UMass FORLANGC 161SA - Swahili VI and 
UMass FORLANGC 171SA - Swahili VII
Credits: 4
Meeting schedule: Sessions are scheduled at the start of the semester and include 2.5 instructional contact hour(s) and 14–21 hours of self-instruction weekly.

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Schedule

Description & Materials

Course Description

Mentored Swahili VI and VII is part of the Mentored Language Program administered by the Five College Center for World Languages. Mentored courses focus on all four skills (speaking, listening, reading, and writing) using one-on-one tutorials with a language mentor, small group conversation sessions, and guided individual study. Students follow a series of detailed study guides outlining homework assignments and preparation steps for tutorials and conversation sessions.

Students enrolled in accelerated Swahili VI and VII complete both courses within one semester. Students complete all assignments and the final oral and written evaluations for Swahili VI by the mid-semester point; students complete all assignments and final evaluations for Swahili VII during the regular final evaluation period. Students receive separate grades for each course.

Mentored Swahili students have weekly one-on-one tutorial meetings with Agnes Kimokoti (Ph.D. Kenyatta University) and weekly small group conversation sessions led by Dr. Kimokoti, a Foreign Language Teaching Assistant, or a trained student conversation partner who is a native speaker of the language. Dr. Kimokoti conducts tutorials on each of the Five College campuses. Conversation sessions meet on multiple campuses.

The Mentored Swahili program covers both spoken and written Swahili with an emphasis on developing speaking, listening, reading, and writing skills. The prerequisites for the Swahili VI and VII are Swahili I through V or the equivalent. Students starting the course also must demonstrate previous success in language learning and evidence of self-discipline in managing independent work.

The syllabus for this course assigns materials at a pace necessary to complete the assigned materials within a semester. Students who fall behind this pace will be in danger of not passing the course and should discuss their situation with the program director. Students who prefer to move faster than the assigned pace are most welcome to do so. Students who find themselves significantly ahead on the syllabus should contact the program director to see what accommodations might be made to facilitate the faster pace.

Course Materials

  • Ann Biersteker, Masomo ya Kisas: Contemporary Readings in Swahili (Africa World Press). Contact your course organizer about how to get this book.
  • LangMedia Swahili collection

Requirements

  1. At least 2 hours per day of independent study based on the assigned texts and multimedia materials listed on your syllabus. The program provides weekly study guides that include instructions for both oral and written practice. The guides also include preparation for conversation sessions and homework to be handed in at each tutorial. The majority of your learning will occur during your independent study. The more you put into it, the more you will get out of it. For tips on how to effectively study a language independently, contact your course organizer or the program director, or visit the Tips & Tools library. 

  2. Attendance at and preparation for your weekly sessions (6% of grade):

    Weekly 1-hour individual tutorials with your mentor. At your tutorial, your mentor will review your written homework assignments, work on individual issues with pronunciation and grammar, conduct practice drills, and answer your individualized questions.

    Weekly 1.5-hour small group conversation sessions. The conversation session is your time to take what you have learned on your own and put it into practice to grow your functional communicative skills. You will be actively speaking and interacting in the language for the entire session, participating in activities that will require you to improvise speech in situations similar to how the language would be used outside of the classroom. Time is not spent doing grammar exercises, translating between languages, or taking extensive notes. Regular attendance will enhance your language skills and your confidence; absences will negatively impact your learning and your course grade.

  3. Weekly homework assignments submitted in hardcopy at the tutorial meeting (40% of grade). Homework assignments should be clearly labeled at the top of each page in English with the student's name, the date, and the Study Guide number. Homework must be submitted on time at the tutorial to receive credit. No late submissions will be accepted. When a student is absent from their session or the session is rescheduled, the assignment is due at their next tutorial. At the end of each course, every student’s two lowest homework scores will be dropped. Students who submit all homework assignments will have their two lowest scores dropped AND receive 3 points of extra credit on their final course grade, equivalent to a partial letter grade. Mentors can provide feedback and comments on late submissions, but students will not receive credit. Any exceptions due to illness or other emergencies must be cleared by the program director. Self-granted extensions will not be honored. 
  4. Submission of weekly self-assessment reports (4% of grade). Reports are due by 9AM the Monday following each conversation session and are graded based on on-time submission, not on content. Late self-assessments are accepted for partial credit. Self-assessments are still due even on weeks when you are absent or your session is rescheduled. Self-assessments help your course organizer and the program director monitor your progress, evaluate the effectiveness of learning materials, and identify situations where supplementary materials or training would help enrich your language learning experience. The reports also give you an opportunity to engage in regular self-reflection about your progress to improve your learning habits and outcomes.
  5. Midterm and final writing skills assessments (10% of grade). Your closed-book writing skills assessment will include a series of writing tasks similar to your homework assignments throughout the semester.
  6. Midterm and final comprehensive oral evaluation (40% of grade). Your individual oral proficiency evaluation will be conducted either by your mentor or by an external evaluator who is a specialist in the language. The evaluator will guide you through a series of discussion topics, roleplays, and activities, similar to your conversation sessions, to help them evaluate your functional ability with the language. The oral evaluations must be completed in order to pass the course.

