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Home > German Language in Context: Emerging Independent Abroad I

German Language in Context: Emerging Independent Abroad I

(formerly GR 201 Intermediate German I)
Center: 
Vienna
Program(s): 
Vienna - Music
Vienna - European Society & Culture
Discipline(s): 
German Language
Course code: 
GR 301
Terms offered: 
Fall
Spring
Credits: 
4
Language of instruction: 
German
Instructor: 
Mag. Birgitta Schöny
Description: 

STUDENT PROFILE:
Students entering this level must be able to fulfill the learning outcomes of the Novice Abroad level, as defined by the IES Abroad MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication. Specifically, they should already be able to express themselves on a variety of concrete, everyday topics and meet their basic needs in the language. Students who enter this level may be more proficient in reading and writing skills than oral communication, especially if they have never traveled or studied abroad previously. Although students may have been exposed previously to certain competencies taught at this level, they need additional practice and instruction to move toward mastery of these competencies.  Students at this level may succeed in partner university courses (when offered through the local center) as long as such courses are primarily designed for international students and/or require passive student linguistic participation (art studios, dance). As students gain more self-awareness and self-confidence, they will attempt more in the community. Paradoxically, this means they may also experience more miscommunications and frustration. Reading and writing require effort, and many students will need to make a special effort in this regard. Students will also develop cultural awareness and skills to work through the challenges of adaptation in the local culture and learn to celebrate their successes. They will begin to appreciate the value of these language and intercultural skills. This course builds upon skills introduced in Novice Abroad.  By the end of the course, the successful student will have begun to develop some communicative and cultural self-confidence necessary to attempt moderately complex tasks in the language, as described in the learning outcomes below.

Prerequisites: 

Proficiency at a level equivalent to IES Abroad’s Novice Abroad, as determined by placement test.

Learning outcomes: 

Students who are placed in this level should have achieved the outcomes in the Novice 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 Emerging 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. Increasingly, students will be able to make informed comparisons between the host culture and the students' home cultures.

B: Students will be able to distinguish between verbal and non verbal communication that reflects politeness, formality, or informality.

C: Students will be able to recognize simple patterns of intonation and their meaning.

D: Students will be able to solve some daily unexpected situations and meet needs with limited help.

II.Listening

A:Students will be able to understand some interactions (media, speeches, music, conversations, etc.), especially if the speaker is used to interacting with non-native speakers.

B. Students will be able to understand direct requests, questions, and simple conversations on familiar and concrete topics.

III.Speaking

A.Students will be able to talk to a limited extent about persons and things in their immediate environment, as well as their plans and their experiences.

B. Students will be able to address moderately complicated situations involving familiar subjects.

III.Reading

A. Students will be able to read passages and uncomplicated longer texts (simple narratives, detailed instructions, etc.) on familiar topics and understand the general meaning.

B. Students will be able to support their understanding of texts through the use of context, visual aids, dictionaries, or with the assistance of others in order to facilitate comprehension.

V.Writing

A.Students will be able to communicate with some effectiveness through notes, emails, and simple online discussions and chats.

B.Students will be able to write short essays on concrete topics of limited levels of complexity and accuracy, although with reliance on the communicative patterns of their native language.

Method of presentation: 

Language instructors use the classroom to practice German through dialogues, work in groups, role plays, reading, listening comprehensions, and written practice. We also do researches on the Internet.

Required work and form of assessment: 

Regular attendance and participation in class work, regular assignments, quizzes, oral presentations, classroom discussions and midterm and final exam.

Grading

Oral work: 40%

Homework: 10%

Quizzes: 25%

Final exam: 25%

Work and exams in the intensive part of the course count for one third of the overall grade.

content: 

INTENSIVE

 

WEEK

CONTENT

ASSIGNMENTS

CORRESPONDING LEARNING OUTCOMES

Week 1

 

Topics:

● Information about persons

●  Daily routine

●  The coffeehouse (field trip)

Functional:

Talking about personal identity and origin

Useful class language and phrases

Talking about the daily routine

Review of numbers

Telling the time

The coffeehouse in Austria

Grammatical:

Forms of address:  Du or Sie

Interrogatives (W-Fragen, Ja/Nein-Fragen)

conjugation of regular,  irregular and separable verbs  in present tense

Word order

Coordinating Conjunctions

 

