(a full syllabus will be available in the fall)

Välkommen till svenska 201! In this class we will continue to build our knowledge of Swedish language and culture, with a focus on a range of communicative language skills including: reading, writing, listening. Learning Swedish and about Sweden is a fascinating way to approach contemporary world issues, history, media, society, politics, and culture! While we will spend most of our time focusing on Sweden and Swedish-speaking Finland, there will also be opportunities for comparative and personalized integration with your own interests, studies, and goals. 

Preliminary Course Syllabus

Svenska 201 / Swedish 201 – 5 credits

Höstterminen / Autumn Quarter 2026

Tid / Time: Monday, Wednesday, Friday 9:00-10:20am

Plats / Location: 

_______________________________________________________________________

Lärare / Instructor: Pia Nyström

Kontor / Office: Raitt Hall 305 X

Kontorstid / Office Hours: Mon 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM (or by appointment)

E-post / Email: pnystrom@uw.edu

_______________________________________________________________________

Obligatoriskt material / Required Material:

Rivstart B1+B2 Textbok

Rivstart B1+B2 Övningsbok

Swedish-English Dictionary (Recommended)

Rivstart B1+B2 App (Optional)

Länkar för lektionsarbete / Links for class work

Radio Sweden på lätt svenska

Ämne: Sfi - svenska för invandrare | UR Play

8 Sidor - Lättlästa nyheter

Ämne: Svenska som andraspråk | UR Play

Svenska för alla | UR PlayLinks to an external site.

Sfi, steg 3 - Att hälsa och presentera sig - Svenska för alla - Swedish for all (swedish-for-all.se)Links to an external site.

Användbara länkar / Useful links:

Swedish/English Online Dictionaries: tyda.se; bab.la

Swedish letters for typing: http://symbolcodes.tlt.psu.edu/bylanguage/nordic.html

Swedish radio: www.sr.se

Swedish TV: www.svt.se; www.tv4.se; www.tv3.se; Nyheter på lätt svenska | SVT PlayLinks to an external site.

Swedish major daily newspapers: www.dn.se; www.svd.seLinks to an external site. (you have to pay for most articles)

Swedish evening papers (lots of free articles): aftonbladet.se; expressen.se

Easy-to-read Swedish news: 8sidor.se

Allmän översikt / General Overview:

We will cover approximately one to two chapters of Rivstart per two weeks, and in addition will use authentic Swedish materials whenever possible. The class will be conducted primarily, but not exclusively, in Swedish. You will be engaged in daily activities aimed at introducing and practicing new vocabulary and linguistic concepts, and asked to participate in small out of class assignments targeted at solidifying this knowledge. Emphasis will be given to all language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.

Välkommen till svenska 201! In this class we will continue to build our knowledge of Swedish language and culture, with a focus on a range of communicative language skills including: reading, writing, listening. Learning Swedish and about Sweden is a fascinating way to approach contemporary world issues, history, media, society, politics, and culture! While we will spend most of our time focusing on Sweden and Swedish-speaking Finland, there will also be opportunities for comparative and personalized integration with your own interests, studies, and goals. 

Inlärningsmål / Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the course, you will be able to:

• Interact in common circumstances (for example present yourself, visit a café/restaurant, grocery shopping).
• Use a basic vocabulary of everyday expressions and phrases.
• Utilize basic knowledge of Swedish culture.
• Write basic, yet nuanced, texts.
• Read short, simple Swedish texts from different genres.

Kurssida / Class website:

We will use Canvas throughout the course. Daily homework assignments will be posted on Canvas, and you are also encouraged to visit this page for other resources and information. In addition, we will utilize Canvas for participation evaluation and sometimes quizzes.

Betygssättning / Grading:

15% Aktivt deltagande / Active Participation – Daily attendance and active participation are crucial to your progress. Arriving on time, being prepared, doing activities, answering questions and speaking Swedish as much as possible are all part of participation. At the end of each week. At the end of each week, you will fill out a participation evaluation on Canvas which will be due on Monday morning before the beginning of class. This will ask you to reflect on your participation and report on your use of Swedish outside the classroom.

15% Svenska utanför klassrummet / Swedish Outside the Classroom – Every week you will need to spend at least 20 minutes outside of class speaking or engaging with Swedish. This might entail speaking with another Swedish speaker (such as a classmate), watching a Swedish film clip, reading a book or article in Swedish (children’s books are great!), listening to a Swedish radio program, or attending a Swedish event (such as the Lucia Celebration). The key is that whatever you choose to do, it MUST IMMERSE you in the Swedish language and Swedish culture. Simply turning on Swedish subtitles while watching a movie in English or eating at the IKEA restaurant, for example, will not count. You will report how you fulfilled this requirement weekly on Canvas. The report will be due before class the following Monday.

20% Läxor / Assignments – Homework will be assigned regularly, primarily from the Rivstart Övningsbok, and will be due the following day of class at 9:00 AM. No late or incomplete homework will be accepted, and you must be in class to turn it in.  A small exception will be made for those with an excused absence due to illness or an emergency. In this situation, students may turn in homework by email on the day it is due for full points. Students are welcome to work on homework together but are asked to refrain from doing so in groups larger than three.

20% Prov / Quizzes – At the end of each week, there will be a corresponding quiz either on Canvas or in class. These quizzes will test you on the skills and topics we have covered and practiced in class and on homework assignments given for the chapter. When taken outside of class, these quizzes are closed book and no outside material should be used.

10% Muntliga tentor / Verbal Exams – Two verbal exams will be given this quarter, one approximately in the middle of the quarter and the other one at the end. These verbal exams are individual and will consist of a short conversation with the instructor. Each exam will cover the quarter's material up to that point.

20% Skriftliga tentor / Written Exams – Two in class, written exams will be given this quarter, one at approximately the halfway mark and one at the end. Each exam will cover the quarter's material up to that point.

Bonuspoäng / Extra Credit – TBD

Preliminärt Schema / Preliminary Schedule:

Grading Scale

97-100%=4.0; 93-96%=3.9 ; 91-93%=3.8 ; 90%=3.7 ; 89%=3.6 ; 88%=3.5 ; 87%=3.4 ; 86%=3.3 ; 85%=3.2 ; 84%=3.1 ; 83%=3.0 ; 82%=2.9 ; 81%=2.9 ; 81%=2.8 ; 80%=2.7 ; 79%=2.6 ; 78%=2.5 ; 77%=2.4; 76%=2.3; 75%=2.2; 74%=2.1; 73%=2.0; 72%=1.9; 71%=1.8; 70%=1.7... (0-60%=0.0) 

______________________________________________________________________

Access and Accommodations:

Your experience in this class is important to me. It is the policy and practice of the University of Washington to create inclusive and accessible learning environments consistent with federal and state law. If you have already established accommodations with Disability Resources for Students (DRS), please activate your accommodations via myDRS so we can discuss how they will be implemented in this course.

If you have not yet established services through DRS, but have a temporary health condition or permanent disability that requires accommodations (conditions include but not limited to; mental health, attention-related, learning, vision, hearing, physical or health impacts), contact DRS directly to set up an Access Plan. DRS facilitates the interactive process that establishes reasonable accommodations. Contact DRS at disability.uw.eduLinks to an external site..

_______________________________________________________________________

Statement on Religious Accommodations

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Religious Accommodations Policy (https://registrar.washington.edu/staffandfaculty/religious-accommodations-policy/) (Links to an external site.). Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form (https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/).

Varmt välkomna till Svenska 201. Vi ses snart!

Pia