Intermediate Modern Greek, # 2025 - Index No. 17766 - University of Utah, Spring 2018
By: Mrs. A. Angelides
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“Take Greece into your heart and you will feel the magnificence of all things”
by Dionysios Solomos - author of the Greek National Anthem
Class Syllabus
Welcome to the Intermediate Modern Greek Class, level II, the continuation of the first, second and third semesters of the Modern Greek Program.
I hope you continue to find the study of this rich language interesting, challenging and enjoyable. My goal is to motivate you to appreciate the Greek Language, the Greek Culture and Spirit.
This course covers 4.0 credit hours. It meets on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 8:35 to 9:25 in room #235, at the BU C #207.
Students can contact me either at the LNCO Bldg., room # 1940, Wednesday morning, 9:30 am -10:00 a.m. or before or after class with a short notice. Students could also call me at my home or e-mail me, for any problems or if I can be of any assistance to them.
My e-mail address is:
My home phone is: 801-281.3311 and my cell is: 801-541.2243
The required material is: Dimitra Dimitra’s “ ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΑ ΤΩΡΑ 1+1”, book and workbook, along with all the handouts that I provide.
This semester we are going to continue to study basic to advanced Greek grammar and syntax. We will learn additional vocabulary to be able to effectively communicate in Greek, orally and in writing.
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Program goals:
To achieve oral and written proficiency at the Intermediate level and beyond.
To promote an understanding of and appreciation for the Greek culture.
Productive skills (speaking/writing): Students will improve their skills so that are able to interactin the present, past and future tenses:
· Talk/write about themselves and their immediate context (friends, family, school, etc.)
· Exchange basic personal information (age, origin, profession, etc.)
· Introduce themselves and others and greet people appropriately
· Carry on simple interactions in commercial settings (buying something, ordering food at a restaurant, asking for directions, discussing the weather)
· Ask and answer basic questions about familiar topics
· Talk/write about their likes and dislikes and those of others
Review recently learned vocabulary pertaining to:
· The parts of the human body (including the impact of Greek medical terms on the English language)
·Items of clothing
Add vocabulary pertaining to:
· Most useful adjectives
· Common expressions pertaining to traditions and customs
Receptive skills (reading/listening):
Students will improve in…
·Understanding short, written texts or messages
·Extracting main message and some supporting details and summarize information from a variety of authentic materials (menus, schedules, TV commercials, radio broadcasts, letters, forms, etc.)
Cultural awareness:
Students will be able to…
· Learn extensively about the life of Alexander the Great and adapt his life story to themselves
· Study and appreciate some landmarks, historical and cultural, of the Ancient and Modern Greece.
· Recognize current events that are relevant to Greece, like the importance of Greece as a member of the European Union and the country’s contribution to the refugee crisis.
Along the way we will continue to study some etymology as well and discuss cultural differences and celebrate various Greek holidays.
We are also going to enhance the class with some interesting cultural projects, which will be graded as tests.
Please expect daily or almost daily assignments and frequent quizzes or tests. Late homework may be handed in only up to five days after the due date; however, the grade will be reduced by 10% for each day the assignment is late.
Your attendance in class is very important and vital to class participation. Your receive 5 points for your daily attendance. Points will be taken off for late arrival. Unexcused absences will affect your overall grade.You are allowed up to six unexcused absences. Each additional absence equals half a letter grade off your final grade (I. E.: A to A-, A-to B+, etc.)If you miss more than 10 hours of class in a semester, you may not be allowed to complete the course. Late arrival to class is distracting and should be avoided; consistent or excessive lateness will also result in a lowering of your final grade.
If you miss a class, it will be your responsibility to get any missed notes and to arrange to make-up any missed tests and quizzes. Tests and quizzes taken at a later day will be subject to a 10% deduction.
Your participation in class is also valuable. I expect that you will develop confidence with practice in class with the other students.
The use of cell phones during class is prohibited. Students who text during class or they use their laptops improperly will be asked to leave.
Students should always conduct themselves in a respectful manner. Disruptive behavior or any other behavior that shows a lack of respect for the instructor or other students will not be tolerated. At the instructor’s discretion, a student causing problems may be asked to leave the class for
the session.
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Grades have the following letter equivalent:
A = 94 -100 A- = 90-93
B+ = 87-89 B = 83 -86 B- = 80-82
C+ = 77-79 C = 73-76 C- = 70-72
D+ = 67-69 D = 63-66 D- = 60-62
Eighty percent of your final grade will be based on:
1. Homework (25%)
2. Attendance and Participation (25%)
3. Tests and Quizzes (50%)
Twenty percent of your final grade will be based on your Final Exam.
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Tentative schedule for the semester:
While we enhance our course with my personal handouts and homework assignments, we follow along our textbook and our workbook as well.
In addition we will:
January and February:
Welcome the New Year by observing the traditions of Greece with the characteristic music and food – Saint Basil’s cake and the “hidden coin”.
Recognize “Epiphany”, the third important Greek religious Holiday, and the local practices.
Introduce and practice the Future Tense, simple and continuous, of verbs for the first group.
Celebrate the life and achievements of Alexander the Great and his contributions to the world. Present the recent excavation site of the Macedonian Royal Tombs of Philip the Second.
Acknowledge the Ancient Greek Olympics and the Athens Modern Olympics of 2004, in conjunction with the upcoming Olympics in South Korea, on February 2018.
Celebrate Greek Carnival and the period of Great Lent, leading to the Greek Easter.
March:
Introduce and practice the Future Tense, simple and continuous, of verbs for the second, third and fourth group.
Demonstrate the types of Greek Coffee and related rituals.
Celebrate “March 25th”, Greek Independence Day, the Greek National Holiday commemorating the liberation of Greece from the Ottoman Empire.
Have student presentations on various cultural topics, ancient and modern, like the Democracy of Pedicles and the flourishing of the Arts during the Golden Ages, the Philosophers of Ancient Greece, the importance of Marathon, Thermopylae and Salamis during the Persian wars, The “Mount Athos” monastic life, etc.
April:
Introduce and practice the Imperative mood.
Introduce the vocabulary and expressions on everyday practices of Modern Greece, from a baby’s birth, to the baptism, schooling, graduation, engagement and marriage, career and death.
Have students practice and interact on various dialogues.
Celebrate the Greek Easter.
Review the fourth semester’s material and prepare for Finals.
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Plan on having quizzes or small tests every other week.
Mid-term exam will take place the first week of March
Final test will be the last week of April or early May 2018.
I look forward to a great semester with you.
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You should be aware of the following University of Utah policies regarding:
-Equal Access: The University of Utah seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities for people with disabilities. If you will need accommodations in the class, reasonable prior notice needs to be given to the Center of Disability Services, 162 Olpin Union Building, 581-5020 (V/TDD). CDS will work with you and the instructor to make arrangements for accommodations. All written information in this course can be made available in alternative format with prior notification to the Center for Disability Services. (
Wellness Statement
Personal concerns such as stress, anxiety, relationship difficulties, depression, cross-cultural differences, etc. can interfere with a student’s ability to succeed and thrive at the University of Utah. For helpful resources contact the Center for Students Wellness –
; 801-581-7776.
Please note in this regard that you may not attend a University course unless you are registered and your name appears on the class roll.
-Academic Honesty:
Note: students can contact Adelaide Ryder () for any questions or concerns regarding the class.