This course builds upon the skills and knowledge achieved in Burmese 2. Students will expand their knowledge of the spoken-style Burmese and most of its grammatical expressions. Upon completion of the course, students will gain more sophisticated spoken and written language skills.   

 

In this course, students will look deeper into Myanmar’s traditional and changing lifestyles in recent years including activities at weddings, funerals and seasonal festivities. Folktales, stories of Buddha’s life and Buddhist related rituals such as ordinations as novices and meditation practices are also included in the course. Students should be able to express both appreciation and offer insightful discussion about Myanmar’s traditional culture. 

 

By the end of the course students will learn vocabulary related to the topics above, new spoken-style grammar and expressions. Students will use different registers for formal/informal languages and learn more advanced communication skills for situations at university and in the workplace. 

 

The course often invites Burmese native speakers and Myanmar specialists as guests to enhance students’ speaking abilities and exposure to the language. Students will be encouraged to make a short presentation on the topics learned to the guests. Through these interactions students will improve their Burmese receptive, interactive, and productive skills. 

Learning Outcomes

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

1. Use an active vocabulary of around 1,100 Burmese words in spoken and written forms.
2. Reproduce Burmese pronunciation in Burmese script, including basic words drawn from Pali.
3. Demonstrate grammatical knowledge of the spoken-style Burmese in short conversations on topics learned throughout the course.
4. Read and write in a more sophisticated style of spoken Burmese with an awareness of formal and informal registers.
5. Demonstrate an understanding of traditional culture and festivities including Buddhist related practices in Myanmar.

Required Resources

Required Teaching Resources are found on the BURM 2001 (Burmese 3) Wattle site.

Students are strongly recommended to obtain the following dictionary as shown below:

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

Publisher: Periplus

Edition: 2008

*EBook (2014) is also available.

Recommended Resources

Burmese: An Introduction to the Spoken Language Book 1

Author: John Okell

Publisher: Northern Illinois University Press

Edition: 1994, 2010

*recommended for BURM 1002 (Burmese 1) and BURM 1003 (Burmese 2)

Burmese: An Introduction to the Spoken Language Book 2

Author: John Okell

Publisher: Northern Illinois University Press

Edition: 1994, 2010

*recommended for BURM 1003 (Burmese 2)

Burmese: An Introduction to the Literary Style

Author: John Okell

Publisher: Northern Illinois University Press

Edition: 1994, 2010

(All books are 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 the whole class, to groups, to individuals, focus groups

