Module ARA3144 for 2021/2
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
ARA3144: Advanced Persian Language I
This module descriptor refers to the 2021/2 academic year.
Module Aims
The aim of this course is to initiate you into the higher reaches of Persian language studies, in particular in relation to classical and modern Persian literature, as well as to introduce you to some important forms of modern Iranian media. A great deal of your participation will focus on helping you develop your written and spoken Persian language abilities, such as your ability to watch, comprehend and discuss the subjects broached in contemporary Persian TV shows and other types of media. The course also aims to familiarize you with aspects of higher-level Persian grammar and some of more sophisticated aspects of Persian culture and civilisation.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Deal with advanced written and aural materials of various types in Persian; 2. Produce grammatically accurate written Persian in summary form or more extensively; |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 3. Peruse at a reasonable speed (and demonstrate comprehension of) classical Persian literary texts; 4. Acquire an advanced understanding of the importance of Persian language and civilisation in the broader context of Islamic civilisation and culture; |
| Personal and Key Skills | 5. Demonstrate an appreciation of modern Persian as a form of communication; 6. Demonstrate an appreciation of Classical Persian as a form of literature; and 7. Develop time management skills and ability to conduct independent study, as well as working in groups in conversation and text-based work. |
Module Content
Syllabus Plan
Teaching varies between lectures and commentary on the main textbook (Safar-Moghaddem), in-class readings, translation, dictation from and discussion of Persian texts. Persian-to-English translation exercises will be done collectively by the whole class. There will be regular vocabulary reviews and poetic and prose texts will be read aloud together. Individual students will give presentations of grammatical points or texts that they have studied or read independently. In terms of reading, you will study different types of texts, such as historical, literary, current affairs, etc. In terms of writing, you will learn to master different styles of expression, how to present a topic and lead a discussion to conclusion. In terms of translation, we will read poetic and prose texts aloud together, and work together on your translation and similar homework assignments. In terms of listening and conversation skills, activities will include watching and listening to media Persian (TV broadcasts, news, interview, documentaries etc.) and discussing various topics in colloquial Persian. Your listening comprehension skills will be refined by listening to and discussing various genres of classical Persian music and song.
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 | 22 x 2 hour lectures and seminars on Persian grammar, reading comprehension and translation. Interactive group work on written texts, consolidating the linguistic skills of reading, writing, and translating. |
| Guided Independent Study | 106 | Weekly homework assignments in writing, translation, grammar, oral presentations, etc. Each assignment consists of around 4.5 hours work and each group activity tests different language skills |
Online Resources
This module has online resources available via ELE (the Exeter Learning Environment).
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writing, reading, dictation and translation assignments | 20 minutes per week | 1,2,3,4,6,7 | Verbal |
| Listening comprehension study | 10-15 minutes per week listening to radio and TV | 1,4,5,6,7 | Verbal |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 50 | 20 |
...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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assessed homework | 30 | Weekly homeworks throughout term: approx. 4 hours homework per week | 1-7 | Written and verbal |
| Written examination | 50 | 2 hours; held in the final week of term | 1,2,4,5,6,7 | Wriiten |
| Weekly in-lecture tests (quizzes, dictations and two presentations) | 20 | 15 mins per class (dictations and presentations); 30 minutes for quizzes. | 1-7 | Verbal |
| 0 | ||||
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessed homework | Written examination (1.5 hours; 30%) | 1-7 | January examination period |
| Written examination in the final week of term | Written examination (2 hours; 50%) | 1,2,4,5,6,7 | January examination period |
| In-lecture tests (oral and written) | Written examination (1 hour; 20%) | 1-7 | January examination period |
Re-assessment notes
If you have been unable to attend class due to medical reasons or other extenuating circumstances, your assessment will be deferred to a later date. This re-assessment will consist of one 2-hour final exam (75%) and one major written translation exercise (Persian>English: 25%) in the August/September re-assessment period. Due to the nature of the homework assignments and the graded in-class tests, it is not practical (since other students have already had their homework assignments and tests graded and returned to them, thus making them publicly available) for these to be resubmitted by you in the August/September reassessment period, so those assignments will be replaced by a major written translation exercise.
Indicative Reading List
This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.
Zarghamian, Persian Language Training Course, Preliminary Advanced Level, vols. 1- 2.
Yadollah Samareh, Amuzesh-e zaban-e farsi (advanced).
Photocopied materials (selection from fiction by Iranian writers) and Persian Fiction Reader Workbook by Mohammad Mehdi Khorrami and Michael Hillmann. Ahmad Saffar Moqaddam, Persian Language: Book Three: Iran Today [Advanced Texts]
