Students who enter this course will already be capable of achieving the outcomes of the Emerging Competent Abroad level as defined by the IES Abroad MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication. Students who take this level should already be familiar with most of the complex structures and linguistic functions that will be covered. They should not be surprised, however, to find that they will need to review these aspects of the language to develop greater fluency and more sensitivity to subtle and underlying linguistic and cultural meanings.
Students entering this level can succeed in a wide range of university courses designed for native speakers, provided they have met any prerequisites. Before registering, they should consult with the appropriate IES Abroad academic advisor on course selection.
By the end of this course, students will be fully able to meet the demands of living and working in the host culture. They will be able to communicate accurately, vividly, and expressively with their hosts on most topics. Students who succeed in this course will be able to function in a professional setting and to undertake further personal or professional projects in the host culture. Students will be able to understand local cultural attitudes, values, beliefs, and behavior patterns well enough to make informed choices about which cultural features they would like to adopt or need to adopt in order to live harmoniously in the local culture.
Prerequisites:
Proficiency at a level equivalent to IES Abroad’s Emerging Competent Abroad, as determined by placement test.
Attendance policy:
Attendance at all IES Abroad courses, including field studies and excursions is necessary and mandatory. Unexcused absences will count against the 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 relevant documentation (e.g. a doctor’s note).
Missed tests cannot be taken at another point in time except in case of documented illness!
The use of laptop or notebook microcomputers during class sessions is only permitted with prior permission from the course instructor. Cell phones are to be switched off. Students are expected to be on time for class, since late arrivals can be distracting for the instructor and disruptive for the class.
Learning outcomes:
Students who are placed in this level should have achieved the outcomes in the Emerging Competent 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 the outcomes for the Competent 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 be able to express their own ideas, perspectives, and arguments thoroughly and yet tactfully, using language proficiency, sociolinguistic skills, and cultural knowledge.
B. Students will be able to perform any activity (social, academic, professional) a local student of their age, skills, and background would do with a considerable degree of success.
II. Listening
A. Students will be able to recognize and appreciate the beauty and richness of language when they hear it.
B. Students will be able to understand nearly all speakers on a wide range of complex topics, including their digressions, side comments, and humor.
III. Speaking
A. Students will be able to talk about abstract ideas and concepts, engage in agreement or disagreement, and defend their opinions with supporting evidence.
B. Students will be able to use the language for a wide range of presentational and creative purposes.
C. Students will be able to use an extensive variety of colloquial expressions and humor effectively.
D. Students will be capable of varying their language to make subtle and complex distinctions (e.g. formality and informality) with a wide array of native speakers.
IV. Reading
A. Students will be able to read and understand a broad range of academic resources and popular texts from the local community (print or online).
B. Students will be able to understand the main ideas and supporting details when reading many works of literature and nonfiction with some assistance at times.
C. Students will be able to recognize and appreciate the beauty and richness of the written word.
V. Writing
A. Students will be able to write academic texts that describe, relate, report, compare and contrast, analyze, and summarize with a high degree of precision and accuracy on a wide range of topics.
B. Students will be able to distinguish between the written style and the spoken style, and will be able to use the written style effectively with little assistance.
Method of presentation:
Readings, discussions, small group work, partner work, presentations; individual studies, interviews, research, homework (mainly written), usage of the e-learning platform Moodle, usage of the IES library
Required work and form of assessment:
Midterm 25 %
The Midterm Exam consists of two grammar quizzes (25 points each), which are written during the first weeks of the course, and an interview project. The interview project itself requires a written report on the results of the interviews held and a short presentation in class (maximum 15 minutes) about the most striking outcomes of the interview project. Project report and presentation are due on Thursday before the Midterm Week.
Reading a poem: "partizip perfekt" Rudolf Otto Wiemer
Analyzing a poem and finding allusions: "Kinderhymne" Bertolt Brecht
2.Grammatical:
Simple past tense
Irregular verbs in the simple past
Past participles of irregular verbs
3.Vocabulary:
Biography
Frequently used terms in National anthems throughout the world
National anthem of Germany
National anthem of the former German Democratic Republic
4.Culture:
Biography of Kurt Tucholsky
History of the National anthems of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and the former German Democratic Republic (GDR)
National Holiday of Reunification
Interviewing classmates in order to get to know each other and the teacher
Writing a poem for a famous person adapting the form of Wiemer's "partizip perfekt"
Creative writing (1st essay): Terms for the National anthem of a new state. Explain your selection of ideas and try to create an anthem for that state.