Grading scale: A (94-100); A- (90-93); B+ (87-89); B (84-86); B- (80-83); C+ (77-79); C (74-76); C- (70-73); D+ (67-69); D (64-66); F (63 or lower).

Note that students taking full courses are enrolled in two courses simultaneously and will receive separate grades for each course. Each grade will reflect all coursework completed in one-half of the semester.

Policies

Importance of Communication

Practice communication skills similar to what you would need in a professional work or internship situation: check email daily; read email carefully and respond in a timely manner; contact the office by email or phone about questions or issues; and take a proactive approach to solving any problems or issues that come up. 

Scheduling 

Session Scheduling

Regular session meeting times are set at the beginning of the semester. Instructions on scheduling will be sent to you by email.

Your meeting time and location will remain constant throughout the semester. Any permanent changes must be approved by the program director. Refer any questions about your schedule to your course organizer, not your conversation partner or mentor.

One-Time Schedule Changes

Sessions may occasionally need to be rescheduled if they conflict with official campus breaks or final exams. 

Your course organizer will inform you if your classes are canceled due to a snow emergency or other campus closure. Assume that your sessions are taking place unless you hear otherwise.

In the event that your conversation partner or mentor has to cancel a session due to illness or another emergency, every effort will be made to provide a make-up session.

Final Evaluation Scheduling

Your course organizer will contact you by mid-semester to begin the process of scheduling your individual final oral evaluation. Do not make plans to leave the country or that would otherwise limit your availability during the UMass finals period until you have received confirmation of your final evaluation time. If you need to make plans earlier, you should choose a date after the official end of the UMass finals period. Remember that our office is working to schedule 100+ individual evaluation times within a two-week span; it is not always possible to accommodate every student’s preferences. Final evaluations cannot be rescheduled except in exceptional circumstances and with permission of a campus dean.

Attendance 

Absences

If you miss a regular meeting time, you do not get a make-up session. Always inform both your conversation partner/mentor and your course organizer that you are going to be absent with as much advance notice as possible. It is your responsibility to catch up with the material you missed on your own and be ready to move on to the regularly scheduled material the following week. (Think about it like any other class: Your instructor is not going to reschedule your class or repeat last week’s content because you were absent.) Remember that unexcused absences will negatively impact your grade and your learning outcomes. Excused absences are offered for illness, unchangeable academic commitments, and religious observations. 

Extended Absences

If you experience extenuating circumstances such as a serious health issue or personal emergency, you should consult with the program director and your home campus dean and/or health services to determine the best course of action. 

Syllabus Statements

The following statements include information about policies that the University of Massachusetts Amherst, the Five College Center for World Languages, and you as a student agree to uphold. You are encouraged to review this information thoroughly and follow the links or contact our office to learn more about these important topics. 

Academy Honesty 

Since the integrity of the academic enterprise of any institution of higher education requires honesty in scholarship and research, academic honesty is required of all students at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, including Five College students enrolled in a UMass course. Academic dishonesty is prohibited in all programs of the University. Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to: cheating, fabrication, plagiarism, and facilitating dishonesty. Appropriate sanctions may be imposed on any student who has committed an act of academic dishonesty. Instructors should take reasonable steps to address academic misconduct. Any person who has reason to believe that a student has committed academic dishonesty should bring such information to the attention of the appropriate course instructor as soon as possible. Instances of academic dishonesty not related to a specific course should be brought to the attention of the appropriate department Head or Chair. Since students are expected to be familiar with this policy and the commonly accepted standards of academic integrity, ignorance of such standards is not normally sufficient evidence of lack of intent. More information about Academic Honesty Policies and Procedures may be found online: https://www.umass.edu/honesty/. 

