German 22G Introduction

Transcription

1 German 22G Introduction Overview and Objectives German 22G is an intermediate-level German course. It is equivalent to a second-semester, second-year, traditional high school course. If you are taking this course, you probably have had just over one year of formal education in German. By the end of this course, you will be able to read, understand, and use German vocabulary in simple, controlled situations. You will continue to improve on your reading and listening comprehension strategies and will discover more grammar rules for yourself. You will work with various tools to help you learn German. In general, you will build on your basic foundation of German so that you can communicate more fully and continue your study of German. More specifically, by the end of this course you should be able to talk about food and drink, discuss feelings and moods, excuse yourself, write in the past tense (narrative form), describe a room, use prepositions correctly when talking about where things are in a room and where things are being put in a room, read a text for information, discuss allowances and money issues, give reasons/consequences, discuss what is typical German, ask for directions, talk about the weather, and ask indirect questions. You ll learn the five Cs of language education communication, culture, connections, comparisons, and communities through the Aufgabe (lesson) discussions and the textbook, Geni@l A2. You ll read authentic materials, complete assignments, listen to native German speakers on CD, practice speaking German, and think about the role of German in the global community. One of the most wonderful things about learning a foreign language is broadening your cultural perspective. It s rewarding to recognize something you ve recently learned in your everyday life. Keep your eyes and ears open, as there is often more German news and culture around you than you think. Look in newspapers, magazines, at the video store, on TV, and on the Internet. You can catch German news through Scola, and you can hear German news broadcast daily on Deutsche Welle. You ll be surprised, once you start looking, at how many connections you find to the German-speaking world! Materials Books and CDs This course uses books from the series Geni@l A2 from Langenscheidt Publishing. You ll need the textbook and workbook, as well as the CDs for both the textbook and workbook. You will also need the glossary, and I would suggest that you also purchase the CD-ROM that goes with the textbook. The CD-ROM is not required, but it is a great way to practice and test yourself for each Einheit (chapter). There are no required assignments from the CD-ROM, but having it can only help you. 1

2 A2 is an attractive, up-to-date textbook. Langenscheidt is a German publishing company, and this textbook is used not just by English-speaking students but also by students with many different first languages from around the world. You ll notice that the directions and all of the writing in the textbook is in German, but don t let that scare you! The directions and anything else that is confusing will be explained in the Aufgabe discussions. You will also be able to contact your instructor with questions along the way as they arise. The workbook directions are in English, so you shouldn t have any problems there. Before you begin, please familiarize yourself with the textbook and other materials. In the textbook, the table of contents is on pages 4 and 5. Here you can find not just the pages of each Einheit, but also an overview of the topics, communication, grammar, and learning skills covered in each Einheit. there is a grammar review section on pages a German-English dictionary is on pages It s important to note that this resource will probably not be enough; you need your own dictionary for assignments. Or you can use a good German dictionary online. Course Guide This course guide (what you are reading now) replaces the usual classroom teacher. It helps you by outlining objectives for each Aufgabe, giving you specific vocabulary to practice, breaking down each Aufgabe into manageable activities, and offering ways to test yourself at the end of each Aufgabe. It helps to clarify, explain, and expound on topics covered in the textbook. It acts as a teacher by treating you, the student, not as a vessel to fill with knowledge, but as a lamp to be lighted. CD Player, Headphones, and Microphone It is your responsibility to bring a CD player and headphones to the two exams in the course. There will be questions on the exams that require you to listen to recordings of German speakers. You will need a microphone to complete the speaking assignments in the course. Most newer laptop computers have built-in microphones. If you have to purchase a microphone, you can get a headset-style microphone (used for Internet phone service) for less than $10. Design of Lessons The course has ten Aufgaben, which cover Einheiten (chapters) 8 15 in the textbook. Aufgaben 1 3 cover Einheiten Aufgabe 4 includes tips on preparing for and taking the midterm exam. Aufgaben 5 9 cover Einheiten Aufgabe 10 is a tips lesson for the final exam. Each Aufgabe begins with a list of objectives, which are the goals you should be able to reach after finishing the Aufgabe. They will help you to focus on the essentials in the Aufgaben. Next comes the reading assignment. It s helpful to quickly read over everything in this assignment before you begin the Aufgabe. (You ll reread the textbook as you complete the activities in the discussion portion of the Aufgabe.) This process, surveying the material you ll learn, helps you see where you re going. Then, when you read the sections for each activity, you ll already be familiar with the material. 2

