This course is for complete beginners without any previous knowledge of French. It aims to give students the ability to conduct a very basic conversation in French (introducing oneself or another person, talking about one’s preferences, telling the date, …). To achieve this, a range of classroom activities will be conducted, to which an active participation is strongly recommended. Basic pronunciation and grammar skills will also be taught.

Prerequisite: FREN1005 French I or equivalent

This course builds on the acquisitions of French I and aims to give students the ability to conduct a simple conversation in French. To achieve this, a range of classroom activities will be conducted, in which active participation is expected. Basic pronunciation and grammar skills will also be taught. By the end of French II, students should have reached the A1 level of the CEFRL (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

This course aims to equip students with some of the language and cultural skills needed to handle a short stay in France. By the end of the course, students should be able to use French in some of the most common travelling and daily life situations. They should also have a better understanding of various aspects of current French society.

Prerequisite: FREN1006 French II or equivalent

This course builds on the acquisitions of French I and II and aims at giving students the ability to conduct a conversation in French in order to deal with daily life situations. To achieve this, a range of classroom activities will be conducted, to which active participation by students is expected. Pronunciation and grammar skills will also be taught. In French III, students will be working at the A2 level of the CEFRL (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

Prerequisite: FREN2005 French III or equivalent

This course builds on the acquisitions of French I to III and aims at giving students the ability to conduct a simple conversation in French. While many of the activities are still concerned with communicating information, the focus is progressively switching to expressing ideas and opinions and arguing for or against them. To achieve this, a range of classroom activities will be conducted, to which active participation is expected. Pronunciation and grammar skills will also be taught. In French IV, students will be mostly working at the A2 level of the CEFRL (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), with some activities being at B1 level.

Prerequisite: FREN2006 French IV or equivalent

This course builds on the acquisitions of French I to IV and aims at giving students the ability to conduct conversations in French. While many activities are still concerned with communicating information, the focus is more and more on expressing ideas and opinions and arguing for or against them. To achieve this, a range of classroom activities will be conducted, to which active participation is expected. Pronunciation and grammar skills will also be taught. In French V, students will be working at the A2/B1 level of the CEFRL (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages).

This course introduces students to contemporary French society. It uses movies as a medium to present some of French society’s current major issues. These topics are then discussed and analysed cross-culturally. This course is taught in English. No prior knowledge of French is necessary.

This course aims to introduce the German language and culture to beginners. It combines linguistic and communicative skills with a balanced emphasis on reading, writing, speaking and listening. Special stress is placed on mastering the sound system and the basic grammatical forms, as well as building basic receptive and productive skills in German for effective daily communication. The course also helps students develop their critical thinking through in-class discussions about the cultural dimensions of the language and acquire strategies to learn “how to learn German”. The aim is for students to reach level A1.1 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Prerequisite: GERM1005 German I or equivalent

This is a continuation of German I. The course will introduce the German language and culture relating to travelling and work. Students will learn to communicate effectively in everyday situations such as travelling and shopping, finding jobs, and consulting doctors. An integrated approach to language skills will be adopted, and materials and activities that are relevant to travelling or studying in Germany will be presented in context. Students encounter relatively more difficult texts and be able to express themselves using more complex structures. The course also helps students develop their critical thinking through in-class discussions about cultural issues such as jobs, leisure time and environmental protection. The aim is for students to reach level A1.2 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Prerequisite: GERM1006 German II or GERM 3005 Business German or equivalent

This is a continuation of German II. The course will present the German language and culture in greater depth to advanced beginners. It offers a balanced range of language skills through further syntax acquisition: reading and text analysis, oral expression and communicative skills. Giving directions, good customer service, going shopping and to parties are general situations for using spoken German. The course also helps students develop their critical thinking through in-class discussions about cultural issues such as lifestyles. The aim is for students to reach level A1.2 and beyond in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Prerequisite: GERM2005 German III or equivalent

This course further develops the students’ knowledge of German grammar and vocabulary. They will learn to use their German more independently in writing, listening and speaking. They will engage in simulated small talk at home and in a work setting. The course also helps students develop their critical thinking through in-class discussions about cultural issues such as family life in German speaking countries and correct behaviour during invitations at home and in a restaurant. They will expand their vocabulary and learn grammatical structures for communicating in everyday life. The aim is for students to reach level 2.1 in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.