 

Subordinating conjunctions: weil, wenn

Pronoun “man”

Definitie and indefinite article in all cases

Time expressions

Vocabulary: personal identity, useful phrases, coffee and coffeehouse, time expressions, many verbs

Cultural: The coffeehouse (various names for coffee, typical Austrian/Viennese pastries), a visit to the Palmenhauscafé

Interviewing classmates to get to know each other, introducing the partner in class

Reading short text about people`s identity

Analysis of mistakes

Crossword (conjugation of verbs)

Game (conjugation of verbs)

Fill-in exercises: verbs, cases

Training of time expressions

Listening  “Im Kaffeehaus”

Reading a dialogue “In the coffeehouse”

Playing short dialogues: How to order in a coffeehouse

Reading a text about the Austrian coffeehouse

Reading a text about the Sachertorte

Ordering in a coffeehouse

Presenting the dialogues “In the coffeehouse” in class (=part 1 of oral exam)

Listening to a song “Aber bitte mit Sahne” by the Austrian singer Udo Jürgens

Field trip: Quiz in the coffeehouse

Composition:

- Write a text about yourself

- Write about the daily routine of yourself and your partner

- Write a dialogue “In the coffeehouse”

I.A., I.B., I.C., I.D.

II.A., II.B.

III.A., III.B.

IV.A., IV.B.

V.A., V.B.

Week 2

 

Topics:

● Austria and its states

● The Naschmarkt (field trip)

● Plans for the weekend

● Song “Wien-Berlin”

Functional:

Learning about Austria, the Austrian states and capitals, some interesting facts

The Naschmarkt

Talking about plans for the weekend in Vienna or Austria

Grammatical:

Modal verbs in present, past and present perfect tense (wordorder)

Future 1 (Wordorder)

Coordinating and subordinating conjunctions

Vocabulary: states and capitals of Austria, Naschmarkt (food, fruits, vegetables, spices)

Cultural: Austria, its states and capitals, Naschmarkt, supermarkets, open markets in Vienna

Learning about the Austrian states and capitals

Reading a text about Austria

Interviewing a partner with modal verbs

Fill-in exercises: modal verbs, future 1, coordinating and subordinating conjunctions

Listening “Auf dem Naschmarkt”

Reading a text about „The Naschmarkt“

Playing short dialogues “Auf dem Naschmarkt”

Playing a longer dialogue in class „Auf dem Naschmarkt“ (=part 2 of oral exam)

Reading various Austrian texts about the plans of people for the next weekend

Looking for “Austrian expressions” and English words in German texts

Interviewing the partner about his/her plans for the weekend

Reading a current newspaper article

Listening the song “Wien- Berlin” by Keiner mag Faustmann

Talking about the song and the band

Reading a text about the young band

Talking about some instruments

Watching the music clip  “Wien-Berlin”, talking about the clip

Composition:

- Write a dialogue „Auf dem   Naschmarkt“

- Write an email about your plans for the next weekend

I.A., I.B., I.C., I.D.

II.A., II.B.

III.A., III.B.

IV.A., IV.B.

V.A., V.B.

Week 3

(UNIT 1)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Topics:

● A personal letter

● The City hall (field trip)

●  Kriminacht (only in fall semester)

● From one place to another (Unit 1)

Functional: Talking about the City hall, listening the song “Wien-Berlin” by Keiner mag Faustmann, talking about travel experiences

Grammatical: present perfect tense, word order, indirect questions, conjunctions: deshalb, darum, deswegen, aus diesem Grund

Vocabulary: The City hall, travel experiences

Cultural:  The City hall, Die Wiener Kriminacht, travelling experiences (culture shock?

 

 

FINAL TEST

Reading a letter about the study stay in Austria

Reading about the City hall

Talking about the City hall (likes/dislikes)

Fill-in exercise: vocabulary

Doing research in the Internet “Die Wiener Kriminacht”

Reading short statements of people`s travel experiences

Listening about the life and travel experiences of Virginia, who works for a tourist agency

Fill-in exercises: conjunctions

Training of indirect questions in discussions and partner interviews

Interviewing one classmate about his/her travel experiences

Composition:

- Write a personal letter about the study stay in Austria

- Write a newspaper article about the travel experiences of your partner/ of yourself!

 

 

I.A., I.B., I.C., I.D.

