Some thirty study packs, created as part of the Virtual Department of Dutch, aim to introduce you to various writers, and to a fragments of their prose and poetry writing. They will also help you improve your reading skills in Dutch. You can listen to the text, study its vocabulary, sentence structures and cultural background. There is background information about the authors and their work. Once you feel you can read and understand the texts, you can move on to analysis of some of their literary aspects. When you have finished the study packs you should have a sense of the kind of writers they were and feel ready to read more of their work. There are sets of questions on the text. They start easy, and gradually become more difficult. You can answer them at any stage to see how far you get. The study packs provide answers and suggestions for finding relevant information. You can print out your first try so that you can compare it with your answers when you have completed the study packs.

It is not necessary to study the different parts of the packs in any particular order - allow yourself to be guided by what you want to know. You can either browse the study packs or view them in a competence grid. Most packs exist in a Dutch and in an English version. You are also invited to provide us with feedback on your experience with the study packs. Enjoy!

Related Links

Study Packs
Competence Grid

Virtual Department of Dutch

Lagelands Online Dutch Course & Learner's Grammar

Online Dutch Language Taster Course

Bibliography of Dutch Literature in English Translation

UCL – Department of Dutch – Gower Street – London WC1E 6BT –