Students who enter this level are able to accomplish everyday needs required to live in a new culture. In this course, students will begin to develop independence and autonomy so that, when communication does break down, they have some tools at their disposal to resolve these challenges independently. Students should welcome correction and guidance from their instructors, hosts, and others in the community as they progress.
By the end of this course, students will begin to converse at a rate of speed approaching normal conversation. They will start to become creative, spontaneous, and self-reliant as they solve problems, interpret texts, negotiate, and express their opinions, likes, and dislikes in the culture. Although students will make errors and experience communication breakdowns, they are sometimes able to resolve these on their own. Students will understand some colloquial expressions and slang, and will begin to understand a wider variety of native speakers from different backgrounds. By the end of this level, students will be capable of achieving the learning outcomes outlined below.
Prerequisites:
Proficiency at a level equivalent to IES Abroad’s Emerging Independent Abroad, as determined by placement test.
Attendance policy:
All IES courses require attendance and participation. Attendance is mandatory per IES policy. Any unexcused absence may count against your final grade. Any student who has more than three (3) unexcused absences will receive an “F” as the final grade in the course. Absences due to sickness, religious observances, and family emergencies may be excusable at the discretion of the Center Director.
In the case of an excused absence, it is the student’s responsibility to inform the Academic Officer of the absence with an Official Excused Absence Form, as well as any other relevant documentation (e.g. a doctor’s note), and to keep a record thereof. This form must be turned in as soon as possible before the class, in the case of a planned absence, or immediately after the class, in the case of an unplanned absence, in order for the absence to be considered excused. It is also the student’s responsibility to inform the professor of the missed class.
Students who are placed in this level should have achieved the outcomes in the Emerging Independent Abroad level as defined by the IES Abroad MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication.
By the end of the course, students will be able to achieve some of the outcomes for the Independent Abroad level as defined by the MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication. The key learning outcomes from the MAP are summarized below:
I. Intercultural Communication
A. Students will begin to identify at a basic level key host cultures, subcultures, habits, norms, and behaviors in a variety of settings, and they will be aware of the risk that generalizations can lead to stereotypes.
B. Students will start to identify their own cultural beliefs, behaviors, and values by contrasting and comparing them with those of the host cultures.
C. Students will be able to identify some gestures and body language, and they may be able to integrate some of those nonverbal actions into their interactions with native speakers.
II. Listening
A. Students will be able to understand some spoken communications of moderate complexity (media, speeches, music, conversations, etc.) on a wide range of concrete everyday topics as well as abstract topics covered in classes.
B. Students will begin to understand native speakers from a variety of backgrounds and limited experience with non-native speakers, and they will comprehend common colloquial expressions and slang.
III. Speaking
A. Students will be able to speak on and discuss concrete everyday and personal topics, abstract topics covered in classes, as well as other topics of particular interest to them.
B. Students will be able to participate and respond actively in a variety of interactions.
C. Students will be able to give short presentations on topics related to the host culture.
IV. Reading
A. Students will be able to read and understand articles, stories, and online texts using background knowledge to aid their comprehension.
B. Students will begin to read and understand the key ideas of academic texts on familiar topics with assistance.
V. Writing
A. Students will be able to meet many everyday writing needs (notes, text messages, formal and informal letters, emails, chats, online forums).
B. Students will be able to write essays for class that narrate, describe, report, compare, contrast, and summarize on a wide range of topics with developing degrees of grammatical and lexical accuracy.
