Module Catalogue 2024/25

Pre Requisite Comment

Successful completion of Stage 2 of a degree involving languages taught in the SML

Co Requisite Comment

Students choose SML3006, SML3007, SML3008, SML3009 or SML3010.

Aims

A 'learning experience' is not just restricted to academic situations like a degree scheme, but can include any situation in which students may be involved during the Year Abroad. The problems confronted in registering at university abroad, teaching in a classroom for the first time, or adapting to work in an office environment, can all be regarded as learning experiences. Employers are very interested in people who can manage their own learning and use their experiences to improve what they do in this way.

Outline Of Syllabus

Students must submit, by e-mail, three Tutor Posts of 500-1,000 words each to their Personal Tutor, in approx. December, February and May of their YA. Students are expected to reflect on the ways in which they are learning the language and adapting to the culture of their country of residence abroad and how they are developing skills from the University’s Graduate Skills Framework over the course of their Year Abroad. The Tutor Posts are intended as a tool to carry out this reflection and as a platform of exchange with their Personal Tutor.

Prompts and tips about what to include for each of the three Tutor Posts are provided; there is meant to be a progression between the posts, one of which comes fairly close to the start of the year, one in the middle, and one fairly close to the end.

It is important to note that students are expected to complete all Tutor Posts at the relevant time, whether or not they are actually on a placement at that time. Successful completion of the Year Abroad does not require students to be on placement for the whole year, but even non-placement periods can be opportunities for reflection, in the spirit of the YA being a learning experience which extends far beyond the formal requirements for getting a degree.

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

Improved intercultural awareness and understanding
Improved knowledge of one or more areas of the local culture (film, music, sport, literature, media, politics etc)
Improved linguistic ability in the target language
Improved awareness of employability skills developed during the course of the Year Abroad.

Intended Skill Outcomes

The intended skills outcomes for the YA as a whole are:
- listening skills: ability to understand 90-100% of everyday situations
- speaking skills: speak on most everyday subjects with reasonable fluency
- reading skills: read local newspapers without a dictionary and reduce reliance on reference works when reading challenging texts
- writing skills: produce texts in the target language at a level appropriate for entry into final year
- increased independence
- taking the initiative
- taking responsibility for one’s own learning and development
- Reflecting on and assessing progress in developing skills from the University’s Graduate Skills Framework.

Tutor Posts are intended as an opportunity for students to chronicle their development in these areas, and reflect on it.

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

This module encourages students on their Year Abroad to focus on their learning and personal development. Through independent learning and reflection they become used to reflecting in a systematic and sustained manner on goals, processes and achievements.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

This module is assessed on a pass/fail basis only.

Three reflective practice records (tutor blog posts) to be submitted by e-mail in approximately December, February and May (exact dates are specified to students nearer the time), at which time the assessment of successful completion of the module is made. Feedback is provided by the students’ personal tutor by e-mail after each reflective record submission.

One debriefing session is offered following the students’ return from their year abroad.

The assessment is not designed to elicit right or wrong answers, or to rank the students. It is designed to encourage students to reflect on their own progress, set their own goals and focus on the development in their linguistic and personal skills. Tutor input during the year is intended to give some feedback on progress. The final debriefing session is intended to ensure that students have taken the exercise seriously and have reflected adequately on their achievements.

Tutor Post 1 asks students to describe how they have settled into their country of residence, assess their language progress and determine learning goals for the next three months.
Tutor Post 2 asks students to evaluate how they have developed since TP1 (on a personal, professional and academic level), consider the successes they have achieved, evaluate their language progress and determine new goals for the next two months.
Tutor Post 3 asks students to reflect on their year abroad as a whole and assess the goals they have achieved (on a personal, linguistic, professional and academic level).

RESIT: Reflective essay, in the target language: 2,500 words in European languages, 700 characters in Chinese or Japanese, ±10%

General Notes

N/A