Field study: getting to know the German Holiday of Reunification
I A
II A
III B
IV B, C
V A, B
Week 2
1.Functional:
"Jetzt wächst zusammen, was zusammengehört" - Talking about the German reunification process
Reading original newspaper articles about historical events in 1989 and 1990 in the former GDR ("Das Jahr der Wende")
Describing, interpreting and evaluating graphics and surveys with regard to opinions about the German reunification
2.Grammatical:
Nominalization of verbal phrases
3.Vocabulary:
statistical terms
expressions for comparison and evaluation
figures in statistics and comparisons
4.Culture:
The 9th November in German history
The reunification process in Berlin from 1990 to the present
Summarizing historical events by creating newspaper headlines
Presenting the results of analyzing graphics and surveys in class
Reading a short story: Jana Kellermann
"Heimat im Herzen"
I A
III A, B
IV A, C
Week 3
1.Functional:
Preparing the interview project on the reunification process in Berlin
Discussing controversial social issues: "Gentrification in Berlin"
2.Grammatical:
Noun-verb-constructions (Funktionsverbgefüge: z.B. zur Sprache kommen, in Vergessenheit geraten, in Angriff nehmen etc.)
3.Vocabulary:
How to conduct an interview
Giving an opinion
Negotiating controversial statements
Berlin Dialect (lyrics of the song "Görli, Görli")
Gentrification in Berlin districts like Neukölln, Kreuzberg and Prenzlauer Berg
Interviews with "East" and "West" Berliners (local hosts, friends of local hosts, language partners, people in the street etc.)
Reading a newspaper article related to the social topic of gentrification and informing the other students about controversial opinions and arguments; raising a discussion on that topic
Field study: preparation of the interview project (two fellow students working together)
"Berlin 23 years after the reunification - Are the Berliners eventually reunified? Achievements and disappointments"
I A, B
II A, B
III A, D
IV A
V A, B
Week 4
1.Functional:
Reflecting and talking about forms of poverty in the German society
Research on social projects against poverty
2.Grammatical:
Verbs with prepositions (sich erinnern an, suchen nach)
Pronominal adverbs (da-, wo-compounds)
3.Vocabulary:
Verbs expressing emotions (lyrics of the song "Mensch")
Unemployment
Social security system
Social poverty
Homelessness
4.Culture:
Thursday morning "wake up" song: "Mensch" Herbert Grönemeyer
Hartz IV reforms
Berlin Street Newspapers "Motz" and "Straßenfeger"
Social projects "Die Arche" and "Die Tafel"
Quiz 1 (Tue, part of the Midterm Exam)
Creative writing (2nd essay):
A picture story of two young students
Field study: Research on social projects against poverty in the local community and presentation of the results in class
Field study:
working on the interview project
I A, B
II A, B
III A, B, D
IV A, C
V A, B
Week 5
1.Functional:
How to give a presentation
Participating in a pro and contra debate
Talking about a short movie
2.Grammatical:
Idiomatic combinations of nouns and prepositions (Schuld an, Sehnsucht nach ....)
3.Vocabulary:
Words and expressions for discussions and debates
Lyrics of the song "Über sieben Brücken"
4.Culture:
Thursday morning "wake up" song: "Über sieben Brücken" Karat and Peter Maffay
Short movie "Berlin is in Germany" (1999)
Quiz 2 (Tue, part of the Midterm Exam)
Pro and contra debate: Was ist wahr? (Fernsehen macht dumm?; Denken lernt man in der Schule? etc.)
Writing:report on the interview project (part of the Midterm Exam)
Presentation: outcomes of the interview project (part of the Midterm Exam)
I A, B
II A, B
III A, B
V A, B
Week 6
Midterm Week
Excursion to the "Stasigefängnis" - Former East German Prison of the Ministry for State Security in Berlin-Hohenschönhausen
Week 7
1.Functional:
Pro and contra debate: Should anonymous births be forbidden?
Talking about illiteracy in Germany
listening comprehension
Comparing two campaigns against illiteracy
Experience and impressions in Berlin
2.Grammatical:
Participle 1 and 2 as adjectives
Adjuncts of participles (erweiterte Partizipialattribute)
Relative clauses
3.Vocabulary:
Mother and child care
Education and illiteracy
Lyrics of the song "Mario"
4.Culture:
Thursday morning "wake up" song: "Mario" Tele
Babyklappen in Berlin
Campaigns against illiteracy: "alfatelefon - Schreib dich nicht ab!" and "Mein Schlüssel zur Welt"
Watching two videos: Wie funktionieren Babyklappen?
