Unit information: Russian for General Purposes Level 1 Grade 1 in 2016/17

Unit name	Russian for General Purposes Level 1 Grade 1
Unit code	LANG10006
Credit points	20
Level of study	C/4
Teaching block(s)	Teaching Block 4 (weeks 1-24)
Unit director	Ms. McNeilly
Open unit status	Not open
Pre-requisites	None
Co-requisites	None
School/department	Department of Russian
Faculty	Faculty of Arts

Description including Unit Aims

This is an accelerated language unit aiming to bring students to GCSE standard in one year. It focuses on general structures and functions of the Russian language and includes practice in the four skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing) in order to enable students to communicate effectively in Russian at an elementary level. It also covers cultural and social aspects of the language. The unit will include:

• general communication skills
• grammar foundation
• general vocabulary development
• reading and writing skills
• listening and speaking skills
• social skills
• introduction of basic academic skills and language
• cultural and social aspects of the target language
• e-learning opportunities

This unit aims to:

• provide students with a solid foundation of the essential structures of the Russian language thus enabling them to communicate effectively across the four key language skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) at an elementary level on a variety of general topics
• enable participants to give and understand information and to achieve a confident elementary level of communicative competence in everyday situations
• introduce students to the customs, culture and society of the regions/countries in which the language is spoken and to develop student awareness of the general social and cultural background of the language
• enable students to apply their developing language skills into areas related to their field of study
• raise and develop learning autonomy and self-study skills, introducing students to e learning in the target language using Blackboard

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the unit, the students will:

• be able to communicate effectively on a variety of general topics, having achieved a confident elementary level of communicative competence in everyday situations
• have developed elementary skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing in Russian
• have developed an awareness of the general social and cultural background of the target language
• be able to start applying their developing language skills into areas related to their field of study.
• have made full use of e learning opportunities at the Language Centre (blogs, wikis Blackboard, etc )

The expected exit level in listening, speaking, reading and writing skills at the end of the 24 week unit is Level A1 and part of level A2 of the Common European Framework.

Teaching Information

Learners will be involved in a variety of classroom activities, mostly interactive with maximum use of the target language, but with some attention devoted also to explaining the fundamentals of Russian linguistic structures. Class activity will be supported and amplified by e learning opportunities; a Blackboard site, wikis, blogs and use of self-study facilities.

Assessment Information

The four skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing) are assigned equal weighting for the purposes of assessment (25% each).

For reading and writing there is a formal examination in the summer examination period, which comprises 25% of the total mark. This assesses ILOs 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

Listening is assessed by continuous assessment, consisting of listening assignments and class tests, which comprise 25% of the total mark. Both assess ILOs 1 and 2.

Speaking is tested by continuous assessment, consisting of marked coursework (oral presentation) and an oral test. Both assess ILOs 1, 2 and 3.

Reading and References

The unit is based on a coherent scheme of work developed by the unit coordinator, which will be made available on Blackboard.