This course builds on skills learned in Burmese 3 and students will have ample opportunities to review, exercise and expand their knowledge of the spoken-style of Burmese. A variety of listening comprehension materials including business negotiations and basic discussions on academic topics will encourage development of students' speaking skills.

 

Students will learn the basic rules of literary-style Burmese and appropriate vocabulary, some of which are drawn from Pali and Sanskrit. The course contents will help students gain access to authentic Burmese materials in both print and online platforms such as newspapers, magazine articles, governmental documents, encyclopedia entries, dictionaries, and excerpts from literary works. 

 

The topics include Myanmar history, economics, anthropology, mythology, and practical conversations such as negotiations and problem solving in business. These topics deepen students’ understanding of Myanmar culture and society. Students will write Burmese compositions and speech scripts in spoken-style Burmese on both the assigned topics and the research topics of their interest in Myanmar.  

 

The course often invites Burmese native speakers and Myanmar specialists as guests, to enhance students’ Burmese speaking abilities and exposure to the language. Students will give presentations to the guests, based on the topics covered in the course. 

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Use an active vocabulary of around 1,600 items, including both spoken-style and literary-style Burmese.
2. Use more sophisticated grammatical patterns and expressions including some Burmese proverbs in the spoken-style Burmese conversation and writing on matters regularly encountered in university life, social situations and the workplace.
3. Demonstrate a solid knowledge of the spoken-style Burmese in reading and writing on Myanmar in a wider range of topics such as current affairs, history, rural culture, gender roles, education and business.
4. Read and comprehend the basic rules of the literary-style Burmese grammar and appropriate vocabulary some of which are drawn from Pail and Sanskrit.
5. Demonstrate a basic reading ability of authentic materials in the literary-style Burmese such as encyclopedia entries, school textbooks, governmental notices and excerpts from literary works.
6. Demonstrate deeper understanding of the cultural diversity and social practices of Myanmar with awareness of the history of the country.

Required Resources

Required learning resources are found on the BURM2002 - Burmese 4 Wattle site.

Students are strongly recommended to obtain this dictionary.

Pocket Burmese Dictionary (Burmese - English / English - Burmese)

Compiled by Stephen Nolan

Publisher: Periplus

Edition: 2008

Price: Approx. A$10.00

*E-Book (2014) is also available

Recommended Resources

1.Burmese by Ear or Essential Myanmar

Author: John Okell

Publisher: School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London

Price: free

Available for free download here.

https://www.soas.ac.uk/bbe/

*recommended for BURM1002 (Burmese 1) and BURM1003 (Burmese 2)

2.Burmese (Myanmar): An Introduction to the Spoken Language Book 1

Author: John Okell

Publisher: Northern Illinois University Press, 1994, 2010

Price: Approx. US$55.00

*recommended for BURM1002 (Burmese 1) and BURM1003 (Burmese 2)

(This book is available at the Menzies Library, ANU for two hour loan. Please contact the loans desk.)

3.Burmese (Myanmar): An Introduction to the Spoken Language Book 2

Author: John Okell

Publisher: Northern Illinois University Press, 1994, 2010

Price: Approx. US$55.00

*recommended for BURM1003 (Burmese 2) and Burmese1003 (Burmese 3)

(This book is available at the Menzies Library, ANU for two hour loan. Please contact the loans desk.)

4.Burmese (Myanmar) : An Introduction to the Literary Style

Author: John Okell

Publisher: Northern Illinois University Press, 1994, 2010

Price: Approx. US$55.00

*recommended for BURM2002 (Burmese 4)

(This book is available at the Menzies Library, ANU for two hour loan. Please contact the loans desk.)

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• written comments
• verbal comments
• feedback to whole class, groups, individuals, focus group etc