II.A., II.B.

III.A., III.B.

IV.A., IV.B.

V.A., V.B.

 

 

SEMESTER

 

WEEK

CONTENT

ASSIGNMENTS

CORRESPONDING LEARNING OUTCOMES

Week 1

 

Travelling in Europe

Functional: Talking about the last holiday

Grammatical: review of present perfect tense, question words: Wo? Wohin? Woher?; prepositions nach, in (acc. oder dat.), aus, von

Vocabulary: countries and cities; verbs of motion

Cultural: countries, capitals and famous cities in Europe

 

Interviewing one classmate about the last holiday, talking about experiences during this vacation

Review: Filling in perfect forms in letters and dialogues

Fill-in exercises: question words, verbs of motions and some prepositions

 Composition:

Write a letter / an email about your last vacation

I.A., I.B., I.C., I.D.

II.A., II.B.

III.A., III.B.

IV.A., IV.B.

V.A., V.B.

Week 2

UNIT 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clothes

Functional: Talking about clothes (likes and dislikes); Making up a dialogue “In the clothing store”

Grammatical: genitive case; prepositions + gen.; adjective endings (ein-words, der-words, without ein- or der-words); comparison of adjectives

Vocabulary: clothes, fashion

Cultural: shops and stores in Vienna

Listening  interviews about fashion

Interview with a classmate about fashion and clothes

Making a dialogue in the clothing  store

Fill-in exercises: adjective endings; genitive

Oral training of the use of adjectives and their endings

Composition:

Write a dialogue “In the clothing store”!

I.A., I.B., I.C., I.D.

II.A., II.B.

III.A.

IV.A., IV.B.

V.A., V.B.

Week 3

UNIT 3

Language stay / Study stay

Functional: Talking about what the students consider to be important while learning/studying languages

Grammatical: verbs and expressions with “zu + Infinitiv“

Vocabulary: languages, study trip, language stay; several verbs and expressions used with “zu + infinitive”; useful phrases for discussions

Cultural:  specifics of Austrian language; some words and phrases

Reading a diary entry of Sandra about her language stay in France

Reading about how to learn a language

Discussion about learning languages

How do the students learn languages? Tips and advices

Fill-in exercises: infinitive with or without “zu”

Composition:

Write about your personal experiences while learning /studying a language. What do you consider to be important/ not so important in a language course?

I.A., I.B., I.C., I.D.

II.A., II.B.

III.A., III.B.

IV.A., IV.B.

V.A., V.B.

Week 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

UNIT 4

EXTRA: Talking about the austrian poet Ernst Jandl and some of his poems, especially “Ottos Mops”

 

 

 

Working in Vienna

Functional: Reading a text about a woman working for the UN, talking about life in Vienna; Presenting the home city!

Grammatical: compound verbs;

um … zu

Vocabulary: compound verbs, life in cities

Cultural: The austrian poet Ernst Jandl and his poetry, different sides of Vienna

Listening and reading some of Ernst Jandl`s poems

Watching a small video “Ottos Mops”

Talking about the characteristics of his poetry

 

Reading a text about a woman working for the UN, talking about life in Vienna

Training of compound verbs

Talking about the home cities of the students and what they like and do not like there

Presentation of their cities

Composition:

Write a text about your home city (likes and dislikes)!

 

I.A., I.B., I.C., I.D.

II.A., II.B.

III.A., III.B.

IV.A., IV.B.

V.A., V.B.

Week 5

UNIT 4

Musicians in Vienna

Functional: Talking about music and musicians in Vienna, in particular about Krzystof Dobrek and his band

Grammatical: preterite

Vocabulary: music, musicians and instruments

Cultural: music in Vienna; reading an Austrian legend

Listening about Krzystof Dobrek and his band

Training of the preterite

Talking about music and instruments

Read the legend “Meister Puchsbaum”!

 

I.A., I.B., I.C., I.D.

II.A., II.B.

III.A., III.B.

IV.A., IV.B.

 

Week 6

UNIT 5

 

 

 

 

 

 

Life between cultures

Functional: Talking about relatives or friends who emigrated

Grammatical: relative clauses (nominative, accusative)

Vocabulary: family, relatives

Cultural: Life in different culture (Austria, America,…)

 

 

 

M I D T E R M   E X A M

Talking about persons who emigrated

Discussion: Why do people emigrate?

