An introduction to Kiswahili language and culture for students who have no prior knowledge of the language. The course is taught in Kiswahili and focuses on acquiring novice-level skills to perform basic communication functions in the culture of Swahili speakers. Instruction is through performance of cultural themes and experiential activities that enhance the four components of speaking, writing, listening, and reading. At the end of the course, students are expected to acquire simple grammatical skills to perform day-to-day interactions in the language and gain some insight into the culture of East Africa.

This second year Swahili course focuses on enhancing the communicative skills acquired in the first year. Instruction is done through reading, writing, speaking and listening activities on cultural content that review and consolidate already acquired language skills. The course infuses cultural and socio-political aspects of life in East Africa with more complex grammatical concepts such as the subjunctive, grammar infixes, and relative clauses. Students are also introduced to intermediate-level reading and writing in Kiswahili.