Course Syllabus

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Swedish Language and Culture - Intermediate A

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Semester & Location:

Spring 2022 - DIS Stockholm
Type & Credits:

Elective Course - 3 credits
Major disciplines

Anthropology, Language
Prerequisite(s)

Must speak a Scandinavian language
Faculty member:

Djina Wilk djina.wilk@disstockholm.se 
Program director:

Andreas Brøgger
Academic support:

academics@disstockholm.se 
Time & Place:

Tuesday/Friday 10.05 am -11.25 am

1E-508

 

Course Description & Learning objectives

We build on language acquired in previous language courses and through experience and continue working intensively with the spoken everyday language and more complex written texts. Literature, newspaper articles, TV series, movies, music, politics, and cultural issues are discussed in class. Furthermore, your personal experience while living in Sweden is one of the cornerstones of the class. The aim is to help you gain the experience of being an active participant in the Swedish society rather than just a tourist passing by.

 

Description of Course

This class will work on your linguistic and communicative skills on an intermediate level. It is an integrated language and culture course, and it gives you the opportunity to reflect upon and document intercultural competences gained while studying abroad at DIS. Studying a foreign language while living in the nation has a cultural dimension, and it will automatically make you a more perceptive student. Instead of being just a tourist going about daily life in Stockholm, this course offers the tools to understand the deeper meaning behind every “normal” action. The course makes you develop a critical and analytical understanding of your own as well as of the Swedish culture, and it seeks to explore Swedish history, literature, film, art as well as the burning issues of today – enriching your experience and making you a qualified discussion partner for your Swedish family and friends.

 

Learning Objectives (and not language objectives)

  • Achieve intermediate linguistic and pragmatic skills
  • Get an understanding of the connection between language and culture
  •  Acquire a higher level of cultural awareness
  • Become able to describe, explain and discuss in a rich and functional Swedish with grammatical accuracy and with confidence while applying the proper cultural sensitivities relevant to Swedish society
  • Write a coherent text about a specific topic and be able to analyze, argue and put into perspective in a varied language
  • The capacity to express oneself on a range of topics in Swedish

 

Faculty

Your instructor is Djina Wilk.

Background: M.A. in Germanic Languages and Literature, Washington University of St. Louis. Also Swedish official teaching qualification (subject: languages) from Stockholm University and Stockholm Lärarhögskolan.  Former Education Manager and teacher in English at Komvux, Folkuniversitetet, Stockholm. Has been teaching Swedish as a foreign language since 2004, for example at Internationella Skolorna Düsseldorf, Germany, at Folkuniversitetet, Stockholm and also at Washington University in St. Louis, USA.  With DIS since 2016.

 

Readings/media

Language part: 

Lindemalm, Karl & Scherrer Levy Paula (2016)  Rivstart B1 + B2 textbok, Natur & Kultur.

Lindemalm, Karl & Scherrer Levy Paula (2016)  Rivstart B1 + B2 övningsbok, Natur & Kultur.

 

Cultural part (readings are subject to change throughout the course)

Anderson, Benedict (edition from 2016) Imagined Communities - Reflections on the Origin and the Spread of Nationalism. Verso, pp. 5-7

Axelsson, Mattias (2019) Tacos, tvättstuga och tack för senast. Svenska vanor A–Ö. Lys förlag.

Alösjin, Alexej (2020) Ordbok över svenska liknelser [Dictionary of Swedish Similes]. Lys förlag. [selected pages]

Berggren, Henrik & Trädgård (2015) Är svensken människa?: gemenskap och oberoende i det moderna Sverige. Nordstedts förlag. [selected pages]

Deveaux Tegsveden Sofi & Pihl, Anne (2018) Jobba i Sverige - Svensk arbetsplatskultur A–Ö. Lys förlag [selected chapters]

Lars Fredrikson, Bengt, Sauter Agnes m fl. (2016) Sverige - en lättläst faktabok. LL-förlaget [selected pages]

Fredrikson, Bengt (2019) Sveriges historia från istid till EU. LL-förlaget [selected pages)

Lindström, Fredrik (2019) Svenska dialekter. Bonnier fakta.[selected chapters]

Panshiri, Mustafa (2021) Sju råd till Mustafa: så blir du lagom svensk i världens mest extrema land. Volante.[selected pages]

Samisk informationscentrum (ed). Samerna - ett av världens urfolk. Samiskt informationscentrum. [selected pages]

Swahn Jan Öjvin( 2014) Svenska traditioner. Ordaförlaget. [selected chapters]

Other cultural material such as media:

Selected programs from Swedish public service, both TV and radio.

Selected Swedish movies such as Sameblod and Astrid

 

Continue learning outside the classroom

 While living and studying in Sweden, you can immerse yourself in the Swedish language and culture in a variety of ways. Try these:

Field Studies

The class has two field studies, as well optional cultural excursions. The purpose of the field studies and the cultural excursions is to use Stockholm’s cultural resources and Stockholm city as our extended DIS classroom. Material covered during the field studies will be included in assignments and classrooms discussions. 

