To be held from 15th May to 15th July 2020

“Hindi Language Studies” is a four-week-long intensive summer course at INLANSO, Centre for the Study of Indian Languages and Society, Varanasi. This language programme follows the principle of combining classroom knowledge with outdoor practice with an emphasis on making students speak and use Hindi starting from the very first day of the course. Special attention is paid to cultural and societal interactions so that students get the context of the language they are learning to speak.
You can read more about INLANSO here.

Course Description

• Course name: Hindi Language Studies
• Educational institution: INLANSO, Varanasi
• Course credits: 7,5/10 ECTS
• Language of instructions: English and Hindi
• Study period: July 1st to 26th, 2019
• Rate of studies: Full time
• Maximum number of students: 20
• Admission: Must be registered at the university and must meet eligibility criteria as described below.

Eligibility Requirements

Beginners level (A1)

Eligibility: No requirement of previous knowledge
Learning outcome: after the completed course the student should be able to read and write the Devanagari script as well as be able to use everyday familiar expressions and phrases, introduce themselves, ask basic questions as well as be able to comprehend slowly and clearly spoken questions and answers. (The Phonetics of Hindi and the Devanagari script; the verb ‘to be in present and past: question words; nouns, adjectives and pronouns in direct and oblique cases, postpositions, possessive constructions and the habitual present and past tenses).

Lower intermediate level (A2)

Eligibility: Ability to fluently read and write the Devanagari script as well as master the grammatical constructions required for Beginner’s level (A1).
Learning outcome: after the completed course the student should be able to understand and produce sentences related to areas of personal and family information, feelings and need; conduct routine communication in everyday situations and exchange and comprehend information. (Imperatives, continuous tenses, past tenses, future tense, the suffix -value, presumptive and subjunctive, compound verbs).

Upper intermediate level (B1)

Eligibility: Ability to read, write and understand Hindi required for levels A1 and A2. Learning outcome; after the completed course the student should be able to understand the main points of clearly communicated information on familiar matters that are regularly encountered in work, school and leisure situations as well as be able to deal with most situations likely to arise in an area where the language is spoken. Furthermore, the student should be able to give reasons and explanations as well as express doubts. (Adverbial phrases, some auxiliary verbs, conditional sentences, expressions of necessity, relative clauses, absolutes and the passive construction).

Course Contents

80 hrs (20 hrs per week)  of classroom teaching of grammar review/idiomatic expressions, drills/exercises, conversation, vocabulary building,  question making, pronunciation, sentence making/syntax and listening comprehension in the form of movie preparation and watching, lectures on social, political and cultural issues as well as outdoor conducted interactions with native speakers and field trips related to the theme of the week.

Click here Download to see how a sample class looks.

Studying in Varanasi will take students to the realm of a place that has most of the pros and the cons of a provincial city while being the oldest one in India besides serving as the main pilgrimage centre. INTENSO with its programme house, experienced staff and good infrastructure will ensure that students' Hindi will reach new levels and will gain the confidence that is needed in communication with native speakers.

Examinations

Weekly tests on vocabulary and grammar/idiomatic expressions, weekly assignments in Hindi and final oral test using the vocabulary and structures taught during the course.

Accommodation

Students have to pay for their boarding and lodging. In Varanasi, INLANSO has its own tie-ups with homestays and flat accommodations that students can choose from. In both accommodation options, several students can stay in the same place. All rooms have fans, and some also have air conditioning. Bathrooms and kitchens are shared with the other Nordic students. There is always access to filtered drinking water. Homestays have washing machines for the use of the students, and the flat accommodation has a recommended washer, who washes and delivers the clothes back to the students. All accommodations also have rooftop terraces that can be used for studying, yoga sessions, or even little gatherings with other students. At the homestays, students can also practice their Hindi with the host family, and see how everyday life goes in a regular Indian household, also with its many religious celebrations. All the accommodation options are also very close-by to the INLANSO Programme Building, and the classes can be reached on foot in 5 to 10 minutes.