(in Polish) Praktyczna nauka języków regionu/Słowo w kulturze - czeski B2 3224-SWKCZB2
Czech workshops on the B2 level are aimed at activating the skills of
linguistic expression and communication in foreign language as well as to
enrich Czech vocabulary. The course is proposed in the form of
conversation/discussion on different topics offered for students, pertaining
the everyday life (including colloquial speech and other styles not
considered by textbooks), cultural events and communication in future
jobs according to the profile of a graduate.
The thematic scope of the course comprises new lexis connected with
communicative situations as well as cultural events/selected cultural
elements of the countries from the relevant language area (analysis of
cultural and political developments and key economic indicators based on
contemporary Czech media sources), along with the theoretical
foundations of diachronic and synchronic approaches to language.
1. Linguistic Registers in the Czech Republic – spisovná čeština,
hovorová čeština, obecná čeština, and regional dialects in
Moravia.
2. Studying in the Czech Republic – arrival, administrative
procedures, and filling out official forms. Czech offices and banks:
polite expressions, questions, terminology related to residency,
insurance, opening a bank account, etc.
3. The Czech Educational System – student life in the Czech
Republic: making friends, finding accommodation, buying
furniture, kitchen and hygiene products, and other essentials;
online shopping and decoding Czech abbreviations.
4. Living Alone or with Others – pros and cons, conflict resolution,
and practicing hypothetical constructions.
5. Interpersonal Relationships Then and Now – face-to-face vs.
online interactions, planning mountain trips, sightseeing, cycling,
kayaking. Planning in detail – what to keep in mind?
6. Travel Reports and Experiences – review of the past and
pluperfect tenses; iterative verbs.
7. How to Ask for Help, Express Opinions, and Give Arguments
– practical dialogue exercises.
8. Tomáš Sedláček’s Economics of Good and Evil – analysis of
excerpts and articles (from Hospodářské noviny), philosophical-
economic reflections and their language.
9. Czech and Global Economy – review of economic and banking
terminology; introduction of new terms.
10. The Parliamentary System in the Czech Republic – political
parties, parliamentary and presidential elections, socio-political
terminology.
11. The Language of Czech Politicians – Václav Havel, Karel
Schwarzenberg, Miloš Zeman, Andrej Babiš, Petr Pavel –
linguistic analysis of speeches and statements; persuasive
techniques.
12. Language as a Functional-Structural System – the Prague
Linguistic Circle: Roman Jakobson, Vilém Mathesius, Jan
Mukařovský.
13. Roman Jakobson’s Six Functions of Language – examples and
analysis; successors such as Umberto Eco (On the Shoulders of
Giants – excerpts).
14. Jan Mukařovský and the Poetic Function of Language –
analysis of the poem May by K.H. Mácha; successors (Julia
Kristeva, Roland Barthes).
15. Linguistic and Metalinguistic Devices in Czech Literature –
overview of major Czech literary works from the 19th to 21st
century and their embedded discourses.
16. Different Perspectives and Perceptions – analysis and
discussion of the film Babička and the series Božena.
17. The Hidden Feminist Agenda – discussion of Božena Němcová
based on the Božena TV series.
18. Do Czech Feminine Derivatives (feminativa) Support or
Hinder Feminist Discourse? – discussion and review of Czech
word-formation strategies.
19. Encounter with Karel Čapek – analysis of philosophical sci-fi
novels: R.U.R., Krakatit (selected excerpts).
20. What Literary Genre Is It? – Čapek’s The Fortune Teller (Tales
from One Pocket): listening to a radio play, text comparison,
analysis and interpretation.
21. Laurent Binet’s The Seventh Function of Language – reading
comprehension.
22. A Postmodern Linguistic Crime Novel? – guided reading and
interpretation of The Seventh Function of Language by Binet.
23. What Is the “Seventh Function of Language”? – deconstructing
the plot, writing a review of the novel.
24. Czech Newspapers and Magazines – presenting a summary of a
selected article.
25. Article Summary Presentations – group discussion and
continuation.
26. Czech Proverbs, Idioms, Common Expressions, and Swear
Words
27. Anglicisms in the Czech Press – phonetic adaptations and
semantic shifts (based on selected examples).
28. Beware of False Friends – avoiding intercultural mistakes;
review of previous content.
29. Preparing for a Job Interview – strategies for effective
communication.
30. Labour Market and Cultural Studies – opportunities, job offers,
concerns, and hopes.
There are also other topics related to students' interests / proposed by
students.
Course is conducted through discussing different topics based on priorly
given texts or handouts delivered by the lecturer, working in groups and
pairs, individual work (substantially supported by the lecturer).
All students are expected to select, prepare, and report weekly on a chosen
text (e.g. an essay, opinion piece, review, etc.) taken from the Czech
press.
Training of different language skills will be conducted as follows:
Speaking: individual monologic utterances related to the topics which
were discussed during the semester, dialogs, role-playing-games.
Listening: different types of texts (dialog, monolog w various
communicational situations) and tasks adjusted to the level.
The use of a language: vocabulary and grammar exercises indicating the
degree of proficiency in the course content.
