Advanced Syllabus 1 and Advanced Syllabus 2
Back to language courses and syllabi
This curriculum is designed for students who have a strong foundation in Hindi and aim to achieve a high level of proficiency in the language.
Course Description: This course is designed to further develop students’ proficiency in Hindi language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) at an advanced level and it aims to increase students’ awareness and ability to use the Hindi language in different settings and registers. Emphasis is placed on the application of complex grammatical structures, vocabulary expansion, and cultural understanding through authentic materials and contexts. The goals of this course are to offer opportunities for students to report about current events, create narratives and arguments, express opinions and participate in debates about different issues related to Indian culture, literature, history, politics and economy. This course focuses also on developing higher proficiency through a variety of texts, articles related to Indian economic, historic, social and cultural issues and short stories by Premchand, Yashpal, Kamleshwar and other writers. Online resources and selected movies will be used to address the variety of topics.
Course Objectives:
- Demonstrate advanced proficiency in spoken Hindi through discussions, presentations, and debates on complex topics.
- Enhance listening skills by comprehending and analyzing authentic audio materials, including interviews, lectures, and podcasts.
- Develop advanced writing skills by composing essays, reports, and creative pieces that demonstrate a command of grammar, vocabulary, and style.
- Improve reading comprehension through the analysis of literary texts, articles, and other authentic materials related to Hindi culture and literature.
- Deepen cultural understanding by exploring diverse aspects of the Hindi-speaking world, including history, art, literature, and contemporary issues.
Curriculum Outline:
Advanced Grammar and Syntax: Students can use:
- complex sentence structures, including subordinate clauses, relative clauses, and conditional clauses, to express complex ideas and relationships
- subjunctive and presumptive moods to express wishes, hypothetical situations, or uncertainty.
- modal verbs and obligatory constructions to express possibility, necessity, obligation, or permission.
- compound verbs to express actions with connotations of completion, accidentalness, suddenness, violence, unwillingness, etc.
- frequentative, progressive and continuous aspects
Vocabulary Expansion: Through the use of authentic materials (articles, videos, podcasts) students are guided to contextualize vocabulary in real-world situations based on thematic units related to current events, literature, culture, and other disciplines (e.g., history, social studies, business, science, arts) Students can use:
- broad and nuanced vocabulary, including specialized terminology related to their areas of interest or expertise.
- idiomatic expressions and phrasal verbs, using them appropriately in context.
- collocations (words that often go together) naturally and accurately, demonstrating an understanding of lexical chunks and natural language patterns.
- academic vocabulary relevant to their field of study, including technical terms and academic discourse markers.
- figurative language, such as metaphors, similes, and idiomatic expressions, to add depth and creativity to their language use.
Assessment:
- Regular formative assessment (observation and feedback, student portfolios, rubric-based self- and peer-assessment, check-ins) to assess grammar, vocabulary, and reading comprehension.
- Oral presentations and debates to evaluate speaking skills and fluency.
- Writing assignments (essays, reports, reflections) to assess writing proficiency and critical thinking.
Materials:
- McGregor’s Grammar focusing on advanced grammar and vocabulary.
- Authentic materials (articles, videos, podcasts, and literary texts).
- Online resources for interactive exercises, multimedia content, and cultural insights.
An important goal, especially at the advanced level is: Intercultural competence and awareness: Students can navigate and communicate effectively in diverse cultural contexts. with confidence and competence, demonstrating their proficiency in understanding, respecting, and effectively engaging with diverse cultural perspectives. They can:
- interact with cultural sensitivity: adapt their communication style to different cultural contexts, using appropriate language and nonverbal cues. and demonstrate empathy and respect towards individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds, avoiding stereotypes and assumptions.
- understand cultural norms and values: identify and explain cultural norms, values, and beliefs of different cultures and recognize and appreciate cultural differences in communication styles, social customs, and traditions.
- engaging in cross-cultural communication: engage in meaningful conversations with people from different cultural backgrounds, demonstrating an understanding of cultural nuances and navigate cross-cultural communication challenges, such as language barriers or cultural misunderstandings, with sensitivity and tact.
- adapt to new cultural environments: adjust behavior and expectations when interacting in a new cultural environment, respecting local customs and traditions and demonstrate flexibility and open-mindedness in unfamiliar cultural settings, adapting to cultural differences with ease.
- resolve intercultural conflicts: identify and address intercultural conflicts, seeking common ground and solutions that respect cultural differences and mediate cultural misunderstandings and promote intercultural understanding and cooperation
- analyze cultural perspectives on various issues, such as education, family, or social norms, considering different cultural lenses and compare and contrast cultural attitudes and practices, recognizing both similarities and differences across cultures.
- promote intercultural awareness and sensitivity: raise awareness about cultural diversity and promote intercultural sensitivity in their community or workplace and advocate for inclusivity and respect for cultural differences, contributing to a more culturally competent environments
Assessment of intercultural communication is also mostly formative (ongoing), and it aims to measure learners’ intercultural competence in various contexts.
- observation and feedback: Participants will be observed during interactions in group discussions or role-plays where they are required to communicate with peers from different cultures. Providing feedback on their ability to adapt their communication style, show empathy, and navigate cultural differences.
- intercultural competence self-assessment: Participants are asked to reflect in a journal where they evaluate their own intercultural communication skills, identify strengths, and set goals for improvement.
- intercultural communication projects: In pairs or small groups participants are assigned a project where they research and present on a specific cultural topic, requiring them to demonstrate their understanding of cultural norms, values, and communication styles.
- case studies and role-playing: Participants are presented with case studies or role-playing scenarios that simulate intercultural communication challenges (e.g., negotiating a business deal with a partner from a different culture) in order to assess their ability to apply intercultural communication strategies and adapt to the situation.
This advanced Hindi language curriculum is designed to provide a comprehensive and immersive learning experience that prepares students to communicate effectively in diverse Hindi-speaking contexts and to engage critically with Hindi culture and literature.