Prerequisite: GERM1005 German I or equivalent

In this course, students will further develop all four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing, and continue to review and learn additional grammar points. Emphasis will be given to writing and speaking fluently for business purposes. Students will also learn more about German businesses and their cultures, as well as the German code of business and ethics. The aim is for them to reach EU level A1.2.

Prerequisite: GERM1006 German II or GERM3005 Business German or equivalent

This course explores creative writing in three primary genres: short stories, poetry and drama. Students will examine exemplary works in the context of writing, and they will write, discuss and revise their own works in each genre. As they study the works of famous exemplary writers and develop their own style, they learn more about the elements in each genre and get a deeper understanding of German culture. Students will finally organize their own exposition in a library foyer in Hong Kong at the end of the course. Classes will be conducted in German and English.

This course aims to help students explore/understand crucial aspects of modern German culture and society. They will learn to understand the sources of behaviour, customs and attitudes, while comparing them with Hong Kong, and respective mainland Chinese behaviour. The Cultural historian Prof Hermann Bausinger notes in the preface of his book Typisch deutsch that common definitions of what “German” is include many stereotypes and prejudices. However, it is not possible to make a clear-cut distinction between stereotypes and reality. Moreover, one has to consider the way other nationalities look at what is considered typically German in order to find out whether these stereotypes are true or not.

Prerequisite: GERM2006 German IV or equivalent

This course will bring students’ knowledge of the German language up to and beyond the European Framework Level A2.1. They will learn and practise the grammar patterns and vocabulary required. Under the guidance of the class teacher, students will engage in reading, writing and speaking exercises of various types, covering topics from daily life, e.g. school, work, health and festivals.

This foundation course is designed for total beginners who have never studied Japanese before. The Japanese phonetic system, writing system, basic greetings, sentence structures and practical vocabulary that are suitable for beginners will be introduced in this course. It also provides opportunities for students to understand Japanese culture, and to develop the ability to communicate in basic Japanese such as introducing oneself, daily expressions, telling the time and the date and talking about one’s daily life. Students’ active participation in classroom activities and role-plays is expected.

Prerequisite: JPSE1005 Japanese I or equivalent

This course is a continuation of JPSE1005 Japanese I. It helps develop students’ practical language skills for daily conversation, such as expressing or discussing feelings, preferences, personal experiences and hobbies in elementary Japanese. Interesting classroom activities are specially designed to help build students’ communication skills in Japanese and active participation is expected. Japanese culture and Japanese lifestyle will also be introduced with the aid of videos.

This course enables students to explore contemporary and traditional Japanese society and culture and to gain a thorough understanding of the complex and deeply rooted relationship between society, culture and language. Students are encouraged to learn a wide range of vocabulary and expressions commonly used in the Japanese society and a broad spectrum of the Japanese culture through a variety of text genres (e.g. newspapers, magazines, movies, drama, animation, comics, pop songs, and the internet).

Prerequisite: JPSE1006 Japanese II or equivalent

This course is a continuation of JPSE 1006 Japanese II. It is designed to enhance students’ knowledge and Japanese language proficiency at elementary level. Students will further develop their abilities to conduct daily conversations such as making requests, seeking and giving permission, expressing prohibition, possibility, ability and experience. They will also study verb conjugation and read extended texts. Students’ active participation in various language activities, free conversations, role-play, group work and presentations is expected. Authentic materials available in the mass media will be selected to explore Japanese culture and lifestyle.

