Q&A with Short Courses Norwegian Tutor
If you're thinking of taking up a smaller language this autumn, Anja Troger tells us why it should be Norwegian.
We caught up with Lead Norwegian Tutor Anja Troger to discuss her 10-week Norwegian Beginners 1 and Norwegian Beginners 3 courses, both starting in October.
Why should someone take Norwegian?
The aim is to learn everyday conversational Norwegian in a convivial and relaxed atmosphere. If someone enjoys learning a niche language while meeting new people at the same time, the Norwegian classes will be a perfect fit.
Previous students have very much enjoyed the opportunity available on the courses to put what they've learned into practice and re-enact everyday situations in small groups while speaking Norwegian.
How will the remotely taught course be of a similar standard to the on-campus version?
Most of the same exercises that I would usually use in a conventional classroom can be used in the online classroom as well. This means that students will have the same variety of teaching as before, and will be able to engage with Norwegian through speaking, listening, writing, in class, in groups and in pairs.
In terms of opportunities for interaction with fellow students, how will the course be similar to the classroom experience?
The courses will be held on the online platform Zoom. The breakout rooms on Zoom allow for language practice in smaller groups and pairs in similar ways to a conventional classroom. Students will always have the opportunity to ask questions, and with the ‘raise hand’ icon on Zoom, it will be easy for me to spot who would like to ask something.
What transferrable skills might students acquire by taking your language course?
Apart from acquiring proficiency in a new language, students can sharpen their conversational skills, tackle a topic (such as a tricky grammar point) from various angles, increase their cultural knowledge about Norway.
I know of two former students who have moved to Oslo and found employment there using the Norwegian they learned on the course. Quite a few students spend their winter holidays in Norway skiing and have reported that the courses made their travels that much easier and enjoyable. Many students have Norwegian partners, and the courses allowed them to communicate with their partners’ families when visiting Norway.
In terms of workload, about how many hours a week will students be expected to put in?
I will always provide homework and exercises for about an hour of work per week, but how long it actually takes depends very much on the individual student and it is entirely up to them how much work they want to put into their language practice.
What sort of support will be available to students?
There will be a course book, there will be exercise sheets, listening exercises, reading comprehension sheets, and, later on, reading texts like children’s books. In addition, I use Learn to document the individual classes, upload what we did in class and posting any homework. We could also create a discussion forum, and I am always available via e-mail.
Ready to step into Norwegian language learning? Bookings are now open for Norwegian Beginners 1 (absolutely beginners) and Norwegian Beginners 3.
You can also sign up for a free Norwegian taster session in September!