Icelandic Level Proficiency

Prerequisite for entry

intermediate knowledge of Icelandic (successful completion of Icelandic syllabus 5+ at UCL Language Centre or other comparable studies).

Term duration

10 x 2-hour classes.

Aims and objectives

The aim of the course is to enable students who are approaching fluency in Icelandic to practice their linguistic skills through a variety of activities, using authentic materials for reading, listening and discussion.
Students are encouraged to trust their grounding and start reading texts on their own, watch films & television in Icelandic and communicate in Icelandic outside the classroom whenever possible.

Functions

• Icelandic culture through authentic materials: newspapers, magazines, radio & television material, lyrics to songs, websites, brochures etc.
• Current affairs, politics
• Recent changes in Icelandic society
• Iceland through the ages

Linguistic structures/ Phonetics

Recognising, understanding and reproducing any kind of discourse

Grammar

Revision of selected grammar issues. Particular fields agreed in class. Students input encouraged: which issues need covering.

Learning resources

• Authentic materials: newspapers, magazines, radio & television material, lyrics to songs, websites, brochures etc;
• Course reference book, grammar: Colloquial Icelandic, Daisy Newman;
• Teacher’s handouts;
• Online material from open Icelandic source materials: Bragi, Tungumálatorg.

Dictionaries

• Glossaries from Colloquial Icelandic & Learning Icelandic
• Íslensk ensk orðabók - Iðunn
• Ensk-íslensk skólaorðabók – Mál & Menning
• Ordabok

In addition there is a wide range of language learning materials for self-study in the Self-Access Centre.