Chechen

Course Code: IM227L

Institution:

Department of Global Political Studies

Revision:

1

Approval

The course was established 09 February 2012.
This course syllabus (version 1) was approved 01 March 2012 by the Board of Studies at Faculty of Culture and Society (SMS).
The syllabus is valid from 03 September 2012.

Education level

First cycle

Course description

The aim of the course is to give the student introductory knowledge and elementary skills in the Chechen language that may be used as a complement to a professional profile or in combination with another academic subject.

Advancement in relation to the degree requirements

The course can normally be included as a part of a general degree at undergradate level.

Entry requirements

The special prerequisite for this course, besides basic eligibility for university studies, is fieldeligibility 6: Civics A and English B. Applicants are exempted from the Civics A requirement.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding
After finishing the course, the student shall:

• demonstrate an introductory knowledge of the Chechen language (writing system, pronunciation, basic vocabulary and elementary grammar);
• have basic knowledge of selected topics on Chechen culture and society, and

Skills and abilities
After finishing the course, the student shall be able to:

• engage in simple communicative situations in Chechen;
• apply elementary grammatical rules;
• read and understand simple Chechen texts.

Assessments

Assessment is based on mandatory assignments throughout the course and a final written and oral (online) examination, including translation of elementary Chechen/English sentences, reading, listening and understanding elementary Chechen.

There are two resubmission possibilities for failed assignments and examination. Each examination moment will be resubmitted in the same form as the original examination.



Course content

The course introduces the students to the Chechen writing system and pronunciation. In lectures and interactive exercises basic grammatical rules and vocabulary are offered step by step. Chechen words and simple texts and dialogues are supplied with audiofiles.

In addition to material on the Chechen language, each lecture includes a section on Chechen culture and society (for instance, Chechen history, Chechen among the other Caucasian languages, geography, Chechen traditions, Chechen folklore, etc.).



Learning activities

All instruction and other course activities are conducted online. Students get access to the online lectures with audiofiles and interactive exercises in the virtual classroom, where they also interact with lecturers and other course participants. Forum and chat functions are used for online discussions and the free software Skype is used in oral communication over the internet. Mandatory exercises that are sent in to lecturers for individual feedback are an important course component.

As the course is conducted exclusively online, no on-campus meetings are included. Note that you need a computer with internet connection and a head-set with microphone in order to follow the course.


Grading system

A,B,C,D,E,U.


Reading list and other media

Shavkhelishvili, B. & Vamling, K. Introduction to the Chechen language. Online lectures with grammar, texts, audiofiles, exercises, Malmö, 2010.

The material is accessible to enrolled students as an integrated part of the online lectures. In addition to the web-based Chechen language material, online resources (approx. 100 pages) covering various aspects of Chechen culture and society are included in the lectures.

Reference literature
Nichols, Johanna: ‘Chechen’, in: Rieks Smeets (ed.), The North East Caucasian Languages, part 2. The Indigenous Languages of the Caucasus, Vol. 4: 1-77.

Tishkov, Valery. 2004. Chechnya: life in a war-torn society. Foreword by Mikhail Gorbachev. Berkely: University of California.
site.ebrary.com/lib/malmoe/docDetail.action?docID=10062280



Course evaluation

Students are given the opportunity to comment the course at the end of the course in an online survey. A compilation of the results will be available on the university computer net. Students are also given the opportunity to offer oral feedback earlier in the course.