Fill-in exercises: relative pronouns (nom., acc.)

Composition:

Write about a relative, a friend or a famous person who emigrated!

 

 

I.A., I.B., I.C., I.D.

II.A., II.B.

III.A., III.B.

IV.A., IV.B.

V.A., V.B.

Week 7

 

True Friendship

Functional: Talking about friendship in general and (best) friends

Grammatical: revision of the present perfect tense; reciprocal verbs; relative clauses (nom., acc, dat., gen.)

Vocabulary: friends, hobbies, cultural differences; expressing the opinion

Cultural: friendship in America and Europe

Reading some texts about friendship  and friends

Talking about friends and friendship

Different exercises with relative clauses

How to introduce a person in an appropriate way

Fill-in exercises: relative pronouns, reciprocal verbs

Memory with funny words to train relative clauses

Composition:

Write a text about your best friend(s)!

I.A., I.B., I.C., I.D.

II.A., II.B.

III.A., III.B.

IV.A., IV.B.

V.A., V.B.

Week 8

UNIT 7

What is luck?

Functional: Talking about luck, superstition and lucky charms

Grammatical: n-declension

Vocabulary: common proverbs

Cultural: lucky charms in different cultures; proverbs

 

Movies

Functional: Talking about different movies; expressing opinion.

Grammatical: passive voice; two part conjunctions

Vocabulary: movies, how to express one`s opinion

Cultural: Austrian and American movies

Reading short statements about people`s feelings about luck and lucky charms

Composition:

● Write about a lucky charm!

● Are you superstitious?

 

 

 

 

Interviewing a classmate about his/her favorite movie(s)

Talking about television and movies

Reading a short text about the favorite movie of a person

Reading and understanding the television program

Composition:

Writing an essay about your favorite movie

I.A., I.B., I.C., I.D.

II.A., II.B.

III.A., III.B.

IV.A., IV.B.

V.A., V.B.

Week 9

UNIT 9

Caring Professions

Functional: Talking about accidents, going to the doctor, to the hospital

Grammatical: Reflexivpronomen,  lassen + zu + Infintiv, nicht brauchen + zu + Infinitv

Vocabulary: professions, health system, accidents, ..

Cultural: The Austrian and American health system

Reading a text about a nurse

Listening a text about an accident

Interviewing a classmate about his/her experiences with doctors and hospitals

Talking about the differences between the Austrian and American health system

Composition:

Write a short text about an accident (comic strip)

I.A., I.B., I.C., I.D.

II.A., II.B.

III.A., III.B.

IV.A., IV.B.

V.A., V.B.

Week 10

UNIT 10

 

 

 

 

Wishes and hopes!

Functional: Talking about different ways of life,  wishes and hopes

Grammatical: subjunctive II

Vocabulary: personal wishes, hopes for life and profession

 

Cultural: living conditions in Austria and America

Talking about different ways of life, wishes and hopes

Reading texts about neighbors and life situations

Talking about life situations and living conditions

Composition:

● Write a short text about your living conditions in America

● What are your hopes and wishes for your future!

I.A., I.B., I.C., I.D.

II.A., II.B.

III.A., III.B.

IV.A., IV.B.

V.A., V.B.

Week 11

The catacombs (field trip)

Functional: Talking about the catacombs

Grammatical: comparison sentences with “ je …desto …”

Vocabulary: catacombs

Cultural: The Catacombs of Vienna

Reading a text about the catacombs

Talking about the catacombs

Fill-in exercises: vocabulary

Training of “ je …desto…” sentences

I.A., I.B., I.C., I.D.

II.A., II.B.

III.A., III.B.

IV.A., IV.B.

 

Week 12

F I N A  L   E X A M

 

 

 

Required readings: 

Optimal B1 and handouts made up by the teacher, according to studen'ts needs.

Brief Biography of Instructor: 

Mag. Birgitta Schöny, earned her degree at the University of Vienna in German and Russian. During her studies she worked 4 months as a lector in Baku (Azerbaijan) and 5 months in Moscow (Russia). Since 2004 she has been working at IES Abroad Vienna teaching Novice III and Emerging Independent I.

Contact Hours: 
110 hours

Source URL: http://www.iesabroad.org/study-abroad/courses/vienna/fall-2013/gr-301