CornellUniversityBENGALI 2201Fall2010
Intermediate Bengali
First SemesterSYLLABUS
Course Website: Credits: 4.0
Class hours and Rooms:
TBA
At 184 Rockefeller Hall
Instructor:Sreemati Mukherjee, 184 Rockefeller, (607) 255-071
Grading:
1. 4 Quizzes – total score is 100
2. homework and class participation - total score is 50
HW grades will be recorded as follows:
Received on time: 100%
After that: 0
3. Mid semester assessment – total score is 60
4. End of semester assessment – total score is 120
See class Syllabus for dates and coverage.
Total Course Grade:
4 Quizzes (4 x25) = 100
home & class work= 50
Midterm assessment= 60
(Reading=20
Oral presentation= 20
Essay on presentation topic= 20)
End of semester assessment = 120
(Reading=20
Oral presentation= 20
Essay and drafts, on presentation topic = 20
Role play=20
Listening = 20
Written assessment = 20
Total = 330
A+ = 321+ B+ = 262-274 C+ = 204-215 D+ = 150-159
A = 282-320 B = 227-261 C = 170-203 D = 112-149
A- = 275-281 B- = 216-226 C- = 160- 169
Texts:
Required: 1. Bengali Reading Packet – from the Campus Book Store
2. Let’s Learn Bengali - H.A. Begum, BWA, London
Optional: 1.English to Bengali Dictionary
Course Objectives
Students build on their basic knowledge of Bengali by discussing a variety of cultural topics
and themes in the Bengali speaking world.
The focus of the course is on-
expanding vocabulary,
developing skills to express and support opinions,
to resolve difficult situations,
review major grammar topics,
develop reading strategies and
improve listening skills.
Course Audience
This course is designed for students who have at least two semesters’ coursework in Bengali and
can talk, understand, write and read primers in Bengali. They must be interested in developing
skills to use extensively the spoken and written language.
Missing class
You may be excused from a class for major religious holidays if you inform me in advance with
a written note and your weekly grade can be made up.
*Students having legitimate need to miss a quiz or test may make it up if their absence is
made known and approved in advance of the absence.
University Policy
Together with all the members of this Department, we respect and uphold Universitypolicies and regulations pertaining to racial or ethnic discrimination, sexual harassment,assistance available to handicapped, visually and/or hearing impaired students, theobservance of religious holidays, and plagiarism. All students are advised to becomefamiliar with the respective University regulations
and are encouraged to bring anyquestions or concerns to our attention.
Academic Integrity
A Cornell student’s submission of work for academic credit indicates that the work is the
student’s own. All outside assistance should be acknowledged, and the student’s academic position truthfully reported at all times.
Bengali 2201 Fall 2010:
Begum = Let’s Learn Bengali
CP = Course Packet
Week 1One Day
/ Aug. 25 (W)
Objectives:
Dev. Reading skills (pauses & comprehension)
Discussion on people’s choice in clothes, styles, necessity of types of clothing dependent on climate –
Support your opinion about marketplaces/marketing as a hobby
Writing skills / Begum – Lesson 57, p. 85 and lesson 59, p. 87
বাজার করা
আমরা যা পরি
Week 2 / Aug. 30 (M), (T)- Sep. 1(W)
Objectives:
Dev. Reading skills (pauses & comprehension), vocabulary +context
Express opinion
Talk on festivals of the week
Writing skills / CP:
ভজহরি
সম্রাট অশোক / Rakhi (Aug. 24)
Janmashtami (Sep.1)
Week 3
Two days / Sep. 7(T), 8 (W) - *Quiz 1
Objectives:
Assessment #1
Revision on Tenses
Dialogue & conversation
talking in Present Tense(intro. topics like clothes & shopping)
Continue with writing & reading / Tenses,
Skits on:
Taking a rickshaw ride,
Taking your film roll to be processed at the studio,
Talking to co-passenger on a train/bus/plane ride
Week 4 / Sep. 13 (M), (T), 15 (W )
Objectives:
Dialogue
talking in Past Tense(intro. activities, work, leisure interests, family,friends, news)
Talk on festivals of the week
Dev. Reading skills (pauses & comprehension), vocabulary +context
Writing skills / Conversation:
incidents of last night, fortnight, last summer
Begum – Lesson 67, p. 97
আমি এবং আমার বন্ধু / Ganesh Choturthi (Sep. 12)
Viswakarma puja (Sep. 17)
Week 5 / Sep. 20 (M),21 (T),22 (W),–*Quiz 2
Objectives:
Assessment #2
Dev. Reading skills
Discussion - রহস্য কি?
