Getting Started with Beginner Old English I
Hello! Welcome to the Ancient Language Institute. We’re so excited you’ll be studying Old English with us this 2025 summer term.
You are now enrolled in Beginner Old English I (E101). Classes will begin the week of May 4, 2025. Please read on to learn more about logistics, course materials, first assignment, and your Zoom classroom.
If you have any questions about the program at any time, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We want to make sure you have the best, smoothest experience with ALI possible. We have and will continue to put in lots of work to ensure your success and happiness, but we do need you to do some work to help us, too. Please read on and we will explain.
Please bookmark this page for future reference – it will be helpful as you prepare for your course. The information presented here is critically important and has several action steps that require your attention.
Overview
- Note down your class meeting schedule.
- Acquire your required course books. They are linked below.
- Get to work on your first assignment (explained below) as soon as possible.
- Look for an email from your teacher one week before classes begin. This will contain your class Zoom link.
- You will receive your full class syllabus on the first day of class.
Class Meeting Time
When you signed up, you selected a course section with a weekly meeting time. That is the day and time your class will meet over Zoom every week. Please save this to your calendar so we don’t have any conflicts arise! If you have forgotten, please check the order notification email you received after checkout. That email will have your course section meeting time. If at any point you need to switch sections, please let us know ASAP. We’re happy to help.
The first week of classes begins May 4, 2025. The last week of classes begins Aug. 3, 2025.
Your teacher will be in touch one week before classes begin with a Zoom link and other logistical information.
Course Materials
Besides in-class meetings, in this course, you will also be working through an interactive digital vocabulary builder (included with the price of tuition), a bunch of immersive Old English video and audio tools (also included with the price of tuition), a digital copy of an Old English workbook (also included with tuition), and one hardcopy Old English book (you’ll need to buy this).
- Go ahead and buy your book now: Osweald Bera.
- As for the interactive digital vocabulary builder, we will send you log-in information about that one week before classes begin – plenty of time to complete that first assignment, particularly if you’ve already gotten started on your opening assignment (explained below).
- In the Chapter 1 folder for E101, you will find the following tools:
- “Old English in Action 1”: an immersive Old English video that introduces you to critical vocabulary for your reading
- “Osweald Bera \- 01”: an audio reading of Chapter 1 of your course reader, Osweald Bera
- “Chapter 1 \- Workbook”: workbook exercises covering Old English grammar, for you to print out and work through
- “c1-conversaton”: some slides with useful Old English phrases for you to practice, that you can use in class
- Since it might take a week or so for Osweald Bera to arrive, we have included a digital copy of Chapter 1 of the book in the Chapter 1 folder as well
First Assignment
Before you show up to your first class session, we want you to do a few assignments in preparation. That way we will be able to use the first class session as effectively as possible – and set the stage for a successful term\! So, please complete the following things before your first class session.
Go buy your book (see above), and while you wait for it to arrive, check out the Chapter 1 folder and watch “Old English in Action 1”, an immersive Old English video which is designed to prepare you to read Chapter 1 of Osweald Bera. Then, print out and complete the workbook exercises for Chapter 1 (this is also in the Chapter 1 folder). Once your book arrives, read and listen to Chapter 1 of the book. And then, as soon as your digital textbook user account is set up (we’ll email you about a week before classes begin), log on and complete the Chapter 1 exercises. Finally, check out the Old English conversation slides, and see if there is a phrase which you want to use on the first day of class. Write it down and practice saying it \- the best you can \- so you can use it if the opportunity arises.
That was a lot\! Here it all is in short:
- Watch Old English in Action 1
- Print and complete the Chapter 1 exercises in the workbook
- Read and listen to Osweald Bera Chapter One (multiple times)
- Once you receive your digital vocabulary builder log-in (one week before class), complete the Chapter One exercises
- Read through the conversation slides and write one phrase down that you’d like to practice
Thanks again for joining us. We are excited to have you in class. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions!
Very best,
The Ancient Language Institute Team
hello@ancientlanguage.com