Portuguese: Lower Intermediate - Consolidation



Overview

This 10-week consolidation course is based on the syllabus of the previous two terms (most recently Portuguese: Lower Intermediate - Part 2 ) and is primarily tailored to meet the needs of students who completed the weekly class, but new students who are at the appropriate level of proficiency are also welcome. Students who missed some classes during the first two terms and wish to catch up for the next level up in the next academic year are encouraged to join.

The class activities will focus on listening, speaking and cultural awareness; and students will be encouraged to practise reading and writing skills in their own time. There will be plenty of opportunities to interact in the target language through class activities, discussions, and role-plays.

Programme details

Course begins: 22 April 2025

The weekly course schedule below is intended to give an overview of the main topic(s) likely to be covered in each session. Please note that these may sometimes change, at the tutor’s discretion, to reflect the interests of course participants.

Week 1: Estou a caminho! Meeting friends (and friends of friends) on the way. Updating                          news.

              Prolonged greetings – informal and formal. Evoking past events.
              ‘Há quanto tempo…?’; ‘Desde quando... ?’ + Preterite tenses (PPS and PII).

Week 2: Querem almoçar connosco? Inviting, accepting and refusing social events. Being                         politely assertive.

               Social pleasantries. Personal pronouns – direct, indirect and preceded by ‘com’.
               Semi-modal verbs: ‘querer’, ‘poder, ‘saber’ + Infinitive. ‘Ser preciso’ / ‘Se                                       necessário’ + Infinitive.

Week 3:  Desculpe, acho que houve engano!... Rectifying orders at the restaurant. Making                         polite complaints.

               Vocabulary and expressions relating to food and restaurants.
               Polite expressions of complaint.

Week 4: No consulado. Pedido de vistos e de informação. Mediating at the consulate -                              requesting visas and cultural information.

              Vocabulary on forms and notices; adverts.

Week 5: Precisamos de pôr as vacinas em dia – eu e o meu cão!... Going to the doctor and                        to the vet.

              ‘Estar’ + Adjective; ‘Estar com’ + Noun phrase; ‘Ter’ + Noun phrase. Verb ‘doer’.
               Vocabulary on human and animal bodies.

Week 6: Silêncio que se vai... apresentar! Students’ (voluntary) presentations (1).

               Discussing cultural topics relevant to the Portuguese speaking countries and                             communities, based on students’ choices.

Week 7: Silêncio, que se vai... apresentar! Students’ (voluntary) presentations (2).

              Discussing cultural topics relevant to the Portuguese speaking countries and                              communities, based on students’ choices.

Week 8: Revisões. Revisions.

Week 9: Estava em aula quando ligaste. Já chegaram? Como correu? Narrating, describing                      and sharing experiences face-to-face, by email and by card.

             Tenses in the past: Pretérito Imperfeito do Indicative (PII) vs. Pretérito Perfeito                            Simples do Indicativo (PPSI).
             Examples of emails and cards.

Week 10: Um piquenique de despedida. A farewell picnic. Linguistic and cultural games.

Background Reading

Coursebooks are advised, but not compulsory for this term. Supplementary course material will be provided by the course tutor.

Certification

Students who attend a minimum of 70% of classes will receive a Certificate of Attendance.

Fees

Description Costs
Course Fee £275.00

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, you are a full-time student in the UK or a student on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:

Concessionary fees for short courses

Tutor

Miss Ângela Sarmento-Dingsdale

Ângela Sarmento-D. is an experienced teacher of Portuguese language and culture,  and of English as a foreign language. She holds a degree in Modern Languages and Literatures (Portuguese and English Studies) and a Masters in Portuguese and Brazilian Studies, from the University of Porto. During the curricular stage of her PhD, for two semesters, she attended courses at Sorbonne Nouvelle (Paris), where she developed work in the field of Comparative Literature and Interartistic Studies. She is currently teaching Portuguese Language and Culture at the University of Oxford, and is a research member of ILC-ML [Margarida Losa’s Institute for Comparative Literature]. She collaborated in directing and/or acting in short films, and has done translations for subtitles, namely for the film Pina Bausch: Lissabon Wuppertal Lisboa (2010, Midas Filmes) by Fernando Lopes and for Unreported World, by Channel 4.

Course aims

  • consolidate what has been learnt throughout the first two terms, and
  • revise more challenging aspects of the language that are appropriate for the level

Course Objectives:

  • To enable students to communicate in Portuguese in simple routine tasks and on familiar topics and activities
  • To equip students with the vocabulary and grammar structures to write short simple personal letters and messages
  • To develop the reading comprehension skills for finding simple information in everyday material such as advertisements and menus
  • To help develop an insight into the culture and daily life of the Portuguese-speaking countries

Teaching methods

You will learn through a communicative teaching approach with the emphasis on actively engaging in classroom activities in the target language. These are likely to include role-plays, pair- and small group-work, and conversational practice conducted in a supportive, friendly and informal learning environment.

The course has been structured to help you primarily to develop your speaking and listening skills and to gradually gain an insight into the culture and daily life of your target language. You will also learn and practise new grammatical structures in a communicative context and will be encouraged to develop your reading and writing skills in your own time.

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be able to:

  • interact in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar topics and activities.
  • initiate, maintain and close a social exchange/conversation on everyday topics that are familiar or of personal interest.
  • deliver a simple prepared presentation using an adequate range of vocabulary items for establishing social contact and presenting themselves.
  • express themselves with improved fluency and accuracy.

Assessment methods

You will be set short, optional assignments to consolidate your learning and to allow you to progress at your own pace.

Application

Please use the 'Book' or 'Apply' button on this page. Alternatively, please complete an application form.

Level and demands

Find your language level

Terms & conditions for applicants and students

Information on financial support