Listening to a Radio feature about illiteracy
Watching campaigns against illiteracy
Reading a newspaper article: "A wie Analpabet" (Berliner Zeitung 2012)
Field study:
preparing the paper
about experience in Berlin: "Berlin ist, wenn... - Was ist dein Berlin?" (a photo coverage - due in week 9, Tue)
I A, B
II B
III A, B
IV A
V A, B
Week 8
1.Functional:
Comparing immigrant workers in the FRG and the GDR
Talking about a movie
Reflection about prejudice and stereotypes
2.Grammatical:
Verbs with prefixes both separable and non-separable and their different meanings (durchbrechen vs. durchbrechen)
Movie: "Angst essen Seele auf" Rainer Werner Fassbinder (1973)
Celebrating Thanksgiving abroad
Reading texts about immigrant workers:
"Gastarbeiter im Wirtschaftswunder-land" and "Vietnamesen in der DDR-Wirtschaft"
Writing:
preparing the paper
about experience in Berlin
Field study:
Celebrating Thanksgiving in a German Restaurant
I A, B
II A, B
III A, D
IV A
V A, B
Week 9
1.Functional:
Reading and summarizing an article about differences between Germans and immigrant workers when suffering from illnesses
Discussing immigration laws and differences in residence titles for foreigners
Talking about a documentary film about an asylum seeker family fighting against deportation
2.Grammatical:
Alternatives to the passive voice
3.Vocabulary:
Migration
Music, Hip-Hop, Breakdance
Lyrics of "Schöne neue Welt"
4.Culture:
Thursday morning "wake up" song: "Schöne neue Welt" Culcha Candela
Documentary: "Neukölln Unlimited"(Germany 2010) Part I
Reading a newspaper article: Angst essen Seele auf - Ausländer werden anders krank. Eine Diagnose" (Tagesspiegel)
Reflection about the role of Hip-hop and Break dance in the documentary
I A, B
II A, B
III A, B, C
IV A
V B
Week 10
1.Functional:
Talking about part II of the documentary
Comparing the movie and the documentary
2.Grammatical:
Alternatives to passive voice (II)
3.Vocabulary:
Arts and movie
Migration
Christmas traditions
4.Culture:
Documentary: "Neukölln Unlimited"(Germany2010) Part II
Christmas party in the classroom
Christmas Markets in Berlin
Final discussion about the documentary
Preparation for finals
Field study:
Advent season in Berlin
St Nicolas' Day
Visiting Christmas markets
I A, B
II A, B
III A, C
Week 11
Final Exam:
Listening + Vocabulary/Grammar
Subject to changes depending on level and progress of class.
Field studies and cultural topics will vary by season and by current events in Berlin.
Required readings:
Material from different textbooks of German as a foreign language provided by the instructor or on Moodle.
Recommended readings:
Dreyer-Schmitt, Lehr- und Übungsbuch der deutschen Grammatik. Verlag für Deutsch
Helbig/Buscha, Deutsche Grammatik. Ein Handbuch für den Ausländerunterricht, Langenscheidt
Rug-Tomaszewski, Grammatik mit Sinn und Verstand, Klett Edition Deutsch
Renate Wagner, Grammatiktraining Mittelstufe, Verlag für Deutsch
K. Hall, Grammatik für Fortgeschrittene, Verlag für Deutsch
Hering/Matussek/Perlmann-Balme, Übungsgrammatik. Deutsch als Fremdsprache, Hueber-Verlag
Brief Biography of Instructor:
Corinna Kalbaß is Diplomlehrerin für Erwachsenenbildung Englisch, Spanisch, Portugiesisch, und Deutsch als Fremdsprache (certified teacher with a Master's degree in English, Spanish, Portuguese and German as a Foreign Language). Corinna Kalbaß works at the Language Center at the University of Potsdam where she teaches preparatory courses for the “DSH” exam (German language university entrance exam for foreign students). Corinna Kalbaß has been teaching German as a foreign language (GR 399) at IES Abroad Berlin since 2001 and at the Language Center at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin since 2004. She has also previously taught German Phonetics at the Goethe Institut Berlin, the Freie Universität Berlin and the Technische Universität Berlin. Between 2001 and 2003 she taught German as a Foreign Language at the VHS Steglitz-Zehlendorf (adult college) as well as the College of Economics Oskar Lange in Wroclaw, Poland. She also taught English at the Universität Rostock and the Max-Planck-Institut Berlin. Corinna's knack for languages does not end with German and English - she is also fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. In her free-time Corinna enjoys hiking and travelling.