3 After the reading assignment comes a reminder about the vocabulary, which is what your glossary is for. One of the biggest hurdles in learning a new language is lacking enough vocabulary to be able to communicate. There are two types of vocabulary: active and passive. Your passive vocabulary includes words you understand and can recognize but which you don t have a good enough grasp of to actually use. Your active vocabulary includes words you not only recognize but that you can also easily recall and use. The glossary helps you to recognize which words should be in your active and passive vocabularies. Spending time memorizing and working with the words in each Einheit that need to be in your active vocabulary helps to make them stick. Concentrating on just a few words at a time helps you put them into your active vocabulary. Flash cards work well, and you may devise other techniques that draw on your memory. Study them every night before you go to bed, tape them onto the bathroom mirror, and study them while you re dressing in the morning. Or keep them in your pocket, to look at when you have free time. The glossary has suggestions for remembering and learning vocabulary. However you do it, spend some time every day learning these words. Before you know it, you ll have increased your active vocabulary. Note: When you re studying nouns, learn their definite articles. Don t just learn that Bett means bed, but learn also that das Bett is the bed. When studying verbs, learn whether they re regular or irregular verbs. If they re irregular, learn how they re irregular. This information is in the vocabulary list, so make sure you learn it too! After the vocabulary comes the meat of the Aufgabe, the discussion. The discussion comprises activities from the textbook and workbook. These small sections are designed to be completed in one sitting because they concentrate on one element of the Einheit. Some activities are based on grammar, others on reading selections, and others on the CDs. Many times the activities integrate all three. These activities are varied and manageable. Some include assignments that are written, while others are speaking assignments. Sometimes the activities will have exercises for you to do and then check on your own, so you can monitor your progress along the way. It s best not to do more than two activities in one sitting, as they cover specific subjects that may begin to blur if you do too many at once. Finally, each Aufgabe includes an assignment that consists of written and spoken assignments you will submit for grading by your instructor. Completing Speaking Assignments Throughout the course, you will be required to practice your German speaking skills in speaking assignments. The speaking assignments will be recorded using the Tests & Surveys tool in Oncourse. To record your voice, you will need access to a computer with a microphone. Most newer laptops have built-in microphones. If you have to buy one, you can get a headset-style microphone (used for Internet phone service) for less than $10. On a desktop computer, the jacks or sockets are often on the back. You will probably want to write out and practice aloud your responses before recording them. When you are ready to record your responses, you will launch the recorder provided in the 3

4 speaking assignment. Your browser may need to install additional software before recording of your first speaking assignment can begin. You will be able to play and rerecord your speaking assignment as many times as you wish before you submit it. Exams You ll take a midterm and a final exam. The midterm covers textbook Einheiten 8 10; the final exam covers Einheiten Each exam, lasting a maximum of two hours, includes questions that involve reading, writing, speaking, and listening activities. Exam questions include multiplechoice, speaking, fill-in-the-blank, matching, and short-answer exercises. The exams focus on your mastery of the objectives in each Einheit. Your exams are proctored, so please arrange to take them well ahead of time. Otherwise, scheduling an exam might cause a delay in your progress. Scheduling exams in advance will also help keep you focused and moving ahead in the course work. More information about the exams and scheduling them is provided in Aufgaben 4 and 10. If you have questions about specific exam policies, please refer to the student handbook. Grading Standards All lessons are weighted equally in assigning a letter grade. The point value of each assignment is provided at the end of each Aufgabe. Based on the point value of each assignment, your instructor calculates a percentage for each lesson. Here is the grading scale A A A B B B C C C D D D 0 59 F Your course grade is determined thus: lesson average 34% midterm exam 33% final exam 33% 4

5 However, to comply with the Independent Study Program s academic policies, your exam grades must average at least a D for you to pass the course. Even if you have a perfect score on the assignments, you can t pass the course unless you fulfill this requirement. Words of Advice This course is an opportunity to expand your knowledge about German grammar, vocabulary, and culture. Here are my suggestions for success in this course: 1. Don t rush the course. Each Aufgabe should take about two weeks for you to finish this course in one semester. Don t expect to cover a lesson in one sitting, or even two. If you rush through the lessons, you won t understand the material. Linguistic researchers have shown that we can t simply cram language learning; the brain can retain only small doses at a time. 2. Begin each Aufgabe by reading through the entire Aufgabe in this course guide and the entire Einheit in the textbook. 3. Next, spend some time with the glossary. Study the words, make flash cards as appropriate, and try to begin to get the words into your head. 4. Listen to all of the listening material in the Aufgabe. Don t do the accompanying exercises yet; just listen to them and listen for the words from your glossary. Don t make it a high-pressure situation; just enjoy listening to German and getting a feel for its cadence. 5. Do the activities one or two at a time. 6. Try to study your vocabulary and listen to German in some form every day. You can listen to your CDs, use the many resources available on the Internet (even YouTube is a good resource), listen to German music (check out Step into German), watch Deutsche Welle on the television or computer, or find some other way to immerse yourself in German. The more you hear, the better your language skills will be! 7. Find someone who can help you in your studies. It could be a friend, parent, tutor, or someone else. Some activities require you to read aloud or quiz yourself, and this is easier when you have someone to work with. They don t need to be by your side as you do every activity, but should be available to help when needed. 8. Read and follow this course guide. It is designed to guide you through the course and may answer many questions you have. 9. or call your instructor when you don t understand an activity or a topic. 10. Congratulate yourself when you complete a lesson; it s a lot of work! Machine Translators Note that in a foreign language course, the use of a machine translator to translate sentences into another language is considered plagiarism. This course is designed to help you learn German. Using a computer to translate from English to German is not learning German! Using a computer dictionary, like the Leo German-English Dictionary, which translates words and phrases, is perfectly acceptable, because it is no different than using a regular dictionary. Using a machine translator like Babelfish is not acceptable, because it does not require any work on your part. It is very easy for an instructor to tell when something has been translated using a machine translator because very often the translation is incorrect, and it is often translated at a level which 5

6 is far beyond what you have learned in this course. Therefore, be warned that machine translations do not make language instructors happy, and you will receive a failing grade on anything that has been translated with a computer. Lesson Outline Introduction Lesson (Aufgabe) 1: Essen und Trinken in Deutschland Lesson (Aufgabe) 2: Gute Laune, schlechte Laune Lesson (Aufgabe) 3: Wiederholung Lesson (Aufgabe) 4: Midterm Exam Tips Lesson (Aufgabe) 5: Einstein und die falsche Fährte Lesson (Aufgabe) 6: Wohnen Lesson (Aufgabe) 7: Geld Lesson (Aufgabe) 8: what is German? Lesson (Aufgabe) 9: Wiederholung Lesson 10: Final Exam Tips 6