Module Information
Course Delivery
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Written Assignments (8 written assignments, 4 of them under exam conditions (those taken under exam conditions counting twice as much as the others); Translations, grammar exams, language essays) | 50% |
| Semester Assessment | Comprehension (listening / reading comprehension (4 tests taken under exam conditions); presentations; in-class unseen grammar tests; in-class unseen listening tests) | 20% |
| Semester Exam | 2 Hours | 30% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Written Assignments (8 short written assignments (of equal weighting); Translations, grammar exams, language essays) | 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Comprehension (listening (4 tests taken under exam conditions); Unseen listening tests) | 20% |
| Supplementary Exam | 2 Hours | 30% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. demonstrate the improvement in their own skills in independent language study since Level 1
2. translate selected passages from and into Brazilian/Portuguese, displaying proficiency in grammar and syntax
3. use a range of linguistic structures and relatively extensive vocabulary
4. follow advanced conversations in Brazilian /Portuguese
5. give their own insights into key aspects of Brazilian /Portuguese society
6. demonstrate understanding of spoken Brazilian /Portuguese
7. demonstrate familiarity and confidence in the application of advanced grammatical structures
8. demonstrate an improvement in fluency and accuracy in written language
9. make both supervised and independent use of the facilities available in the Language Resource Centre (video, audio, satellite television)
Brief description
It will make available to a wider constituency the cultural, personal, academic and vocational benefits of an awareness of a major European and international language.
Aims
This module offers an opportunity to study Brazilian / Portuguese at Level 2, as an adjunct to the main Single Honours degree in Spanish and Latin American Studies. It will provide students with the vocational benefits which derive from knowledge of a second major European and international language and will offer an added incentive to study the portfolio of modules and skills in the above-mentioned degree scheme. It significantly improves UG employability. Brazilian / Portugese is highly valued in world business. Also, market expectations demand fluency in more than one language. More than this, the acquisition of fluency in two languages enhances a candidate’s ability to handle complex issues with a range of academic/technical skills. This module is therefore core to those students enrolled in R410. On completion of this module students will have acquired an intermediate level in the language, a good knowledge of its linguistic structures and a solid vocabulary and high-frequency structures. They should be able to communicate in spoken and written Brazilian / Portuguese and handle typical situations of everyday life.
Content
During the first hour (theoretical part) students will cover the main grammatical aspects of the language as well as learning advanced vocabulary which will enable them to start constructing complex sentences.
During the second hour (practical part) students will practice, both through listening in the Language Laboratory and conversation topics, the main linguistic aspects which have been covered.
As a thin module, it is expected that students will move from the vocabulary and fundamental grammatical structures acquired at Level 1 to a more proficient vocabulary and use of advanced linguistic structures by the end of the academic year.
In order to achieve these objectives, students will engage with:
- the translation of selected passages from English into Brazilian/Portuguese
- the selected reading of passages from a range of different styles, such as journalistic, political, literary texts
- the analysis of distinct grammatical and syntactical structures within different genres
- conversation topics on Portuguese and Brazilian cultural issues and current affairs
- distinct oral structures and a range of colloquial expressions which allow students to understand everyday conversations
- accents and different pronunciations which will make students aware of the standardization of the Brazilian/Portuguese language.
- the production of summaries of oral and written material in Brazilian/Portuguese
- both supervised and independent use of the facilities available in the department: video, language laboratory, satellite television
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | n/a |
| Communication | Students will, by the end to the year, be able to communicate fluently on selected Brazilian /Portuguese topics |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Students will develop their independent skills by reading and completing the automatized exercises required for the course; as well as preparing for their oral debate |
| Information Technology | Students will have to use accurately all forms of software available for Level 2 in the LRC |
| Personal Development and Career planning | Students will be able to work independently, developing their written skills in the target language; translating into the target language; recognizing and using challenging structures; and reading various cultural texts. |
| Problem solving | Students will have to comprehend varying accents, requiring them to take decision when approaching intermediate written texts and when translating into the target language. Also, they will develop confidence in debate and in constructing arguments about Brazilian / Portuguese society and culture |
| Research skills | To prepare for weekly classes, students will read and research a variety of topics so that they can perform during the debate classes. They will also prepare listening exercises prior to the weekly classes, enriching their literacy and comprehension. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Inter-personal and communication skills; language skills; knowledge of culture and diversity; debating and public speaking; translation skills |
| Team work | Students will engage in weekly debate on given topics, learning the internal dynamics of a debate carried out in a group. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 5