Undergraduate Module Descriptor

ARA1013: Elementary Persian

This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.

Module Aims

This module is designed to introduce you to the Persian language. At the beginning of the course, for alphabet instruction Elwell-Sutton's Elementary Persian Grammar is used, which also encourages an appreciation of the varieties and aesthetic values of Persian calligraphic techniques at this early stage as well. When you have learned the alphabet (including final and intermediate forms of letters, glottal stops, writing signs, etc.) and are weaned from the use of Latin transliteration, the rest of the class follows a combination of the exercises in Wheeler Thackston's An Introduction to Persian, (using the audio resources that accompany this book), extracts from Phillot's Higher Persian Grammar and Anne Lambton's Persian Grammar. The audio-visual materials provided give you important assistance to you in the proper pronunciation of Persian. It is expected that you will all learn the proper pronunciation of the vocabulary featured in the textbook by recourse to the teacher during lectures and to the audio-visual materials privately over the course of the week. Translation exercises are regularly given as homework, which is later corrected and analysed by the whole class. Persian poetry and prose readings are also regularly discussed and analysed. The students read and learn all texts given by the teacher over the course of the semester, with some of these texts appearing in the final exam.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
This module's assessment will evaluate your achievement of the ILOs listed here – you will see reference to these ILO numbers in the details of the assessment for this module.
On successfully completing the programme you will be able to:
Module-Specific Skills	1. Demonstrate elementary acquaintance with Persian script and pronunciation, grasp of basic structures of Persian grammar, ability to read with a dictionary elementary texts in Persian, and capacity to carry on basic conversation in elementary Persian. 2. Acquire a basic understanding of the importance of Persian language and civilisation in the broader context of Islamic civilisation and culture.
Discipline-Specific Skills	3. Identify, describe and manipulate a range of linguistic forms and structures in reading, writing, and conversation, and to assimilate basic information about another culture
Personal and Key Skills	4. Develop time management skills and ability to conduct independent study, as well as to work in groups in conversation and text-based work 5. Demonstrate confidence in the use of a foreign language

How this Module is Assessed

In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.

Formative Assessment

A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.

Form of assessment	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Discussions in tutorials	Weekly	1,2	Verbal feedback

Summative Assessment

A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.

Coursework	Written exams	Practical exams
15	50	35

...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.

Form of assessment	% of credit	Size of the assessment (eg length / duration)	ILOs assessed	Feedback method
Homework assignments	15	Two assignments per term; one around week 5, and the other around week 9	1-4	Written feedback
Midterm quiz	15	1.5 hours	All	Written feedback
Oral examination (in final week of term)	20	15 minutes	4-5	Written and verbal feedback
Written examination (in final week of term)	50	2 hours	1-2	Written feedback
	0
	0

Re-assessment

Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.

Original form of assessment	Form of re-assessment	ILOs re-assessed	Timescale for re-assessment
Homework assignments	Homework Two homework assignments per term (around weeks 7 and 11), each replacing the original homework assignment (15%).	1-4	Rescheduled during term time
Midterm quiz	Quiz (1.5 hours; 15%)	All	Rescheduled during term time
Oral Examination and questions	Oral examination (15 minutes; 20%)	4-5	January examinations week
Examination	Written examination (2 hours; 50%)	1-2	January examinations week