UCL - Course of advanced level in Dutch

[NEER1700]

[30h] 3 credits

Teacher(s): Isabelle Demeulenaere(coord.)

Language: NL

Level: First

Aims
Main themes
Content and teaching methods
Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Aims

The aim of this course is to develop students' interactive communication skills in order to enable them to be operational in the socio-professional context in which they are meant to function in the near future. The aimed level is B2+ for receptive skills and B2+ for productive speaking skills and B1+ for writing skills (CEFL).
- The students should be able to understand without difficulty the essential part what they read or hear.
- They should be able to faithfully reproduce facts and arguments of different written or oral sources by
summarising them in a coherent way.
- They should be able to express themselves fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for
expressions.
- They should be able to use the language flexibly and effectively for social and professional purposes.
- They should be able to formulate ideas and opinions with precision and relate their contribution skilfully to those of
other speakers.

On top of these skills, the students should have acquired a good knowledge of the Dutch and Flemish cultural world.

Main themes

The course is based on practicing interactive communication. The activities done in class aim at developing interactive communication techniques proper to a future professional and/or academic context, while developing at the same time the mastery of the code (general and specific vocabulary, grammar, specific structures). These activities stimulate real situations which require oral and written proficiency. Students are required to prepare an intervention for each class: a debate, the presentation of an article, a question, a formal or less formal talk, All the issues dealt with will be based on and fed by authentic documents found by the students : press articles, video sequences, documentation,During class, the students are required to participate actively in the suggested activities.

Content and teaching methods

- 30-hours course taught 1 hour a week during one quadrimester
- Intended for students of all faculties - 3 ECTS

Prerequisites :
Good productive knowledge of basic grammar and vocabulary
Level B2- for receptive and productive skills

Aims :
Developing interactive communication skills necessary for integration in a future socio-professional environment
Developing vocabulary, subtleties of the language and specific Dutch language structures
B2+ level of the CEF for the speaking skills (main objective) and B1+ for the the writing skills
B2+ level for the receptive skills

Contents and pedagogical approach :
- listening and reading comprehension exercises
- individual and interactive speaking exercises
- writing exercises (to some extent)
- texts and activities on subjects of general interest (mainly politics, economy and social matters)

Evaluation : continuous assessment, final talk to be presented orally during the last class

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

A 30-hour course taught two hours a week during one quadrimester

Requirements:
This course of advanced level requires a good productive knowledge of Dutch grammar and vocabulary. Students should have reached a B2 level (reading, listening and speaking) of the " Common European Framework for Languages (European Council)

Workload:
Classroom hours: 30
Self-study: 42

Guidance:
Course taught in groups of 15 to 20 students.
Every teacher has at least one office-hour a week and can be contacted by e-mail.
Accompaniment at the Self-Tuition Centre (CAA) and the Multimedia Room (SMM)

Teaching Material:
Texts, exercises, distributed to students throughout the year

Evaluation:
- Continuous assessment which takes into account the active participation to class activities, the regular work and
the fulfilment of the different tasks (press release to be presented in groups of two, essay writing, article
reading,)
- Final individual presentation on a chosen topic followed by the organisation of a debate involving the rest of the
group. Evaluation criteria : the talk itself (form and content) and the participation to the debates proposed by other
students). This final evaluation is organised during the last class.