C. Students will be able to edit their own and their peers’ writing for common errors covered in class.
Method of presentation:
Homework and daily participation, essays, Moodle, field studies, class project
Required work and form of assessment:
Quiz 1 10%
Quiz 2 10%
Participation, homework & Berlin project 30%
Class project (including oral presentation & 2 written assignments) 30%
Final exam 20%
content:
Week
Content
Assignments
Corresponding Learning Outcome(s)
Week 1
(intensive)
1.Functional:
Introducing yourself
Asking for directions
German for everyday use: typical phrases, restaurant, shopping
2.Grammatical:
Talking about things in the past
3.Vocabulary:
Places and activities in the city
Food and drinks
4.Culture:
Shopping in Freiburg
„Decoding Freiburg”
Berlin: now and then
Interviewing classmates
Interviewing German flatmates
Reading: “Der erste oder der einzige Tag”
Field study: shopping in Freiburg
Field study: Berlin Project “Holocaust Memorial”
I.B., I.A,
III.A., III.C., IV.A.,
Week 2
Field Trip Berlin-Prague
Field study: Berlin Project “Holocaust Memorial”
Week 3
1.Functional:
Talking about the Field Trip
Making arrangements
2.Grammatical:
Noun gender
Review of cases
3.Vocabulary:
Free-time activities
4.Culture:
Berlin Project
Talking about the Field Trip
German media culture
Group presentation Field Trip
Discussion Berlin Project
Making plans for the weekend
Reading German Newspapers
Class project
I.A., II.B., III.B., IV. A., IV. B.
Week 4
1.Functional:
Talking about travel experiences and plans
Stating an opinion, coming to an understanding
2.Grammatical:
Local prepositions (geographical)
3.Vocabulary:
Travel
Countries and nationalities
Landscape types
4.Culture:
Travelling in Europe
Listening comprehension on Moodle
Interviewing International flat mates
Reading: “Ich brauche Urlaub!”
Class project
II.A., III.A., IV.A., IV.B., V.B.
Week 5
1.Functional:
Talking about housing situation
2.Grammatical:
Two-way prepositions
Position verbs
3.Vocabulary:
Furniture
House objects
4.Culture:
Student housing in Germany and the U.S.
Quiz 1 (tue, 9.10.)
Presentation “Meine WG”
Role-play “Probleme in der WG”
Listening comprehension on Moodle
Class project
I.A., II.B., III.A., III.C.
Week 6
Field Trip Institutions Paris-Brussels
Week 7
(22.-26.10.)
1.Functional:
Talking about the Field Trip
2.Grammatical:
Local adverbs
Feedback Quiz 1
3.Vocabulary:
House objects II
Feedback Quiz 1
4.Culture:
Talking about the Field Trip
Feedback Quiz 1
Listening comprehension on Moodle
Class project
II.A., II.B., III.A., V.C.
Week 8
1.Functional:
Dialogue “At the doctor’s”
Pronunciation practice
2.Grammatical:
Subjunctive II: Advice
Subjunctive II: Conditional phrases (present and past)
3.Vocabulary:
The human body
Health problems
4.Culture:
German proverbs
Listening comprehension on Moodle
Interviewing classmates: “What if…”
“Guten Tag, Herr Doktor“: a play in the class room
Class project
I.B., I.C.,
II.B., III.B., IV.A., V.C.
Week 9
1.Functional:
Talking about a movie
2.Grammatical:
Passive voice (with modal verbs)
Review for quiz
3.Vocabulary:
Review for quiz
Arts and movies
4.Culture:
German film: “Almanya”
Presentation
“Lieblingsfilm/ Lieblingsserie/
Lieblingsbuch”
Review for quiz
Quiz 2
Class project
I.A., I.C., II.A., III.A., III.C., V.B.
Week 10
1.Functional:
Enquiring about and describing studies or work
How to give a presentation
2.Grammatical:
Subordinating conjunctions
Coordinating conjunctions
Prepositions
3.Vocabulary:
Job and profession
College and university
Job-related adjectives
4.Culture:
Class project presentations
Feedback Quiz 2
Interviewing classmates on work experiences etc.
Listening comprehension on Moodle
Presentation: “Mein Traumjob”
Class project presentations
I.A., II.B., III.A., III.C., IV.A., IV.B.
Week 11
1.Functional:
Comparisons
2.Grammatical:
Comparative, superlative
3.Vocabulary:
Adjectives
Character traits
4.Culture:
Colloquial speech / Young people slang
“Typically German-Typically American”
“Who am I?”: Describing people
Reading: “Deutschland ist so unsittlich”
I.A., I.B., II.B., III.A., V.A.
Week 12
Field Trip member states
Week 13
1.Functional:
Talking about Field Trips
2.Grammatical:
Relative clauses
Verbs with prepositions
Da-/Wo-compounds
3.Vocabulary:
Relationships; Character
Family and friends
4.Culture:
German Christmas
Group Presentations Field Trips
Listening comprehension on Moodle
Field study: “Weihnachtsmarkt”
I.A., II.B., III.A., III.B., IV.A.