German Language In Context: Competent Abroad
Students who enter this course will already be capable of achieving the outcomes of the Emerging Competent Abroad level as defined by the IES Abroad MAP for Language and Intercultural Communication. Students who take this level should already be familiar with most of the complex structures and linguistic functions that will be covered. They should not be surprised, however, to find that they will need to review these aspects of the language to develop greater fluency and more sensitivity to subtle and underlying linguistic and cultural meanings.
Students entering this level can succeed in a wide range of university courses designed for native speakers, provided they have met any prerequisites. Before registering, they should consult with the appropriate IES Abroad academic advisor on course selection.
By the end of this course, students will be fully able to meet the demands of living and working in the host culture. They will be able to communicate accurately, vividly, and expressively with their hosts on most topics. Students who succeed in this course will be able to function in a professional setting and to undertake further personal or professional projects in the host culture. Students will be able to understand local cultural attitudes, values, beliefs, and behavior patterns well enough to make informed choices about which cultural features they would like to adopt or need to adopt in order to live harmoniously in the local culture.
Proficiency at a level equivalent to IES Abroad’s Emerging Competent Abroad, as determined by placement test.
Attendance at all IES Abroad courses, including field studies and excursions is necessary and mandatory. Unexcused absences will count against the 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 relevant documentation (e.g. a doctor’s note).
Missed tests cannot be taken at another point in time except in case of documented illness!
The use of laptop or notebook microcomputers during class sessions is only permitted with prior permission from the course instructor. Cell phones are to be switched off. Students are expected to be on time for class, since late arrivals can be distracting for the instructor and disruptive for the class.
Students who are placed in this level should have achieved the outcomes in the Emerging Competent 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 the outcomes for the Competent 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 be able to express their own ideas, perspectives, and arguments thoroughly and yet tactfully, using language proficiency, sociolinguistic skills, and cultural knowledge.
B. Students will be able to perform any activity (social, academic, professional) a local student of their age, skills, and background would do with a considerable degree of success.
II. Listening
A. Students will be able to recognize and appreciate the beauty and richness of language when they hear it.
B. Students will be able to understand nearly all speakers on a wide range of complex topics, including their digressions, side comments, and humor.
III. Speaking
A. Students will be able to talk about abstract ideas and concepts, engage in agreement or disagreement, and defend their opinions with supporting evidence.
B. Students will be able to use the language for a wide range of presentational and creative purposes.
C. Students will be able to use an extensive variety of colloquial expressions and humor effectively.
D. Students will be capable of varying their language to make subtle and complex distinctions (e.g. formality and informality) with a wide array of native speakers.
IV. Reading
A. Students will be able to read and understand a broad range of academic resources and popular texts from the local community (print or online).
B. Students will be able to understand the main ideas and supporting details when reading many works of literature and nonfiction with some assistance at times.
C. Students will be able to recognize and appreciate the beauty and richness of the written word.
V. Writing
A. Students will be able to write academic texts that describe, relate, report, compare and contrast, analyze, and summarize with a high degree of precision and accuracy on a wide range of topics.
B. Students will be able to distinguish between the written style and the spoken style, and will be able to use the written style effectively with little assistance.
Readings, discussions, small group work, partner work, presentations; individual studies, interviews, research, homework (mainly written), usage of the e-learning platform Moodle, usage of the IES library
Midterm 25 %
The Midterm Exam consists of two grammar quizzes (25 points each), which are written during the first weeks of the course, and an interview project. The interview project itself requires a written report on the results of the interviews held and a short presentation in class (maximum 15 minutes) about the most striking outcomes of the interview project. Project report and presentation are due on Thursday before the Midterm Week.
Final 25 %
Term Paper 25 %
Oral (Participation, homework, presentations) 25 %
Week
Content
Assignments
Corresponding Learning Outcome(s)
Week 1
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Interviewing classmates in order to get to know each other and the teacher
Writing a poem for a famous person adapting the form of Wiemer's "partizip perfekt"
Creative writing (1st essay): Terms for the National anthem of a new state. Explain your selection of ideas and try to create an anthem for that state.
