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FUBiS Term II: German Language Intermediate 1
(Course # 1.6)
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Type: |
A Track |
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Instructor(s): |
TBA |
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Language: |
German |
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Contact hours: |
108 (6 contact hours per day) |
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Credit Points: |
6 Credit Points |
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Capacity: |
15 |
Course description
Course Objectives
This course is designed to improve your writing and speaking competencies in German, to increase your vocabulary, and to help you develop effective reading and listening strategies. Our in-class discussions are based on weekly readings of literary and non-literary texts to facilitate exchange of information, ideas, reactions, and opinions. In addition, the readings provide cultural and historical background information. The review of grammar will not be the primary focus of the course. You will, however, expand and deepen your knowledge of grammar through specific grammar exercises. The course also offers a film component and concludes with a glossed excerpt from a longer text.
Textbook
Delfin B1, Hueber Verlag 2006.
Daily Lesson and Excursion
Monday, Wednesday and Thursday are lessons. Since the historical and cultural life of Berlin enrich the content of the course more authentic material will be used during the lesson and in particular during the course-related excursion each Wednesday.
Participation
Regular attendance is crucial. If you miss two classes unexcused or arrive late to class four times your course grade will drop for example from A to B; if you miss four classes your course grade will drop for example from B to C. Five absences result in failing the course.
Participation includes more than simply coming to class and arriving on time. Active participation reflects the quality of participation and includes an active and consistent interest in learning the language, which involves participating productively in the weekly excursions.
What is active participation?
- Being prepared for class including completed homework assignments
- Regularly volunteering with constructive comments (more isn’t always better)
- Contributing productively to group work
- Sharing ideas
- Listening to and respecting the ideas and comments of your peers
Evaluation
| Active participation and homework | 200 points |
| Oral presentation (2 @ 75 pts.) | 150 points |
| Essay (2 @ 75 pts.) | 150 points |
| Reflective Journal | 100 points |
| Midterm | 100 points |
| Final | 100 points |
| Creative project | 200 points |
Oral Presentation
You prepare two 10-minute oral presentations, in which you introduce and delineate a certain aspect about Berlin or the region. Focus and content of you presentation can be discussed during office hours. Most importantly, you will prepare a handout for your peers listing unfamiliar vocabulary and posing questions. You are practicing to speak freely and cannot read the oral presentation.
Essays
In this course you write two essays, which become progressively longer. All essays are initially returned by the instructor with suggestions for improvement and must be re-submitted. The first version of the essay is worth 50 points and the rewrite 25 points for a total of 75 points. Please submit your essays typed, double-spaced, and 12 font. Do not hand in rough draft.
When writing your essay you will strive first and foremost for clarity (organization and style) and accuracy (grammar and syntax). You are encouraged to incorporate complex constructions, but please concentrate on syntactic and grammatical accuracy. Use the attached checklist and composition guidelines when proofreading your essay to insure that you have not made careless errors. For example, you might look for:
- subject-verb agreement,
- tense of verb,
- gender,
- case,
- adjective endings,
- word order,
- literal first-language translations.
Reflective Journal
Developing writing competence is one of the foci of this course. Throughout the weeks you will write five journal entries. Your instructor purely for content comments these creative exercises. No corrections will be made. The purpose of the journal is for you to become comfortable in creating with the German language and to reflect on your reactions when reading German. You might wish to focus on such questions as:
- How do I feel reading this text?
- What am I thinking about as I am reading this passage?
- Can I relate the topic of this text to my personal life?
- Do I like this text? Why/why not?
The aim of the journal is not to facilitate a therapeutic forum for you; instead you will develop a self-reflective voice and verbalize your impressions in written form.
Midterm and Final
You will write a midterm and a final consisting of four sections: listening comprehension, vocabulary, grammar, composition based on class readings.
Creative project
The creative project will be thematically linked to course content and includes several components:
- A two-page written essay on the topic;
- A ten-minute multimedia presentation.
Student profile
Intermediate 1
