKI is now known as 'TATAKI'. The latest reprint is 2013, but earlier editions are fine. The main library has a number of these.
TUKI. Kamusi ya Kiswahili-Kiingereza / Swahili-English Dictionary. Dar es Salaam: Institute of Kiswahili Research / Taasisi ya Uchunguzi wa Kiswahili. The main library also has a number of these.
An alternative dictionary that is adequate for the course (and easier to get hold of than the TUKI editions) is the two-way (i.e., Swahili-English English-Swahili) Hippocrene Swahili Practical Dictionary. New York: Hippocrene. ISBN 0781804809.
While the main library holds Simplified Swahili and the TUKI publications, students may find it practical to purchase their own copies.
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| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | Not entered |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr Thomas Molony
Tel: (0131 6)50 6976
Email: Thomas.Molony@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Jessica Barton
Tel: (0131 6)51 1659
Email: Jessica.Barton@ed.ac.uk |
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