Admission requirements
This course is only available for students in the BA International Studies programme.
Description
During this Swahili course you will learn Swahili in a practical and interactive way. After the first lesson you will be able to greet someone in Swahili as well as to introduce yourself. Understanding the structure of Swahili enables you to speak Swahili. During the lectures we will practice Swahili through conversation, games and music. Since language and culture are so intertwined you will learn a lot about the culture. After completing this course you will be able to have an elementary conversation in Swahili.
Course objectives
This course enables the student to achieve level A1+ of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).
This course is the first course in a series of three language acquisition courses within the International Studies program. The final objective of this course series is to obtain an intermediate level of proficiency in Swahili, aimed at communication with people in the region in everyday social situations and enabling students to follow current affairs in the region via various media.
| Skill | CEFR Level |
|---|---|
| Reading | A2 |
| Writing | A1 |
| Listening | A1+ |
| Speaking | A1 |
Timetable
Visit MyTimetable.
Mode of instruction
Tutorials
Three two-hour tutorials every week, with the exception of the midterm exam week. Attending all tutorial sessions is compulsory. With online education, it is more important than ever to maintain communication and stay in touch with your study groups. For this reason, if you are unable to attend a session, it is required that you inform your tutor in advance. Please note that being absent at any tutorial session may have a negative impact on the grade of the assignment due for that particular tutorial session. This is at the discretion of the tutor.
Assessment method
Assessment & weighing
| Partial grade | Weighing |
|---|---|
| Participation | 20% |
| Midterm Exam | 30% |
| Final Exam | 30% |
| Oral Exam | 20% |
End Grade
To successfully complete the course, please take note that the End Grade of the course is established by determining the weighted average of the in-class oral and listening performance, and written exams.
The End Grade needs to be a 6.0 or higher to pass the course.
Resit
If the End Grade is insufficient (lower than a 6.0), there is a possibility of retaking the full 80% of the exam material (exams, quizzes, Midterm Exam and Final Exam). No resit for the tutorial (participation and homework) is possible.
Exam review and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Reading list
Course material: ‘Tuongee Kiswahili. A practical Swahili course’ by Lowani Afrika Talencentrum (€40).
This course book will be provided (and paid for) during the first tutorial.
Registration
Enrolment through uSis for Tutorials is mandatory.
Students will be enrolled for Exams by the Administration Office, as long as they have a valid Tutorial enrolment.
Contact
When contacting lecturers or tutors, please include your full name, student number, and tutorial group number.
Please use your University email-address (uMail) when communicating with any person or department within Leiden University.
Student Affairs Office for BA International Studies
Remarks
Passing this course is an additional requirement for a positive Study Recommendation at the end of the year.
This course uses an integrated communicative language learning method. Therefore active participation in the classroom activities is essential for successful learning outcomes.