Turkish II (121-3-20)
Instructors
Oya Topcuoglu
847/491-2402
Crowe 4-121
Meeting Info
Kresge 4531 MENA Seminar Rm: Mon, Wed, Fri 12:30PM - 1:40PM
Overview of class
In this course, students will learn about Turkish history and culture through a study of the city of Istanbul. As one of the oldest cities in the world, straddling Asia and Europe, Istanbul presents a unique example of Turkish culture as a gateway between the East and the West. In this course, we will study the history and culture of Istanbul, its monuments and peoples, and aspects of daily life in the city, through authentic texts, videos, literary sources and guest speakers. Moving away from a traditional textbook-based model, this content-based course presents new and interesting materials that allow students to explore and compare in Turkish broader cultural, social, and political issues. The authentic texts and literary sources are accompanied by creative language learning exercises designed to help students function across different registers and genres.
Registration Requirements
Turkish 121-2 or equivalent; or instructor's consent.
Learning Objectives
Throughout this course, students will:
- Use the grammar and vocabulary knowledge they acquired in previous quarters to read, write, listen to and speak about both new and familiar topics
- Develop strategies to read, understand and summarize authentic texts of medium complexity on a variety of topics and in different genres, such as news reports, Wikipedia articles, literary sources, tables, maps, graphs, and pictures
- Understand and produce conversations and oral presentations on a variety of topics and in different genres
Teaching Method
This is an interactive, reading and discussion-based class which requires daily guided work as well as independent research. The course material is presented online in a multisensory way through texts, pictures, graphics, audio and video sequences. Its interactive mode makes use of current instructional technologies and tools to supports student learning. The course is divided into five units with different topics and themes. Each unit has a set of core readings and listening activities; with self-checks and vocabulary development opportunities, and final writing assignments. Students will also work collaboratively on their final project to create a literary map of Istanbul, using a novel of their choice and the StoryMap tool.
Evaluation Method
The final grade for the course will be based on the following criteria:
- Active class participation and attendance;
- Homework completion;
- Short quizzes at the end of each chapter;
- One final project, including an oral presentation and written contributions to the StoryMap project.
Class Materials (Required)
All class materials will be available in a free digital format as downloadable pdfs, interactive exercises and assignments hosted on the course site on Canvas.
Class Notes
Full attendance and active class participation are required for the successful completion of the course. In addition to regular participation in class activities, it is important to complete all your homework on time.