Field study: getting to know the German Holiday of Reunification
I A
II A
III B
IV B, C
V A, B
Week 2
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Summarizing historical events by creating newspaper headlines
Presenting the results of analyzing graphics and surveys in class
Reading a short story: Jana Kellermann
"Heimat im Herzen"
I A
III A, B
IV A, C
Week 3
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Reading a newspaper article related to the social topic of gentrification and informing the other students about controversial opinions and arguments; raising a discussion on that topic
Field study: preparation of the interview project (two fellow students working together)
"Berlin 23 years after the reunification - Are the Berliners eventually reunified? Achievements and disappointments"
I A, B
II A, B
III A, D
IV A
V A, B
Week 4
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Quiz 1 (Tue, part of the Midterm Exam)
Creative writing (2nd essay):
A picture story of two young students
Field study: Research on social projects against poverty in the local community and presentation of the results in class
Field study:
working on the interview project
I A, B
II A, B
III A, B, D
IV A, C
V A, B
Week 5
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Quiz 2 (Tue, part of the Midterm Exam)
Pro and contra debate: Was ist wahr? (Fernsehen macht dumm?; Denken lernt man in der Schule? etc.)
Writing: report on the interview project (part of the Midterm Exam)
Presentation: outcomes of the interview project (part of the Midterm Exam)
I A, B
II A, B
III A, B
V A, B
Week 6
Midterm Week
Excursion to the "Stasigefängnis" - Former East German Prison of the Ministry for State Security in Berlin-Hohenschönhausen
Week 7
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Watching two videos: Wie funktionieren Babyklappen?
Listening to a Radio feature about illiteracy
Watching campaigns against illiteracy
Reading a newspaper article: "A wie Analpabet" (Berliner Zeitung 2012)
Field study:
preparing the paper
about experience in Berlin: "Berlin ist, wenn... - Was ist dein Berlin?" (a photo coverage - due in week 9, Tue)
I A, B
II B
III A, B
IV A
V A, B
Week 8
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Reading texts about immigrant workers:
"Gastarbeiter im Wirtschaftswunder-land" and "Vietnamesen in der DDR-Wirtschaft"
Writing:
preparing the paper
about experience in Berlin
Field study:
Celebrating Thanksgiving in a German Restaurant
I A, B
II A, B
III A, D
IV A
V A, B
Week 9
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Reading a newspaper article: Angst essen Seele auf - Ausländer werden anders krank. Eine Diagnose" (Tagesspiegel)
Reflection about the role of Hip-hop and Break dance in the documentary
I A, B
II A, B
III A, B, C
IV A
V B
Week 10
1.Functional:
2.Grammatical:
3.Vocabulary:
4.Culture:
Final discussion about the documentary
Preparation for finals
Field study:
Advent season in Berlin
St Nicolas' Day
Visiting Christmas markets
I A, B
II A, B
III A, C
Week 11
Final Exam:
Listening + Vocabulary/Grammar
Subject to changes depending on level and progress of class.
Field studies and cultural topics will vary by season and by current events in Berlin.
Material from different textbooks of German as a foreign language provided by the instructor or on Moodle.
Corinna Kalbaß is Diplomlehrerin für Erwachsenenbildung Englisch, Spanisch, Portugiesisch, und Deutsch als Fremdsprache (certified teacher with a Master's degree in English, Spanish, Portuguese and German as a Foreign Language). Corinna Kalbaß works at the Language Center at the University of Potsdam where she teaches preparatory courses for the “DSH” exam (German language university entrance exam for foreign students). Corinna Kalbaß has been teaching German as a foreign language (GR 399) at IES Abroad Berlin since 2001 and at the Language Center at the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin since 2004. She has also previously taught German Phonetics at the Goethe Institut Berlin, the Freie Universität Berlin and the Technische Universität Berlin. Between 2001 and 2003 she taught German as a Foreign Language at the VHS Steglitz-Zehlendorf (adult college) as well as the College of Economics Oskar Lange in Wroclaw, Poland. She also taught English at the Universität Rostock and the Max-Planck-Institut Berlin. Corinna's knack for languages does not end with German and English - she is also fluent in Spanish and Portuguese. In her free-time Corinna enjoys hiking and travelling.