Week 14
1.Functional:
Review for final exam
2.Grammatical:
Review for final exam
t.b.a.
3.Vocabulary:
Review for final exam
4.Culture:
t.b.a.
Review for Final Exam
Week 15
Final exam
Subject to changes depending on level and progress of class
Required readings:
IES Abroad Reader for German 301/351 – Corinna Hardt
Notes:
This syllabus contains a representative course calendar and field studies. Cultural topics and field studies may vary by semester and by season.
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Corinna Hardt earned her M.A degree in German, Scandinavian, and Italian Language and Literature from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität of Munich and the University of Lund, Sweden. After that she completed further training (International House Teacher Training) to teach German as a Foreign Language. She is a teacher trainer for TTI Freiburg and has taught German as a Foreign Language since 2004 at the Goethe Zentrum of Verona, Italy, at the University of Freiburg, at International House Freiburg, for IES Abroad European Union, and IES Abroad German Program and for AYF (Academic Year Freiburg). She is currently a language instructor and German course coordinator at IES European Union.
German Language in Context: Emerging Independent Abroad I
Students who enter this level are able to accomplish everyday needs required to live in a new culture. In this course, students will begin to develop independence and autonomy so that, when communication does break down, they have some tools at their disposal to resolve these challenges independently. Students should welcome correction and guidance from their instructors, hosts, and others in the community as they progress.
By the end of this course, students will begin to converse at a rate of speed approaching normal conversation. They will start to become creative, spontaneous, and self-reliant as they solve problems, interpret texts, negotiate, and express their opinions, likes, and dislikes in the culture. Although students will make errors and experience communication breakdowns, they are sometimes able to resolve these on their own. Students will understand some colloquial expressions and slang, and will begin to understand a wider variety of native speakers from different backgrounds. By the end of this level, students will be capable of achieving the learning outcomes outlined below.
Proficiency at a level equivalent to IES Abroad’s Emerging Independent Abroad, as determined by placement test.
All IES courses require attendance and participation. Attendance is mandatory per IES policy. Any unexcused absence may count against your final grade. Any student who has more than three (3) unexcused absences will receive an “F” as the final grade in the course. Absences due to sickness, religious observances, and family emergencies may be excusable at the discretion of the Center Director.
In the case of an excused absence, it is the student’s responsibility to inform the Academic Officer of the absence with an Official Excused Absence Form, as well as any other relevant documentation (e.g. a doctor’s note), and to keep a record thereof. This form must be turned in as soon as possible before the class, in the case of a planned absence, or immediately after the class, in the case of an unplanned absence, in order for the absence to be considered excused. It is also the student’s responsibility to inform the professor of the missed class.
Students can download the Official Excused Absence Form at https://eu.elearning.iesabroad.org.
QUIZZES MISSED DURING UNEXCUSED ABSENCES CANNOT BE MADE UP!
The use of laptop computers during class is not permitted. Cell phones are to be switched off.
Updated information on your course can be found at https://eu.elearning.iesabroad.org.
Students who are placed in this level should have achieved the outcomes in the Emerging Independent Abroad level as defined by the IES Abroad MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication.
By the end of the course, students will be able to achieve some of the outcomes for the Independent Abroad level as defined by the MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication. The key learning outcomes from the MAP are summarized below:
I. Intercultural Communication
A. Students will begin to identify at a basic level key host cultures, subcultures, habits, norms, and behaviors in a variety of settings, and they will be aware of the risk that generalizations can lead to stereotypes.
B. Students will start to identify their own cultural beliefs, behaviors, and values by contrasting and comparing them with those of the host cultures.
C. Students will be able to identify some gestures and body language, and they may be able to integrate some of those nonverbal actions into their interactions with native speakers.
II. Listening
A. Students will be able to understand some spoken communications of moderate complexity (media, speeches, music, conversations, etc.) on a wide range of concrete everyday topics as well as abstract topics covered in classes.
B. Students will begin to understand native speakers from a variety of backgrounds and limited experience with non-native speakers, and they will comprehend common colloquial expressions and slang.