Writing: an opinion in the written form related to the topics which were
discussed during the semester.
Student workload includes:
Classroom participation – 30 hours (1 ECTS)
Preparing for classes – 30 hours (1 ECTS)
The course is implemented under the ZIP 2.0 programme.
Type of course
Mode
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
A student is practicing without having to fear his/her speech
communication on the intermediate/advanced level:
On completing the course, the student:
KNOWLEDGE:
makes use of knowledge of culture of a given lingusitic region;
acquired during the course;
a graduate knows and understands at an advanced level the
sophisticated nature of a language;
one has sufficient vocabulary at an advanced level (with particular
focus on the vocabulary included in Full description);
one has knowledge at advanced level about the description of a
language system;
one knows selected issues (See: Full description).
SKILLS
one can communicate in routine tacks within the topics listed in
Full description;
one can recognise familiar words and messages in selected,
materials of different types as well as in verbal communication;
one understands and paraphrases information contained in
selected, materials of every life (See: Full description), sums up
and draws conclusions;
writes conventional personal and formal letters, such as emails,
invitations, CV, application letters;
narrates past, present and planned events relating to his/her own
life (with particular focus on the vocabulary and topics included in
Full description), both orally and in writing, using advanced
vocabulary;
one presents information in oral and written form using certain
language constructions.
COMPETENCES:
one is able to collaborate in pair as well as in a group of people;
one knows learning strategies and understands the need for
lifelong learning;
one knows basic social norms and their relevant verbal and
nonverbal reactions which are obligatory in the definite cultural
and linguistic area;
one detects cultural differences and demonstrates the tolerance for
users of other languages.
With regard to the specific learning outcomes after completing the
course, the student:
1) have an advanced knowledge and understanding of the complex nature of
the Czech language, taking into account the cultural context of Bohemia
and Moravia (K1_W09, K2_W09, reference to P6S_WG Scope and
depth, P6S_WK Context/conditions, effects, reference to
P7S_WG Scope and depth, P7S_WK Context/conditions,
effects);
2) are able to use the Czech language at level B2 according to
the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (K1_U09,
K2_U09, reference to P6S_UK Communication / receiving
and creating statements, disseminating knowledge in the scientific community
and using a foreign language, reference to
P7S_UK Communication / receiving and creating statements,
disseminating knowledge in the scientific community and using
a foreign language);
3) is able to use modern communication and information technologies
in their work (K2_U11, reference to P6S_UU
Learning / planning their own development and the development of others).
Assessment criteria
I. The organization of classes:
According to The detailed rules of studies at the Faculty of Applied
Linguistics (The Resolution No. 114 by the Faculty of Applied
Linguistics Board of 19 December, 2017):
1) Attendance at all classes, covered by the plan, shall be compulsory (§
9 (2).
2) It is not possible to have a resit if the reason of failing the credit was
noncompliance with the requirement to participate in them. In such a
case a student can be conditionally registered in an successive stage of
study and can repeat the failed course.
According to the University Foreign Language Teaching System (the
Resolution No. 119 from 17 June, 2009).
3) In case of 30 hours in semester, 2 absences without justifying are
acceptable. Missed classes must be made up in accordance with the
requirements of the lecturer. The requirements are provided by the
lecturer during the first class.
II. Assessment criteria:
The final mark comprises the following elements:
Substantive participation in the class (40%)
Presentation of the topic fixed by the lecturer (60%)
It must be taken into account that in order to complete the course
successfully a student needs to demonstrate achievements in every the
above mentioned categories (a student who receives the 0% in one of
the categories, won't complete the course, which means that he/she did
not demonstrate any activity in none of them).
The unsatisfactory grade can be awarded as a result of unsatisfactory
learning achievements based on partial grades
Grading system:
99 – 100% - 5 (excellent)
93 - 98% - 5 (very good)
87 - 92% - 4,5 (fairly good)
77 - 86% - 4 (good)
71 - 76% - 3,5 (satisfactory plus)
60 - 70% - 3 (satisfactory)
Additionally, the workshop lecturer introduces the detailed principles and
criteria of credit during the first class.
Bibliography
Course Bibliography
Adamovičová, A., & Hrdlička, M. (2019). Basic Czech III. Prague:
Karolinum Press.
Binet, L. (2019). The Seventh Function of Language (Sedmá funkce
jazyka). Prague: Argo.
Eco, U. (2018). On the Shoulders of Giants (Na ramenou obrů).
Prague: Argo.
Karolczuk, A., & Kononeko, I. (Eds.). (2022). Polish-Multilingual
Dictionary of False Friends for Translators (Polsko-wielojęzyczny
słownik fałszywych przyjaciół tłumacza). Warsaw: University of
Warsaw Press.
Lotko, E. (1986). Czech and Polish in Translation and Interpreting
Practice (Čeština a polština v překladatelské a tlumočnické praxi).
Ostrava: Ostravská Univerzita.
Sedláček, T. (2017). Economics of Good and Evil (Ekonomie dobra
a zla). Prague: 65. pole.
Turzíková, M. (2013). Czech for Foreigners (Čeština pro cizince).
Prague: Karolinum Press.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: