Intercultural Communication / Tandem (3 cr)

Objective

The students fluently discuss language and culture related themes in the target language and are familiar with the culture of the country of their tandem partner. There is increased interaction between students from different cultural backgrounds.

Content

Students work independently in groups of two where one partner is a native speaker of the foreign target language of the course, and the other partner is a native speaker of Finnish. Both participants have an opportunity to familiarise themselves with the target language, its culture and everyday life, as well as to improve their communication skills. The aim is to use both languages equally, giving both partners a chance to improve their language skills.

The students get together regularly, eg. weekly (appr. 10-20 meetings / semester), to discuss various themes related to language and culture. The themes are agreed upon prior to the meetings at the beginning of the course. The meetings are reported to the teacher, eg. by writing a study journal.

Evaluation scale

0-5

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

The student has achieved the course objectives on a satisfactory level. The student’s target language communication skills and cultural knowledge are limited compared to the content of the course.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

The student has achieved the course objectives on a good level, but some aspects of the student’s skills and knowledge still require further attention. The student’s target language communication skills and cultural knowledge are good with regard to the content of the course. The student is able to apply the acquired skills in communication situations encountered in studies, work, or free time.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

The student has achieved the course objectives excellently. The student’s target language communication skills and cultural knowledge are strong with regard to the content of the course. The student is able to apply the acquired skills in communication situations encountered in studies, work, or free time.