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). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Week 1: 17 - 21 February	Review of 'Burmese 2'Conversations about ideas
2	Week 2: 24 Feb - 28 February	At a LibraryBorrowing a book at the University’s library.Can you describe the interior conditions of the room?Quiz 1
3	Week 3: 3 - 7 March	WeddingsLet’s learn about Burmese weddings and their customs.How can we describe the clothes they are wearing?  Quiz 2
4	Week 4: 10 - 14 March	Sports Conversations about sports and leisure in MyanmarSports related vocabulary plus useful expressions when driving a car.Quiz 3Public holiday (Canberra Day - Mon. 10 March)
5	Week 6: 17 - 21 March	Ordination of One’s Son as a NoviceDeepen your knowledge of the Burmese Buddhist tradition.Also let’s learn how to say ‘before ….. ’ and ‘after ….. ’.Quiz 4
6	Week 6: 24 - 28 March	Burmese New YearNow you can talk about the new year ‘Water festival’ in Burmese.Also let’s learn how to say ‘now’ and ‘then’. No Quiz
7	Teaching Break: 31 Mar - 11 April	Midsemester Exams Listening Comprehension Exam Written and Reading Exam Composition Exam Details on Wattle site.
8	Week 7: 14 - 18 April	Midsemester Exam (Oral Exam only)Details on Wattle site. AnimalsAre you keeping animals at home? Talk about life with your pet.Some animal related culture in Myanmar will be introduced here.Quiz 5
9	Week 8: 21 - 25 April	Folk TalesExploring Burmese folk tales.Conversations using informal expressions and styles. Quiz 6
10	Week 9: 28 April - 2 May	The Watering Banyan Trees Festival Held in the Month of KasonThis is another ‘Water festival’ and an important Buddhist tradition.Several varieties of expression for wishing and hoping will be introduced here.Quiz 7
11	Week 10: 5 - 9 May	FuneralsDiscussing life and death rituals in MyanmarHow to ask a question and seek advice from a superior.Quiz 8
12	Week 11: 12 - 16 May	Learning CookingHow to describe objects and actions when cooking.Some informal/friendly expressions will also be introduced. Quiz 9
13	Week 12: 19 - 23 May	The Rainy Season Has BegunWhy do people in Myanmar love the rainy season? Let’s learn about it through using words related to weather forecasts.Quiz 10 Final Exams*will be arranged during the Final Examination period Oral Exam Listening Comprehension Exam Written & Reading Exam Composition Exam Details on Wattle site.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Quiz x 10 (1.5% each)	15 %	*	20/05/2025	1, 3, 4
Midsemester Oral Exam	10 %	16/04/2025	23/04/2025	1, 3, 5
Midsemester Listening Comprehension Exam	5 %	05/04/2025	16/04/2025	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Midsemester Written and Reading Exam	10 %	05/04/2025	16/04/2025	1, 3, 4, 5
Midsemester Composition Exam	5 %	05/04/2025	16/04/2025	2, 3, 4, 5
Final Oral Exam	20 %	06/06/2025	27/06/2025	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Final Listening Comprehension Exam	5 %	31/05/2025	27/06/2025	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Final Written and Reading Exam	15 %	31/05/2025	27/06/2025	1, 2, 3, 4, 5
Final Composition Exam	5 %	31/05/2025	27/06/2025	2, 3, 4, 5
Class participation	10 %	23/05/2025	27/06/2025	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 Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

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 ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

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

Vigorous participation to class activities is expected as a part of assessments, not just attending the class.

Assessment Task 1

Quiz x 10 (1.5% each)

Week 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

Vocabulary and grammar

Assessment Task 2

Midsemester Oral Exam

Week 7

1. Individual presentation and 2. Individual interview by the examiner

More details will be given in Wattle.

Assessment Task 3

Midsemester Listening Comprehension Exam

This Exam will be arranged during Mid-term Non-Teaching weeks.

Listening comprehension skills

More details will be given in Wattle.

Assessment Task 4

Midsemester Written and Reading Exam

This Exam will be arranged during Midsemester Non-Teaching weeks.

1. Vocabulary and grammar, 2. Reading ability and 3. Essential cultural knowledge about Myanmar. 

More details will be given in Wattle.

Assessment Task 5

Midsemester Composition Exam

This Exam will be arranged during Midsemester Non-Teaching weeks.

Writing skills in Burmese.

More details will be given in Wattle.

Assessment Task 6

Final Oral Exam

This Exam will be arranged during the Final Exam period.

1. Individual presentation, 2. Pair work presentation

More details will be given in Wattle.

Assessment Task 7

Final Listening Comprehension Exam

This Exam will be arranged during the Exam period.

Listening comprehension skills

More details will be given in Wattle.

Assessment Task 8

Final Written and Reading Exam

This Exam will be arranged during the Final Exam period.

1. Vocabulary and grammar, 2. Reading ability and 3. Essential cultural knowledge about Myanmar

More details will be given in Wattle.

Assessment Task 9

Final Composition Exam

This Exam will be arranged during the Final Exam period.

Writing skills in Burmese

More details will be given in Wattle.

Assessment Task 10

Class participation

Listening and speaking skills together with skills of reading and writing Burmese script through class tasks and assignments.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

The ANU uses 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. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

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

No submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date will be permitted. If an assessment task is not submitted by the due date, a mark of 0 will be awarded.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions 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 Diversity and inclusion 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 and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students