Accommodation 

The University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Five College Center for World Languages are committed to providing an equal educational opportunity for all students. If you have a documented physical, psychological, or learning disability on file with UMass Disability Services (DS) or your home campus, you may be eligible for reasonable academic accommodations to help you succeed in this course. If you have a documented disability that requires an accommodation, please notify the program director within the first two weeks of the semester so that we may make appropriate arrangements. For further information, please visit your campus office of accessibility services: 

Community Commitments

Creating an inclusive classroom is an active partnership between everyone at the Five College Center for World Languages—staff, students, mentors, and conversation partners alike. 

By participating in our program, you agree to uphold the following commitments in your sessions:

  • Understand that language learning necessarily involves making lots of mistakes. Take risks and support others in their risk-taking.
  • Remember that learning a language also entails engaging with a culture or cultures. Embrace this opportunity and approach it with curiosity, openness, and respect.
  • Share responsibility for including all voices in the discussion. If you tend to have a lot to say, make sure you leave sufficient space to hear from others. If you tend to stay quiet, challenge yourself to contribute so others can learn from you.
  • Listen respectfully and patiently. Don’t interrupt or engage in separate conversations while others are speaking. Use attentive, courteous body language.
  • Practice self-reflection and self-control. Think ahead of time about what issues may hit a nerve with you and how you might deal with that. If a difficult dialogue is already taking place, try to stay in touch with your own emotions and prevent them from driving your response.
  • Take group work seriously. Remember that your peers’ learning is partly dependent upon your engagement.
  • Respect others’ right to hold opinions and beliefs that differ from your own. Be open to hearing new perspectives and to changing your perspectives based on what you learn from others.
  • Recognize that your words have effects on others. Speak with care. If you learn that something you’ve said was experienced as disrespectful or marginalizing, listen carefully and try to understand that perspective. Consider how you might handle things differently in the future.
  • Address patterns that are troubling or that may be impeding full engagement by you or others. If something makes you uncomfortable, if possible, acknowledge it immediately. Assume good intention on the part of the speaker and point out the impact of what was said. Ask for assistance and support from your course organizer or the program director.
  • Be empowered to add to this list. Think together with everyone in your session about other practices, behaviors, or standards you want to see upheld. Share your suggestions and additions with your course organizer or the program director. Return regularly to this list and consider it a living document.

Title IX 

In accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 that prohibits gender-based discrimination in educational settings that receive federal funds, the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the Five College Center for World Languages are committed to providing a safe learning environment for all students, free from all forms of discrimination, including sexual assault, sexual harassment, domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, and retaliation. This includes interactions in person or online through digital platforms and social media. Title IX also protects against discrimination on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, false pregnancy, miscarriage, abortion, or related conditions, including recovery. There are resources on your campus to support you. A summary of available Title IX resources (confidential and non-confidential) can be found at the following links: 

You do not need to make a formal report to access these resources. If you need immediate support, you are not alone. Free and confidential support is available 24 hours a day / 7 days a week / 365 days a year at the Sexual Assault Support and Advocacy (SASA) Hotline: 413-545-0800. 

Wellness and Success 

As a student, you may experience a range of challenges that can interfere with learning. You may be experiencing pressures from health, money, family, and academic concerns; stress and trauma from societal inequities and violence; or stress, anxiety, difficulty concentrating, loneliness, or lack of motivation. 

You are not alone—many people care about your well-being and many resources are available to help you thrive and succeed. You have resilience and are already using effective strategies to help you take care of yourself and achieve your educational goals. Take stock of these and consider what new steps or resources could be helpful. Getting enough sleep, exercising, eating well, and connecting with others are all antidotes to stress. 

If you are experiencing challenges, connect with us or with the many supportive resources on your home campus that stand ready to assist you. For example:

 

 

Contact

Program: Five College Mentored Language Program (MLP)
Instructor of Record: Janna White (office hours by appointment)
Office: 79 S. Pleasant Street, Suite 100, Amherst, MA
Phone: (413) 542-5264
Website: https://www.fivecolleges.edu/languages
Email: fcmlp2@umass.edu