III. Speaking
A. Students will be able to speak on and discuss concrete everyday and personal topics, abstract topics covered in classes, as well as other topics of particular interest to them.
B. Students will be able to participate and respond actively in a variety of interactions.
C. Students will be able to give short presentations on topics related to the host culture.
IV. Reading
A. Students will be able to read and understand articles, stories, and online texts using background knowledge to aid their comprehension.
B. Students will begin to read and understand the key ideas of academic texts on familiar topics with assistance.
V. Writing
A. Students will be able to meet many everyday writing needs (notes, text messages, formal and informal letters, emails, chats, online forums).
B. Students will be able to write essays for class that narrate, describe, report, compare, contrast, and summarize on a wide range of topics with developing degrees of grammatical and lexical accuracy.
C. Students will be able to edit their own and their peers’ writing for common errors covered in class.
Homework and daily participation, essays, Moodle, field studies, class project
Quiz 1 10%
Quiz 2 10%
Participation, homework & Berlin project 30%
Class project (including oral presentation & 2 written assignments) 30%
Final exam 20%
Week
Content
Assignments
Corresponding Learning Outcome(s)
Week 1
(intensive)
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Interviewing classmates
Interviewing German flatmates
Reading: “Der erste oder der einzige Tag”
Field study: shopping in Freiburg
Field study: Berlin Project “Holocaust Memorial”
I.B., I.A,
III.A., III.C., IV.A.,
Week 2
Field Trip Berlin-Prague
Field study: Berlin Project “Holocaust Memorial”
Week 3
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Group presentation Field Trip
Discussion Berlin Project
Making plans for the weekend
Reading German Newspapers
Class project
I.A., II.B., III.B., IV. A., IV. B.
Week 4
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Listening comprehension on Moodle
Interviewing International flat mates
Reading: “Ich brauche Urlaub!”
Class project
II.A., III.A., IV.A., IV.B., V.B.
Week 5
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Quiz 1 (tue, 9.10.)
Presentation “Meine WG”
Role-play “Probleme in der WG”
Listening comprehension on Moodle
Class project
I.A., II.B., III.A., III.C.
Week 6
Field Trip Institutions Paris-Brussels
Week 7
(22.-26.10.)
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Feedback Quiz 1
Listening comprehension on Moodle
Class project
II.A., II.B., III.A., V.C.
Week 8
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Listening comprehension on Moodle
Interviewing classmates: “What if…”
“Guten Tag, Herr Doktor“: a play in the class room
Class project
I.B., I.C.,
II.B., III.B., IV.A., V.C.
Week 9
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Presentation
“Lieblingsfilm/ Lieblingsserie/
Lieblingsbuch”
Review for quiz
Quiz 2
Class project
I.A., I.C., II.A., III.A., III.C., V.B.
Week 10
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Feedback Quiz 2
Interviewing classmates on work experiences etc.
Listening comprehension on Moodle
Presentation: “Mein Traumjob”
Class project presentations
I.A., II.B., III.A., III.C., IV.A., IV.B.
Week 11
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
“Who am I?”: Describing people
Reading: “Deutschland ist so unsittlich”
I.A., I.B., II.B., III.A., V.A.
Week 12
Field Trip member states
Week 13
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Group Presentations Field Trips
Listening comprehension on Moodle
Field study: “Weihnachtsmarkt”
I.A., II.B., III.A., III.B., IV.A.
Week 14
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Review for Final Exam
Week 15
Final exam
Subject to changes depending on level and progress of class
IES Abroad Reader for German 301/351 – Corinna Hardt
This syllabus contains a representative course calendar and field studies. Cultural topics and field studies may vary by semester and by season.
Corinna Hardt earned her M.A degree in German, Scandinavian, and Italian Language and Literature from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität of Munich and the University of Lund, Sweden. After that she completed further training (International House Teacher Training) to teach German as a Foreign Language. She is a teacher trainer for TTI Freiburg and has taught German as a Foreign Language since 2004 at the Goethe Zentrum of Verona, Italy, at the University of Freiburg, at International House Freiburg, for IES Abroad European Union, and IES Abroad German Program and for AYF (Academic Year Freiburg). She is currently a language instructor and German course coordinator at IES European Union.