DEPARTMENT OF LINGUISTICS & AFRICAN STUDIES PROGRAM

THE AFRICAN LANGUAGES PROGRAM – W201/W601 (INTERMEDIATE TWI)

FALL SEMESTER 2007

 

COURSE INFORMATION

 

Class Schedules: MWF 10:10A – 11:00 A BH 208

Instructor: Hannah Essien; E-mail: hessien@indiana.edu 

Office: Ashton – Memorial Hall 217, Third Street                         

Office Hours: Friday: 1:00P – 3:00P

 

COURSE MATERIALS:

(i) Main Readings:

·         Ma Yεnka Akan (Twi) by Seth Ofori, 2006

·         Supplementary materials (by the Instructor)

·         Culture Project

·         Twi-English English-Twi dictionary by Paul A. Kotey

 

 

COURSE OBJECTIVE:

 

·                     To help students acquire and build on the four language skills; speaking, listening, reading and writing.

·                     To acquaint students with the knowledge and understanding of Akan customs and cultures.

·                     To familiarize students with the structure of the language.

·                     To enable students use the language to meet the five language standards: Communication, Cultures, Connections, Comparisons and Communities.

·                     At the end of the semester students are expected to reach intermediate low.

 

 

GRADING POLICY:

 

·                     Attendance and class participation  10%

·                     Written assignments                         20%

·                     Quizzes                                             20%

·                     Midterm Exam                                 20%

·                     Final Exam                                       30%

 

GRADING SYSTEM

 

99 – 100 = A+          86 – 89 = B+            77 – 79 = C+           67 – 69 = D+          

95 – 98 = A             83 – 85 = B             73 – 76 = C             63 – 66 = D

90 – 94 = A-            80 – 82 = B-            70 – 72 = C-            60 – 62 = D-

                                                                                      Below 60 = F

 

CLASS PARTICIPATION:

 

Attendance is mandatory and students are expected to have done their assignments for that day. Students must prepare before class and participate in role plays, drills and discussions. Three absences and coming late to class will affect class participation grade. There will be class presentations towards the end of the semester.

For cultural reinforcements, students are required to attend and perform at African cultural festivals on IU campus.

 

TWI LANGUAGE TABLE: Time: (Time to announced in the course of the week)

 

Every student is required to attend the Twi language table. Students have the opportunity to practice the language through conversations and individual or group sketches, presentations and watching of movies. Attendance is compulsory.

 

TUTORIAL SECTION:

 

Students are also required to attend tutorials. This starts on the second week of the semester. Time and venue will be announced in the course of the week.

 

QUIZZES:

 

There will be a short quiz on every other Monday of the week beginning on the Fourth week of the semester.

 

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS:

 

Written assignments will be graded. Some of the assignments will be written in class. Five of these assignments will count towards 20% of the total grade.

 

MIDTERM EXAM:

 

The midterm exam includes an oral proficiency assessment, listening comprehension, reading comprehension and an essay written from home. The midterm is 20% of the total grade.

 

FINAL EXAM:

 

This comprises oral proficiency assessment, reading, listening and a final essay. This takes 20% of the total grade.

 

 

COURSE OUTLINE

(First four weeks - Review of basic things studied in W101 & 102)

 

Week 1 – Social interaction

 

Mon. Aug. 27:          In class: Introductions/course objectives & syllabus

                             Greeting, showing respect & thanking people

                             (Ofori p. 1)

Wed. Aug 29            In class: Social interaction cont’d

                                    Role play & Class work

                             Homework: Written assignment (Ofori p. 5)

 

Fri. Aug 31              In class: Review of previous lesson & assignment

                             Web exercise: http://www.indiana.edu/~twi/

                             Homework: Written assignment

 

Week 2 – Talking about oneself & leave taking

 

Mon. Sept. 3            In class: Dialogue reading, role play & class work

                             (Ofori p. 23)

 

Wed. Sept 5            In class: Leave-taking

                             Role play & class written work

                             Homework: Written assignment (p.33)

 

Fri. Sept 7               In class: Review of previous lesson & assignment

                             * Web exercise: http://www.indiana.edu/~twi/       

 

Week 3 – Family members  

 

Mon. Sep. 10           In class: Reading of text (Ofori p. 39)

                             Class exercises

 

