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FIRST YEAR DETAILS:
1st TERM
In the first two weeks of the programme, the focus is upon the alphabet . From the third week on, students receive a broad introduction to the basic elements of colloquial sentence structure. Coupled with the daily conversation classes, this ability to talk to the local Tibetans builds their confidence and enthusiasm for continuing study.
The second part in this term mostly expands on the material from the first term. The class is taught to make longer sentences, linking them together and ways to communicate increasingly more subtle nuances and information. By the end of this term the students have received all the tools necessary for communicating quite freely with Tibetan speakers.
There are nine hours of conversation classes a week and they are integral to internalizing the information from class accurately and efficiently. Each Tibetan native speaker work with two students on reviewing the material taught in the morning class and chatting around. It is also possible for students to hire conversation partners for extra private conversation classes and Thosamling is happy to assist in facilitating this.
2nd TERM
The course is focused on providing the students with confidence and fluency in spoken Tibetan as well as the necessary foundation for further studies of Dharma in Tibetan. There will be three main topics developed in class: develop spoken skills, basics of grammar and introduction to Dharma terminology.
1) Spoken Tibetan, colloquial refined skills: The goal is to develop fluency and confidence in colloquial, to be able to speak and to listen Tibetan in a daily context and to expend your capacity with more complex sentences structures.
This class will be strengthened by the afternoon class with native conversation partners.
2) Literary language, basics of grammar. The purpose is to be able to understand literary Tibetan Language used in the traditional texts and Dharma teachings quoting them.
3) Dharma terminology: The idea is to gradually build some technical vocabulary specific to Dharma. This will give the student a good basis to study Dharma in Tibetan next year.
4) Conversation class, with native speakers whose have been trained in Thosamling. This class is given in combination with the spoken Tibetan class. Its purpose is to apply and practice what has been learned in class, to familiarize with new structures and vocabulary, to review the old ones, and to develop skills in conversation. It is mainly about speaking, listening and speaking.
