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

Module Content

Syllabus Plan

• Introduction to Persian Language, Literature, Culture and Civilization (lectures)
• Basic structure of the Persian Language (text-based study)
• Elementary Persian grammar (text-based study)
• Basic vocabulary
• Review of module

Learning and Teaching

This table provides an overview of how your hours of study for this module are allocated:

Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities	Guided independent study	Placement / study abroad
44	106	0

...and this table provides a more detailed breakdown of the hours allocated to various study activities:

Category	Hours of study time	Description
Scheduled Learning and Teaching activity	44	Teaching varies between lectures and commentary on the main textbook (Thackston), in-class readings, translation and discussion of Persian texts; translation (Persian-to-English) exercises done collectively by the whole class; regular vocabulary reviews; the reading of poetic and prose texts aloud together. Study materials are provided regularly, including sheets that discuss difficult points of grammar, and literary texts (prose and poetry) to illustrate aspects of Persian language.
Guided Independent study	106	Homework assignments, research.

Online Resources

This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).

ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/