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.
Attendance policy:
Attendance at all IES Abroad courses is mandatory. Absences will only be excused if you present a doctor's note. Unexcused absences will negatively affect the grade for participation. Excessive absenteeism will negatively affect the final grade.
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 nonverbal 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.
IV. 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, and with reliance on the communicative patterns of their native language.
Method of presentation:
Homework and participation, essays, Moodle, field study, presentations
Required work and form of assessment:
Midterm 20 %
Final 30 %
Participation, homework, presentations, field studies, Moodle 50 %
content:
Week
Content
Assignments
Corresponding Learning Outcome(s)
Week 1
(intensive)
German Language and Culture Week
1. Functional:
• Introducing yourself
• German for everyday use: phrases to get along
• Describing places, persons, objects, and atmosphere
2. Grammatical:
• Review of cases
• Review of verbs in present tense and “haben” and “sein” in past tense
• Review of modal verbs in present tense
3.Vocabulary:
• Places and activities in the city
• Key data to Potsdam and Frederick the Great
4. Culture:
• City Search
• Visiting a museum, exhibition or similar in Berlin
• Field Trip to Potsdam
Interviewing classmates and staff
Moodle:making notes of labels, signs, inscriptions etc. in the city
Reading articles about Potsdam and Berlin
City search:
Exploring the city
Field trip: Potsdam,
Presentation and performing facts about Frederick the Great
III.A., V.A., IV.A., II.B.
Week 2
1.Functional:
· Talking about free-time activities
· Making arrangements and plans for the weekend
2.Grammatical:
· Perfect tense
· Rules for gender and nouns
3.Vocabulary:
· Vocabulary related to free-time activities
4.Culture:
· Spare time activities in Germany
· Board games
Searching newspapers for upcoming events
Writing suggestions for a weekend in town
Interviewing staff about their free time
IV.A., III.A., V.A., II.B.
Week 3
1. Functional
· Expressing likes and dislikes
· Writing detailed instructions
· Giving advice
2. Grammatical
· Past tense of regular and irregular verbs
· Reflexive pronouns
3.Vocabulary:
· Food
· Flavor, taste, and preferences
4.Culture:
· German food culture
· Foods for special occasion (holidays)
Reading menus of different places
Moodle: Writing recipes
Role-Play: In a Restaurant
Comparing different holiday foods in Germany and the US
IV.A., V.A., I.A., I.B.
Week 4
1.Functional:
· Talking about districts
· Describing a city: locations and characteristics
· Discussing different habits
2.Grammatical:
· Past tense of modal verbs
· Two ways prepositions
3.Vocabulary:
· Places, furniture
· Infrastructure
4.Culture:
· Housing and living in Berlin
· Berlins neighborhoods
Research work on the history of Berlin’s different districts
Writing about a favorite place to live
Listening comprehension on life in Berlin
Presenting students' neighborhood
IV.B., V.B., III.A., I.A., II.A.
Week 5
1.Functional:
· Review for Midterm
· Recognizing simple patterns of different intonation
2.Grammatical:
· Review for Midterm
3.Vocabulary:
· Review for Midterm
· Words of the Berlin Dialect
4.Culture:
· Review for Midterm
· Berlin Dialect
· Speakers with different dialects
Listening to different German dialects
Field trip: Street interview about Berlin Dialect
Review for Midterm
I.C., II.A., IV.A.
III.B.
Week 6
Midterm
Midterm
Week 7
1.Functional:
· Giving information about studies and programs
· Expressing opinions
2.Grammatical:
· Coordinating conjunctions
· Subcoordinating conjunctions
3.Vocabulary:
· Vocabulary related to education and study
4.Culture:
· University system in Germany vs U.S.
· Student live in Germany
Reading student magazines
Writing and talking about home university
Interviewing a German student
IV.A., III.A., I.C., II.B., V.A.
Week 8
1.Functional:
· Expressing interests and emotions, agreement and disagreement
· Forming opinions
2.Grammatical:
· Reflexive pronouns
· Comparison of adjectives
3.Vocabulary:
· Vocabulary related to music
· Adjectives to describe emotions
4.Culture:
· Music styles and samples
· German musicians
Interviewing classmates/staff or host for music preferences
Listening to song lyrics
Writing a verse
Presenting favorite music/musician
III.A., IV.A., V.A., II.A.
Week 9
1.Functional:
· Talking about past issues
· Giving recommendations
2.Grammatical:
· Genitive
· Adverbs of place and time
3.Vocabulary:
· Travel
· Countries and nationalities
· Weather
4.Culture:
· Traveling in Germany/Europe
· Different holiday destinations
Talking about travel experiences
Moodle: Planning a trip
Role-play: On a travel fair
III.A., III.B. V.B., II.B., I.B.