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Week 1, 21 - 25 July	???????????? ???????? ????????????? ????????? (Khin Khnin Htew, a famous sportsperson in Myanmar) To develop reading skills and to be able to describe their favourite sportsperson Assignment 1
2	Week 2, 28 July - 1 August	??????????? ?????? - ???????????? To be familiar with Burmese short stories To develop their reading comprehension skills and be able to narrate the character and the plot Writing Composition & Structure 1
3	Week 3, 4 - 8 August	??????????? ?????? - ???????????? To be familiar with Burmese short stories To develop their reading comprehension skills and be able to narrate the character and the plot Assignment 2
4	Week 4, 11 - 15 August	????????????? To develop their reading comprehension skills and be able to discuss the issue of using loudspeakers by expressing and supporting their personal opinions on the topic. Writing Composition & Structure 2
5	Week 5, 18 - 22 August	????????????? To develop their reading comprehension skills and be able to discuss the issue of using loudspeakers by expressing and supporting their personal opinions on the topic. Assignment 3
6	Week 6, 25 - 29 AugustMidsemester assessment	???????????? ???????????????? ????????????????? To be familiar with Debate To develop listening skills and be able to express opinions on the issue Mid_ semester assessment
7	Non-teaching Weeks, 2 - 13 September
8	Week 7, 15 - 19 September	???????????? ???????????????? ????????????????? To be familiar with Debate To develop listening skills and be able to express opinions on the issue Assignment 4Writing Composition & Structure 3
9	Week 8, 22 - 26 September	?????????? ??????????? ??????????? To be familiar with Burmese short stories To develop their reading comprehension skills and be able to narrate the character and the plot Writing Composition & Structure 4
10	Week 9, 29 September - 3 October	?????????? ??????????? ??????????? To be familiar with Burmese short stories To develop their reading comprehension skills and be able to narrate the character and the plot Assignment 5
11	Week 10, 6 - 10 October	???????????????? To be familiar with Burmese Poem Presentation
12	Week 11, 13 - 17 October	?????? To be familiar with Burmese short stories To develop their reading comprehension skills and be able to narrate the character and the plot Writing Composition & Structure 5
13	Week 12, 20 - 24 October	?????? To be familiar with Burmese short stories To develop their reading comprehension skills and be able to narrate the character and the plot Final Exam

Tutorial Registration

ANU utilizes MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Learning Outcomes
Assignments x 5	20 %	1,2,3, 4, 5, 6
Midsemester Exam	25 %	1,2,3,4,5
Video Presentation Project	10 %	1,2,3,5
Class participation	10 %	1,2,3,4,6
Final Exam	25 %	1,2,3,4,5
Writing Composition & Structure x 5	10 %	1,2,3,4,5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Extenuating Circumstances Application
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Canvas’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

It is mandatory that students attend live online class on every Tuesday and Thursday both from 4:30 pm to 6 pm (Canberra local time). Vigorous participation to class activities is expected as a par of assessments, not just attending the class.

Assessment Task 1

Assignments x 5

The assignments include various types of projects: writing alternate endings for short stories, composing essays to express opinions on topics such as women's lives and the use of loudspeakers, describing characters from the stories, and writing news articles.

Detailed rubrics and instructions will be provided via Canvas.

There will be 5 assignments in total. Each assignment is worth 4%, for a total of 20% of the final grade.

Assessment Task 2

Midsemester Exam

The exam will cover content from the weekly lessons, primarily from Weeks 1 to 6, and will include four sections:

• Oral
• Listening
• Writing,
• Reading skills.

The midterm will account for 25% of the final grade. Of the four skills, the oral exam will be worth 10%, while listening, reading, and writing will each contribute 5%.

Assessment Task 3

Video Presentation Project

In this project, students will create a short video presentation (3–5 minutes) on a topic of their choice, using vocabulary and grammar structures appropriate to the Pre/ intermediate level.

More details will be given in Canvas.

The project will account for 10% of the final grade.

Assessment Task 4

Class participation

Evaluation for the student's vigorous participation to the Zoom online class activities e.g. oral activities at the class. This also includes the student's regular submission and performance of assignments. This assessment does not mean 'attendance' to the class.

Assessment Task 5

Final Exam

The Semester Final Exam will cover content from Weeks 1 to 12 and will assess a range of skills, including speaking, listening, reading, and writing.

More details will be given in Canvas

Assessment Task 6

Writing Composition & Structure x 5

The assignments involve practicing composition writing using Literary and colloquial Style Burmese, as well as practising key Burmese grammatical structures exercises.

Detailed rubrics and instructions will be provided on Canvas.

There will be a total of five assignments. Each assignment is worth 2%, contributing a total of 10% to the final grade.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) submission must be through Turnitin.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (hand written assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission permitted. Late submission of assessment tasks without an extension are penalised at the rate of 5% of the possible marks available per working day or part thereof. Late submission of assessment tasks is not accepted after 10 working days after the due date, or on or after the date specified in the course outline for the return of the assessment item. Late submission is not accepted for take-home examinations.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material. Any use of artificial intelligence must be properly referenced. Failure to properly cite use of Generative AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Accessibility for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents all ANU students