Prerequisite: JPSE2005 Japanese III or equivalent

This course is a continuation of JPSE 2005 Japanese III. It provides intensive practice to help students build Japanese language skills and learning communication strategies at pre-intermediate level. Students will further develop their speaking and listening skills in Japanese. Specific communication skills and language structures will be taught. Formal and informal Japanese expressions will also be introduced through various language activities, everyday conversations, role-plays, short drama and performance. Japanese culture and lifestyle will be explored with the aids of videos, TV programmes, readings and music.

Prerequisite: JPSE2006 Japanese IV or equivalent

This course is a continuation of JPSE 2006 Japanese IV. It helps students to develop their interpersonal and intercultural communication skills and to understand current issues in Japan. Through intensive training, such as role-play, group work, oral presentation and reading of texts, students will learn sentence structures, expressions, communication skills and interaction strategies at the upper intermediate level of Japanese language proficiency. Students are encouraged to express their viewpoints on topical issues, giving reasons and explanations for opinions. Japanese culture and lifestyle will be explored with the aid of videos, TV programmes, readings and music.

Prerequisite: JPSE2005 Japanese III or equivalent

This course is designed to develop students’ interpersonal, interpretive and presentation skills in business communication in Japanese. Topics covered include typical and essential expressions for various business communicative situations in reading and written contexts. Through studying the communication patterns in Japanese business contexts, this course prepares students to work in Japanese companies and/or communicate with Japanese clients. Formal and informal expressions and honorific expressions in Japanese will be taught. Students are required to conduct oral presentations on Japanese business, commercial and economic issues. Students are strongly encouraged to develop their own understanding of the language and Japanese social system from both inside and outside the classroom.

This course is a continuation of Japanese V (JPSE3005). It aims to bring students’ Japanese language knowledge and skills to the advanced-intermediate level, and to further deepen their understanding of the Japanese culture, social life, and business customs and practices. Through intensive training, group work, and situation-based learning, students will acquire the required language structures, vocabulary, as well as culturally-appropriate communication skills and interaction strategies to express their opinions and thoughts. A variety of materials, including YouTube videos, TV programmes, songs, and reading texts, will be used to illustrate Japanese culture and life style.

The aim of this course is to introduce complete beginners to the Spanish language, working on the four language skills: speaking, reading, writing and listening to Spanish. Students will also learn about Spanish culture and customs.

Prerequisite: SPAN1005 Spanish I or equivalent

The aim of this course is to further develop students’ knowledge of the Spanish language and continue working on their listening, speaking, reading and writing skills at beginner’s level. Furthermore, through the study of culture, students will better understand the peoples of the Spanish speaking world. By the end of Spanish II, students should have reached the A1 level of the CEFRL (Common European Framework of Languages).

Prerequisite: SPAN1006 Spanish II or equivalent

This course aims to increase students’ knowledge and skills in the use of Spanish language, with continued practice of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Further development of students’ knowledge of Spanish and Latin-American culture is included. In Spanish III, students work at the A2 level of the CEFRL (Common European Framework of Languages).

Prerequisite: SPAN2005 Spanish III or equivalent

This course further increases students’ knowledge and skills in the use of Spanish language, with continued practice of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Students’ knowledge of Spanish and Latin-American culture is further expanded. In Spanish IV, students continue to work at the A2 level of the CEFRL (Common European Framework of Languages), with some activities being at B1 level.

Prerequisite: SPAN2006 Spanish IV or equivalent

This course aims to further increase students’ knowledge and skills in the use of Spanish language at a more advanced level, with continued practice of listening, speaking, reading and writing skills. Students’ knowledge of Spanish and Latin-American culture is further expanded. In Spanish V, students work mostly at the B1 level of the CEFRL (Common European Framework of Languages).

This course aims to enable students to understand the Spanish Civilization on aspects related to history, art, culture and society as the basis of the customs, attitudes and values of contemporary Spain. By considering culture as a social construct, students will reflect on the difference between Spanish cultural values and their own. They will also develop an appreciation for and understanding of great works of Hispanic fine art, architecture, music and literature. A variety of teaching materials will be used with a special emphasis on films.