LLAS Centre for Languages, Linguistics and Area Studies

German: Podcasting Goethe

Seán Allan - 20 December 2007

This website is designed to enhance the study and enjoyment of Goethe’s early poetry. It features readings of a selection of poems, available as podcasts, which span the period from roughly 1771 up to Goethe’s departure for Italy in the autumn of 1786. German transcriptions are provided, as are English translations to help listeners through the poems: these translations are of varying quality and are included as a guide only.

Language Testing: Dialang: Diagnostic Tests for Danish, Dutch, English, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Icelandic, Irish, Italian, Norwegian, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish

Dialang - 13 January 2004

DIALANG offers validated tests of different language skills, together with a range of feedback and expert advice on how to improve your skills. It also offers scientifically validated self-assessment activities and allows users to determine their language level, strengths and weaknesses as well as to increase their awareness of current skills and of what it means to know a language. It has been developed by more than 20 major European institutions, with the backing of the European Commission and is based on the Council of Europe's "Common European Framework of reference", which has become established throughout Europe as the most widely recognized frame of reference in the field of language learning.

Czech Online

Dominik Luke - 8 August 2003

A collection of materials for Czech learners inlcuding grammar exercises, reading, games, dictionary, essays. Most of the material is freely available for use, but the source must be acknowledged.

Linguistics: Quizzes

Jeanine Treffers-Daller - 17 July 2003

These quizzes are designed for students at the early stages of their Linguistics progamme or for non-specialist Linguistics students. They have been designed using Hot Potatoes authorware (http://web.uvic.ca/hrd/halfbaked/) which can be used to create cloze, mix, match, multiple-choice exercises as well as crosswords and quizzes. The materials were authored by (and are copyright to) the School of Languages and Linguistics at the University of the West of England, Bristol.

Authorware: The GISMO Project (Guildhall Interactive Software for Multimedia Online)

Steve Cushion - 1 May 2003

A selection of teaching materials produced by The Department of Humanities, Arts and Languages at London Metropolitan University using the authoring program developed within the department that allows language teachers to prepare their own audio-enhanced websites containing a variety of interactive exercises. Any educational institution is welcome to use this material. The software combines the ability to edit your own text and then to record someone reading it, all using the same program. The sound and text are then automatically integrated and a web page containing the exercises is generated.

French: E-pack (sample)

Cecile Tschirhart - 20 March 2003

These materials represent a sample of the interactive online exercises developed at London Metropolitan University for beginners in French. The exercises combine sound, image and text in a single activity and provide instant feedback. They cover the main language learning skills of listening, reading, writing and grammar and involve a variety of activities, such as matching, reordering and games.

Independent Learning: Manchester University Language Centre's Independent Learning Guide

Jocelyn Wyburd - 13 March 2003

An online set of resources aimed at supporting independent language learning. The site includes a needs analysis, a reflective questionnaire, tips for language learning, worksheets and guides to using particular resources, e.g. CAll software. Very useful as a complement to a self-access language centre.

French: Reading French 2000

Brian Gill - 11 March 2003

A web-based independent learning course for French for students at the University of Calgary but freely accessible to anyone who wishes to study the course autonomously and online.

Chinese: Language skills for Britain: dissemination of best practice

Glen Dudbridge - 11 March 2003

Over two years, from 2000 to 2002, within the framework of the FDTL 3 programme of the Teaching Quality Enhancement Fund, Oxford's Institute for Chinese Studies has developed an experimental approach to non-intensive teaching of Mandarin Chinese. It goes counter to conventional teaching strategies by isolating particular skills and focusing a teaching programme exclusively upon each one. The aim has been to learn through experience how much can be achieved with volunteer beginners in each distinct skill, and to devise materials which can contribute flexibly to teaching or learning regimes serving individual needs. The four-phase project has dealt with three basic skills – reading, speaking, listening – followed by the needs of native Cantonese speakers embarking on spoken Mandarin. In each case a pedagogical specialist from China, Taiwan or Hong Kong has spent a month in Oxford developing material, and a student-teacher from China or Taiwan has spent four months in Oxford working with a class of volunteers. Achievements and results have been monitored through systematic testing, and the whole programme kept under regular review at the national level by a seminar of professional Chinese language teachers

Dutch: The Virtual Department of Dutch

Theo Hermans - 20 December 2002

The Virtual Department of Dutch is an inter-university teaching collaboration programme in Dutch Studies, involving four UK universities. Its web-based, free-standing and interactive self-study packs cover topics in Dutch language, literature, linguistics, history and cultural studies. They cater for different levels of linguistic competence in Dutch, from beginners to advanced. Their use is free.

Spanish: From the caves to modern graffiti

Gladis Garcia-Soza - 20 December 2002

This is a specialist language course for students with an advanced knowledge of Spanish.The materials cover the history of the Spanish language from pre-history to modern times. Language artefacts are taken from disciplines such as archaeology, anthropology, history, historical linguistics and popular media. The course looks into geographical and social varieties of Spanish from a historical as well as from a linguistic perspective.

Spanish: Los Peruanos

Carmen Mortara - 24 October 2002

A sample of a programme developed on the theme of Los Peruanos which includes linguistic and cultural work on web documents, simplified texts and videoclips. The materials are for intermediate level and can be used in combination with the work done in the classroom or as part of an independent learning programme.

German: Angelika's German webpages

Angelika Flynn - 25 September 2002

Reading comprehension exercises for beginners, threshold and intermediate levels. They can be used to supplement the Themen neu course books, and are intended for independent study.The exercises are part of my website which, in part, is a portal to Internet resources.