Wed. Sep. 12           In class: Review of Text

                             Role play & class exercises

                             Homework: Written assignment (Ofori p. 46)

 

Fri. Sep. 14             In class: Review of assignment, class presentations & class   

                                    exercises

                             Homework: Written assignment (Ofori p. 52)

 

Week 4 – Activities & Personal information

 

Mon. Sep. 17           In class: Reading of Comprehension text (Ofori p. 57)

                             Expressing likes & dislikes

 

Wed. Sep. 19           In class: Review of text, role play & class exercises

                             Homework: Written assignment (Ofori p. 69)

 

Fri. Sep. 21             In class: Conversation period

                                    Homework: Written assignment (Ofori p. 73)

 

 

Week 5 – Personalities 

                 

Mon. Sep. 24              In class: Short quiz on lessons 1- 4

                             Describing people’s personalities (Ofori p.105)

 

Wed. Sep. 26           In class: Review of comprehension text

Class exercises

                             Homework: Written assignment (Ofori p.112)

 

Fri. Sep, 28             In class: Movie

                             Homework: Written assignment (Ofori p. 115)

 

Week 6 – Personalities cont’d

 

Mon. Oct, 1                In class: Review of lesson & assignment

                             Class exercises

 

Wed. Oct, 3             In class: Review, Role play & Class exercises

                             Homework: Written exercises

 

Fri. Oct, 5               In class: Presentations

                               Homework: Written assignment

 

Week 7 –  Means of Transportation

 

Mon. Oct, 8                In class: Review & Short quiz

                             Expressing different ways of traveling – prepared text

                             Class exercises

 

Wed. Oct, 10           In class: Review, Role play & Class exercises

                             Homework: Written exercises

 

Fri. Oct, 12              In class: Web project - http://www.indiana.edu/~twi/travel.html

                               Homework: Written assignment

 

Week 8 - Means of Transportation cont’d

 

Mon. Oct. 15           In class: Review, reading of dialogues & class exercises

 

Wed. Oct. 17           In class: Mid term review

                                   

Fri. Oct. 19              In class: Mid term exams

 

Week 9 – Market scene

 

Mon. Oct. 22           In class: Types of markets – prepared text

                             Reading of dialogues          

Wed. Oct. 24           In class: Review, Practice with dialogues & class exercises

                             Homework: Written assignment

 

Fri. Oct. 26              In class: Conversation hour

                             Homework: Written exercises      

                  

Week 10 – Market scene cont’d

 

Mon. Oct. 29              In class: More practice with dialogues, role play & class exercises

                            

Wed. Oct. 31           In class: Web project –

                             http://www.indiana.edu/~twi/shopping.html

                             Homework: Written exercises

 

Fri. Nov. 2               In class: Review of lesson & assignment

                             Homework: written assignment    

 

Week 11 – Clothing

 

  Mon. Nov. 5           In class: Talk about different types of clothing (Ofori p. 151)

                             Reading of comprehension text

                             Class exercises

         

 Wed. Nov. 7            In class: Review of text & class exercises

                             Homework: Written assignment

 

 Fri. Nov. 9              In class: Review, role play & class exercises

            Homework: Written assignment

 

Week 12 – Clothing cont’d

 

Mon. Nov. 12           In class: Reading of dialogues & class exercises

 

Wed. Nov. 14           In class: Practicing with dialogues & class exercises

                             Homework: Written assignment

 

Fri. Nov. 16             In class: Review, role play & class exercises

                             Homework: written assignment

 

Week 13 – Marriage

 

Mon. Nov. 19              In class: Short quiz on lessons 11 & 12

Talk about different types of marriages

                             Read dialogues – prepared text

                                                  

Wed. Nov. 21 -25: Thanksgiving break      

                  

Week 14 - Marriage cont’d

 

Mon. Nov. 26           In class: Review & class exercises

                             Practicing with dialogues

 

Tues. Nov. 28          In class: Role play & class exercises

                                    Homework: http://www.indiana.edu/~twi/wedding.html

 

Wed. Nov. 30           In class: Movie

 

Week 15 – Review week & Oral presentation

 

Dec. 3           In class: Review of lessons 1-4

                   Oral presentation

Dec. 4           In class: Review of lessons 5-7

Dec. 5           In class: Review of lessons 8-10

Dec. 6           In class: Review of lessons 11-14

 

Week 16 December 10 to 14 - Final exam week