Old English: Beginners – Part 2

This course begins on the 15 April 2027 which is when the course materials are made available to students. Students should study these materials in advance of the first live meeting which will be held on 22 April 2027, 19:00-20:00 (UK time).

Week 1: Grammatical Overview I — Nouns and Pronouns

Week 2: Grammatical Overview II — Adjectives, Adverbs, and Conjunctions

Week 3: Grammar I — Weak verbs (classes 1–3), Strong verbs (classes 1–7), Anomalous verbs

Week 4: Grammar II — Concord

Week 5: Poetics I — Accentuation and Alliteration

Week 6: Poetics II — Meter

Week 7: Poetics III — Poetic Diction and Analysis

Week 8: Translation and Analysis I

Week 9: Translation and Analysis II

Week 10: Translation and Analysis III

Course aims

This course aims to:

• Consolidate and extend learners’ knowledge of Old English grammar, vocabulary and syntax through practice and consolidation, enabling them to engage with increasingly complex linguistic structures and textual features.
• Develop greater independence in reading, translating and analysing a broader range of Old English literature, using glossaries and reference materials as appropriate.
• Deepen students’ understanding of the cultural and historical contexts of early medieval England through the translation, linguistic analysis and discussion of Old English texts, including literary and non-literary prose as well as selected passages of verse texts or shorter poems where appropriate.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be expected to be able to:

• Read, parse, translate and analyse increasingly complex Old English prose, both literary and non-literary, and engage with selected examples of Old English verse.
• Demonstrate an extended knowledge of Old English grammar, syntax and vocabulary, and apply this knowledge to the analysis of a corpus of texts with increasingly complex linguistic structures, textual features, meaning, and nuance.
• Use glossaries, dictionaries and other reference materials with increasing independence, applying appropriate linguistic and analytical strategies in preparation for progression to Lower Intermediate study.

Level and demands

Students will be expected to have completed Old English: Beginners – Part 1 but the course is also suitable for those who wish to refresh their knowledge of Old English. To benefit from the course, regular preparation in advance of each class is strongly encouraged. In addition to the course textbook, there will be additional learning resources for self-study and consolidation.

IT requirements

Any standard web browser can be used to access course materials on our virtual learning environment, but we recommend Google Chrome. To access the virtual learning environment you will be required to verify your identity using an authenticator app on a mobile device or laptop in addition to your username and password. Full instructions will be sent to you on the start date of the course. We also recommend that students join the live webinars on Microsoft Teams using a laptop or desktop computer rather than a phone or tablet due to the limited functionality of the app on these devices.

Teaching methods

Online classes combine presentations with discussion and practice. PowerPoint presentations and notes will be provided. Video recordings will introduce vocabulary and review texts as well as grammar. Live online sessions will offer opportunities to read and analyse more texts, practise and discuss translations. 

This course takes place over 10 weeks, with a weekly learning schedule and weekly live webinar held on Microsoft Teams. Shortly before a course commences, students are provided with access to an online virtual learning environment, which houses the course content, including video lectures, complemented by readings or other study materials. Any standard web browser can be used to access these materials, but we recommend Google Chrome. Working through these materials over the course of the week will prepare students for a weekly 1-hour live webinar you will share with your expert tutor and fellow students. All courses are structured to amount to 100 study hours, so that on average, you should set aside 10 hours a week for study. Although the course finishes after 10 weeks, all learning materials remain available to all students for 12 months after the course has finished.

All courses are led by an expert tutor. Tutors guide students through the course materials as part of the live interactions during the weekly webinars. All online courses are taught in small student cohorts so that you and your peers will form a mutually supportive and vibrant learning community for the duration of the course. You will learn from your fellow students as well as from your tutor, and they will learn from you.

In addition to engaging with the pre-recorded lectures students will be expected to complete exercises and tasks designed to consolidate and extend their knowledge of Old English grammar, syntax and vocabulary, and to develop their skills in linguistic and textual analysis. As the course progresses, students will work with increasingly more advanced Old English texts, with an emphasis on a range of texts including literary and non-literary prose as well as selected examples of verse. They will be expected to prepare passages in advance for translation and analysis, making appropriate use of glossaries, dictionaries and other reference materials. Core texts will be provided in the course textbook or made available online.

Where appropriate, students may also be asked to engage with selected articles, book chapters or other supporting materials relating to the Old English language and the cultural and historical contexts of the texts studied. Students will also be directed towards a selection of appropriate online resources to complement the material covered in the pre-recorded lectures and live classes and to support increasingly independent study.

Assessment methods

You will be set optional assignments to consolidate your learning and to allow you to progress at your own pace. Weekly tests/quizzes and homework will provide a means of gauging progress over the course.

As the course will advance, it will include regular translation exercises to be completed ahead of time and discussed in class. Completing those translations constitutes a significant part of the weekly workload.

Simon Heller

Simon Heller completed his BA and MA at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, before obtaining a DPhil in English from the University of Oxford. He has taught papers on Old English at Oxford and in Switzerland. He specialises in Old English poetry and its modern reception.

Fees

Funding

If you are in receipt of a UK state benefit, or are a care-leaver in the UK, you may be eligible for a reduction of 50% of tuition fees. Please see the below link for full details:
Concessionary fees for short courses

Textbooks

To participate in the course you will need to buy, or have regular access to, the following book:

Richard Marsden, ed., The Cambridge Old English Reader, 2nd ed. (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press). Available as Ebook (and widely available second hand).

Module code: O26P847XOZ

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