- Field study 1: Wednesday February 16, 08.30-12.00. Skansen

- Field study 2: Wednesday April 6, 13.00-16.30: Kulturama

- Optional cultural excursions: 

Sunday 30 January  at 2 pm: A visit to Nordiska museum, “Sweden’s largest museum of cultural history”, that is nominated to the European Museum of Year Ward 2022. The primary focus is to visit exhibit “The Artic - while the ice is melting. 

Sunday 13 March at 11.15 am: Outdoor walk and lunch in Nacka nature reserve. The focus is to enjoy some great nature and really experience the Scandinavian notion of nature,“friluftsliv”.  We will explore and also take a break in the nature at Hellasgården, a beautiful spot in the middle of Nacka nature reserve.

plus 2 events TBA

Approach to Teaching

The culture part of course will include interactive lectures, classroom discussions, field studies and culture excursions. There is a focus on processing observations and sharing information.  The language part will include different classroom exercises with the purpose of learning and reviewing vocabulary and activating the language. 

 

Expectations of the Students

Active participation - one of the key components of your grade and one of the most pleasurable aspects of an engaging course - requires preparation. I expect you to have completed the assigned reading(s)/listenings/media viewing(s) before each class and to come with notes, thoughts, and questions. Readings, announcements, details, updates, the course schedule, and communications with one another are on Canvas. Download the Canvas app to your phones and turn on notifications so you stay up-to-date. You are responsible for checking Canvas daily.

Please do the following:

1. Submit assignments on time.
2. Complete all assigned readings/media viewings and language homework prior to the designated class.
3. 23 classroom sessions will go by fast and times flies! Be punctual and attend all classes (also including field studies), well prepared and ready to contribute. Missing classes without a legitimate excuse or showing up to class not prepared will result in a lower participation grade.
4. Bring a notebook and pen/cil to class for taking notes. Only use laptops when instructed for specific activities. Please switch off your mobile phone during class and resist the urge to text. Please speak with me if you need your device for note-taking. 

 

Evaluation

How to get a good grade:

  • Get involved. Use your Swedish, meaning the language as well as your historical and cultural knowledge outside the classroom - the more the better. The more you know the more you see and experience.

  • Use the knowledge and insight obtained in class through readings, lectures and discussions to enrich your study abroad experience and to start fun, thought-provoking and interesting discussions with Swedes and other people that you meet during the semester.

  • Get organized. Notice all due dates assignment, set aside time to prepare for tests, papers etc., throughout the whole semester. 

  • Prepare well for class. Studying a language is like taking any kind of training. In order to develop, you need to practice as much as possible and study on a regular basis. Also, take many notes while doing the readings.

  • Participate. Practice your language in a “safe” environment and get relevant feedback, this is essential in improving. So, try to use as much Swedish as possible during the language part of the course. Also,sharing your thoughts and ideas in class is one of the best tools for developing your analytical skills.

 

 

Grading and Assignments

Assignment

Percent

Deadline
Engaged Participation

20%

Throughout the course

 

Cultural Assignments

 

35%

Presentation 1: 25 February

Presentation 2: 12 April

Cultural essay: 13 May

 

Midterm

15%

18 March

Finals

30%

Written exam: 6 May

Oral Exam: 10 May

 

Engaged participation (20%)

You are expected to be well-prepared for class and to be very engaged in the classrooms discussions and exercises, both in regard to language and culture. Also, you are expected to actively participate actively on all four field studies during the semester. Further detailed guideline will be provided in class.

Midterm (15%)

You are expected to write a Midterm written exam in Swedish language. Further detailed guideline will be provided in class and posted here on Canvas.

Cultural assignments (40%)

You are expected to write one academic paper (in Swedish) of around 1200 words in regard to culture. The topics for this cultural essay is related to any aspect in regard to  the culture part. During the semester you are also expected to give two 5 minute presentations (in Swedish) about a cultural aspect of free choice. Further detailed guidelines will be provided in class.

Finals (25%)

You are expected to write a Final exam in Swedish language. This Final written exam will test your language skills gained from the whole semester but with emphasis on the last chapters dealt with in class. Further detailed guideline will be provided in class.

As a part of the Finals, you are also expected to complete an oral Final exam in Swedish language. This Final written exam will test your language skills gained from the whole semester but with emphasis on the last chapters dealt with in class. Further detailed guideline will be provided in class.

 

Late Papers / Assignments

All late submissions will be reduced by half a letter grade for each day late unless you have communicated with me before the deadline and have received permission to submit your work late. 

 

Electronic Technologies

Laptops/tablets/iPads/phones are not permitted to be open and in-use during class unless we are working on specified tasks. Mobile phones must be silenced during class. If you need your device for note-taking, let's talk. 

 

Academic Regulations  

DIS expects that students abide by the highest standards of intellectual honesty in all academic work. DIS assumes that all students do their own work and correctly credit all work or thought taken from others. Academic dishonesty will result in a final course grade of F and may result in dismissal. Your home institutions will be notified. DIS reserves the right to require that written student assignments be submitted electronically for scanning by plagiarism detection software. Please speak with me if you have any questions.

Please make sure to read the Academic Regulations on the DIS website for additional information. There you will find details on:

 

 

Course Summary:

Date Details Due