Interfaculty course - General and academic Dutch - upper-intermediate level [ LNEER1500 ]

This course is of upper-intermediate level and students should have reached an UPPER B1 level (reading, listening and speaking) of the "Common European Framework of reference for Languages" (CEFR).

The course is structured around different themes related primarily to the daily life in a Dutch speaking environment, to the academic world and to the Flemish and Dutch culture in broad sense (including also political, economic, social and artistic aspects).

Reading comprehension: B2 level of the CEFR

• Students can extract information, ideas and opinions from highly specialised sources linked to their field of study.
• Students can understand highly specialised articles outside of their field of study provided they can occasionally use a dictionary to check their understanding.
• Students can understand in detail academic course notes related to their field of study.

Listening comprehension: B2 level of the CEFR

• Students can understand most of a conference, discourse, report or any other academic and cultural presentation which ise complex in form and content provided they are somehow familiar with the topic and/or the topic is related to their field of study.
• Students can understand most of the newspapers and television programmes in standard language
• In a conversation, students can understand in detail what is said in standard language, even in a noisy environment.

Speaking skills: B2 level of the CEFR

• Students can clearly and methodically develop a presentation of academic level, emphasizing the important points and relevant details.
• Students can spontaneously leave their prepared text in order to react to interesting points raised by the audience, and show a certain ease and communication skill in doing so.
• Students can take part in a lengthy conversation on most topics of general interests and related to their field of study, by actively taking part in it, even in a noisy environment.

Writing skills: B1 level of the CEFR

• Students can write a simple and coherent text on a familiar topic or a topic of personal interest, presenting their opinions and providing explanations and arguments 
• Students can summarise information and arguments found in various sources and write an academic paper related to their field of study.

Code :

Expansion and diversification of general vocabulary (+/- 4000 words) and reinforcement of academic vocabulary. As far as speaking skills are concerned, the course focuses more on communicative skills than on correction.

Culture

For all the skills aforementioned: introduction to Flemish and Dutch culture through active participation (cultural trips, films, theatre, exhibitions, ').

1. Continuous assessment (class participation, daily work, oral presentation in group').
2. Final oral exam.
3. Written assessment of academic vocabulary.

The activities proposed in class aim at developing spontaneous and academic communication: role plays, debates on general and academic topics, discussions based on articles, videos, '

Students are required to deliver a talk of academic level on a topic related to their field of study (or any other topic the group agrees with).  During this presentation, they are asked to create interaction with the public. 
 

This course focuses primarily on oral communication practice.  The activities proposed in class aim at developing spontaneous and academic communication.

• Self-tuition course (Moodle e-learning platform and/or syllabus) aimed at self-tuition, including general vocabulary and a mini-grammar with exercises and corrections.
• Course notes providing Dutch academic vocabulary

• This course which could logically follow the NEER 1300 course, also aims at helping students to prepare their Erasmus stay in a Dutch speaking environment.
• Classes in groups of 15 to 20 students.
• The teacher is available during his/her office hours and can be contacted by telephone or e-mail.