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Ukrainian Beginners

Module description

Ukrainian Beginners is designed for students with little or no previous knowledge of the language. It will introduce you to the Ukrainian language and culture in a general context.

This module will provide you with a solid foundation of the basic grammatical structures of the Ukrainian language, which will allow you to listen, speak, read, and write at an elementary level on different general topics. The emphasis is on enabling you to communicate orally in Ukrainian. It will also introduce you to the customs, culture, and history of Ukraine.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The module is intended for students who have little or no previous knowledge of Ukrainian and offers an introduction to the language. This module is broadly equivalent to A1 / low A2 Basic User level of the Common European Framework and aims to:

• Provide you with a solid foundation of the basic grammatical structures of the target 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 you to give and understand information and to achieve a confident elementary level of communicative competence in everyday situations
• Provide you with an introduction to the customs, cultures and history of Ukraine to develop your awareness of the general social and cultural background of the language

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Demonstrate a sound grasp of the basic grammatical structures of the target language
• 2. Read and comprehend simple written and aural texts and extract specific, predictable information related to every-day situations
• 3. Communicate effectively on a variety of general topics requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters, both orally and in writing

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Understand the principles of learning a foreign language intensively and organise your learning with guidance from the tutor
• 5. Use available learning aids in a variety of media, such as a reference grammar and bilingual dictionary, to consolidate your learning

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. Communicate at a basic level in the target language
• 7. Make progress through developing and applying skills of self-study and develop sensitivity to a foreign culture

Syllabus plan

This module provides a systematic approach to acquiring essential grammar structures in a communicative context and in accordance with the skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

While content may vary from year to year, it is expected that it will cover the following.

Grammar (non-exhaustive):

• The Ukrainian Alphabet: writing & pronunciation.
• Personal pronouns – Formal and informal addressing.
• Numbers
• Verb Conjugation
• Gender of nouns.
• Adjectives, endings. Possessives. 
• Use of cases.

Topics (non-exhaustive):

• Get acquainted. Introduce yourself and other people.
• Self and family.
• What I like to do. Leisure activities and hobbies.
• Food and Drink.
• Health.
• Travel.
• Shopping.

Teaching methods are based on interactive language development tasks, such as pair / group work, and include the study of texts, oral development work and listening comprehension exercises.

You will be expected to spend time studying outside the class and we will provide guidance, facilities and materials to help you develop your expertise as a successful language learner. You will receive regular feedback on your progress from class activities and homework assignments. 

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Deferral – if you miss an assessment for certificated reasons judged acceptable by the Mitigation Committee, you will normally be either deferred in the assessment or an extension may be granted. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.

Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be required to submit a further assessment as necessary. If you are successful on referral, your overall module mark will be capped at 40%.

You will only be required to retake any failed assessments. Marks for any passed assessments will be carried forward. If you have failed any assessments but managed to pass the module overall, you will not be allowed to retake the failed assessments.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Yuri Shevchuk, Beginner’s Ukrainian, 2^nd ed. (New York, Hippocrene, 2013).

Key words search

Ukraine; Ukrainian; Ukrainian language; Ukrainian beginners; Ukrainian ab initio; Ukrainian culture