Advanced Persian Language II
| Module title | Advanced Persian Language II |
|---|---|
| Module code | ARA3145 |
| Academic year | 2020/1 |
| Credits | 15 |
| Module staff | Mr Ali Mossadegh (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 5 |
|---|
Module description
Building on your study of Advanced Persian I (ARA3144), which is its prerequisite, this module will: develop your skills in reading, writing and speaking Persian; broaden your skills in using Persian through the reading of Advanced level Persian texts; give you the capacity to carry on conversations in Persian at the Advanced level; perfect your skills in composition and translation of Persian; consolidate your use of colloquial modern Persian through using a wide range of written and audio-visual materials; and enable you to comprehend classical Persian literature at a sophisticated level of expertise.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module aims to actualize your active and passive command of the Persian language acquired in ARA3144 (Advanced Persian I) through a wide range of written and pedagogical materials, that is, by study of classical and modern Persian texts, both prose and poetry, using films and other media where appropriate. It aims to give you mastery of most all aspects of higher Persian grammar, with a deeper knowledge of its grammatical and syntactical structures, as well as to perfect further your writing and listening skills. Emphasis will also be given to enabling you to write modern Persian at an advanced level and the develop the capacity to carry on conversations in Persian to the level of semi-fluency. You will develop your reading skills to an advanced level for both modern and classical Persian, using texts of various genres and historical periods.
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the grammatical and syntactical features of written Persian and spoken Persian;
- 2. Read various genres of classical and modern Persian texts, to write in modern Persian, as well as to translate from both classical and modern Persian;
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 3. Speak modern Persian semi-fluently;
- 4. Decipher and translate classical Persian texts with minimal use of a dictionary;
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 5. Demonstrate time management skills and ability to conduct independent study; and
- 6. Demonstrate written and oral communication skills in a foreign language.
Syllabus plan
The class will be conducted mostly in Persian. Teaching includes lectures and commentary on the main textbook (Safar-Moghaddem); group discussion of the learning materials of classical Persian prose and poetry given as homework; as well as translations from English into Persian and from Persian into English will be introduced. Students will also give oral presentations (each student talks for 10-15 minutes in the class in Persian about a given topic), followed by questions by other students, replies by the presenter, and feedback from the teacher. Students will also listen to listen to Persian BBC TV broadcasts, news programmes, interviews, etc., and discuss these in groups.
Weeks 1-5. Advanced Persian Grammar (text based); study and translation of advanced Classical Persian texts
Week 6: mid-term quiz
Weeks 7-9: Advanced Persian (conversational and listening skills)
Weeks 10-11. Review of entire class
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 44 | 106 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| 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 class 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 homework assignment consists of around 4.5 hours work |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Writing, reading, dictation and translation assignments | 40 minutes per week | 1-4, 6 | Verbal |
| Conversation and dialogue | varies class to class | 1, 3, 6 | Verbal |
| Listening comprehension study | 20-30 minutes per week listening to radio and TV | 1, 3, 6 | Verbal |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 50 | 20 |
Details of summative assessment
| 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 | 1,2,4,5,6 | Written and verbal |
| Written examination | 50 | 2 hours | 1,2,4,6 | Written |
| Oral, grammar, listening and dictation tests | 20 | 40 mins per week | 1-5 | Verbal |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assessed homework | Written examination (1.5 hours; 30%) | 1,2,4,5,6 | August/September reassessment period |
| Written examination | Written examination (2 hours; 50%) | 1,2,4,6 | August/September reassessment period |
| Oral, grammar, listening and dictation tests | Written examination (1 hour; 20%) | 1-5 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
Zarghamian, Persian Language Training Course, Preliminary Advanced Level, vols. 2, 3.
Yadollah Samareh, Amuzesh-e zaban-e farsi (advanced).
Saffar Moqaddam, Persian Language; Book 3.
In addition to the above textbook, the required course texts will be a packet of readings selected from Buf-e Kur by Sadeq Hedayat; Dai Jan Napoleon by Iraj Pezeshkzad; Shazdeh Ehtejab by Hushang Golshiri, all photocopied in the coursepack. Some classical Persian texts from Sa'di's Golestan and Hafez's Divan, as well as some Persian prose fiction written after the Revolution will also be provided.
ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk
| Credit value | 15 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 7.5 |
| Module pre-requisites | ARA3144 |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 01/07/2013 |
| Last revision date | 13/01/2021 |