Settling in a new place….
Natural disasters
Support your opinion
Writing skills / CP:
ট্রিস্টান ডা কুন্হা
দুঃসাহসী, দুঃসাহসিক কাজ, বিপজ্জনক, ভ্রমণ, পর্যটক, পথিক /
Ibn Batuta
David Livingstone
M N Roy
Week 6 / Sep. 27 (M),28 (T), 29(W)
Objectives:
Using the Negative
Using Proverbs & their cultural nuances
Dev. Reading skills
Discussion Hypothesizeonপরিবার / CP:
Bengali proverbs
না, -নি, নেই,
Begum - Lesson 72, p.104
পরিবার
Week 7 / Oct. 4 (M),5 (T), - *Quiz 3
6(W)
Objectives:
Assessment
Discussion Hypothesizeon
Festivals
Revision –numbers, dates, ordinals / CP:
Revision of numbers and time / Mahalay &
Pitru shradhha Tarpan (Oct. 7)
Fall break
Oct. 11+12 (M + T) / /
Week 8
One Day / Oct. 13 (W)- *Quiz 4
Objectives:
Assessment
Talk on Durga Puja / Durga puja (Oct. 13-17)
Week 9 / Oct. 18(M), 19 (T)20 (W)
Objectives:
Dev. Reading skills
Discussion on উত্সব
Why? benefits & problems
Support your opinion
Writing skills / Begum – lesson 81, p. 118
সামাজিক ও আন্তর্জাতিক উত্সব / Kojagori Lakshmi Puja (Oct. 21)
Week 10 / Oct. 25 (M),26 (T),27 (W)–
Objectives:
To engage in and resolve unfamiliar situations / Role plays:
Meeting Admission staff on Open House day,
Interview for volunteer job,
Interview Headmaster of a school, / Submit drafts of written work
Week 11 / Nov. 1 (M), 2(T), 3(W) –
*MIDTERM / Reading = 20
Writing = 20 / Oral presentation = 20
Week 12 / Nov. 8 (M), 9(T),10(W) –
Objectives:
Listening to native speakers in media workbook & BBC Bangla
Develop content & context: describe the 3 pujas
Writing short compositions
ReadingBBC News articles / Media Workbook:
Listening and discussion - জয় বাবা ফেলুনাথ
and B B C Bangla news articles / Kali Puja (Nov. 5)
Bhai Phota (Nov. 7)
Chhat Puja (Nov. 12)
Week 13 / Nov. 15(M), 16 (T), 17 (W )–
Objectives:
Listening to native speakers
Develop content & context: describe the 3 pujas
Writing short compositions
Reading BBC News articles / Media Workbook:
Listening and discussion -জয় বাবা ফেলুনাথ
and B B C Bangla news articles / Jagadhatri Puja (Nov. 15)
Week 14 / Nov. 22(M), 23 (T) –
24 (W)
Objectives:
Oral (Discussion) and writing skills
Contd. / Discussion of presentation topics / Drafts of essays
Thanksgiving Break
Nov. 25 (R ) / /
Week 15 / Nov. 29 (M), 30 (T), Dec. 1 (W)-
Assessments will be take place and will be recorded at
LRC, Noyes Lodge / Final Assignments & Assessments:
1. Reading = 20
2. Oral presentation = 20
3. Role play = 20 / 4. Essay on presentation topic (with drafts)= 20
5. Listening = 20
Final written / Dec. 11 (Sat.) 9:00 am / Final Written assessment = 20
Note: This syllabus is flexible and changes will be made to tailor to the class’s progress.
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