Week 10
1.Functional:
· Describing people
· Forming opinions and suggestions
· Capturing the focus of articles
2.Grammatical:
· Subjunctive II: polite request
3.Vocabulary:
· Character traits
4.Culture:
· German mentality
· German personalities
Reading comprehension: articles about German mentality/character
Role-play: sketch
Writing a short essay about a famous German person
IV.B., V.B., I.A. , I.B.
Week 11
Review for final exam
Review for final exam
Week 12
Final exam
Final exam
Subject to changes depending on level and progress of class.
Required readings:
Buscha et.al, A Grammatik, Schubert, 2010.
Recommended readings:
Reimann, Essential Grammar of German, Hueber, 2001.
Kerstin Mahssasse has a Master's Degree from the Technical University in Educational Science, Modern History and German as a Foreign Language focusing on the use of German in engineering sciences. She taught German at the Technical University of Berlin, the Berlin School of Economics and Law, the Goethe Institute in Berlin and Canada and several other institutions. Besides teaching the general language, she teaches German for business purposes. Being passionate about teaching she is convinced that encouraging scholars to codetermine the curriculum and using their creativity promotes the development of different learning strategies and makes studying more enjoyable. In her free time she enjoys singing different styles of music.
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.
Proficiency at a level equivalent to IES Abroad’s Novice Abroad, as determined by placement test.
Attendance at all IES Abroad courses is mandatory. Absences will only be excused if you present a doctor's note. Unexcused absences will negatively affect the grade for participation. Excessive absenteeism will negatively affect the final grade.
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 nonverbal 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.
IV. 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, and with reliance on the communicative patterns of their native language.
Homework and participation, essays, Moodle, field study, presentations
Week
Content
Assignments
Corresponding Learning Outcome(s)
Week 1
(intensive)
German Language and Culture Week
1. Functional:
• Introducing yourself
• German for everyday use: phrases to get along
• Describing places, persons, objects, and atmosphere
2. Grammatical:
• Review of cases
• Review of verbs in present tense and “haben” and “sein” in past tense
• Review of modal verbs in present tense
3.Vocabulary:
• Places and activities in the city
• Key data to Potsdam and Frederick the Great
4. Culture:
• City Search
• Visiting a museum, exhibition or similar in Berlin
• Field Trip to Potsdam
Interviewing classmates and staff
Moodle:making notes of labels, signs, inscriptions etc. in the city
Reading articles about Potsdam and Berlin
City search:
Exploring the city
Field trip: Potsdam,
Presentation and performing facts about Frederick the Great
III.A., V.A., IV.A., II.B.
Week 2
1.Functional:
· Talking about free-time activities
· Making arrangements and plans for the weekend
2.Grammatical:
· Perfect tense
· Rules for gender and nouns
3.Vocabulary:
· Vocabulary related to free-time activities
4.Culture:
· Spare time activities in Germany
· Board games
Searching newspapers for upcoming events
Writing suggestions for a weekend in town
Interviewing staff about their free time
IV.A., III.A., V.A., II.B.
Week 3
1. Functional
· Expressing likes and dislikes
· Writing detailed instructions
· Giving advice
2. Grammatical
· Past tense of regular and irregular verbs
· Reflexive pronouns
3.Vocabulary:
· Food
· Flavor, taste, and preferences
4.Culture:
· German food culture
· Foods for special occasion (holidays)
Reading menus of different places
Moodle: Writing recipes
Role-Play: In a Restaurant
Comparing different holiday foods in Germany and the US
IV.A., V.A., I.A., I.B.
Week 4
1.Functional:
· Talking about districts
· Describing a city: locations and characteristics
· Discussing different habits
2.Grammatical:
· Past tense of modal verbs
· Two ways prepositions
3.Vocabulary:
· Places, furniture
· Infrastructure
4.Culture:
· Housing and living in Berlin
· Berlins neighborhoods
Research work on the history of Berlin’s different districts
Writing about a favorite place to live
Listening comprehension on life in Berlin
Presenting students' neighborhood
IV.B., V.B., III.A., I.A., II.A.
Week 5
1.Functional:
· Review for Midterm
· Recognizing simple patterns of different intonation
2.Grammatical:
· Review for Midterm
3.Vocabulary:
· Review for Midterm
· Words of the Berlin Dialect
4.Culture:
· Review for Midterm
· Berlin Dialect
· Speakers with different dialects
Listening to different German dialects
Field trip: Street interview about Berlin Dialect
Review for Midterm
I.C., II.A., IV.A.
III.B.
Week 6
Midterm
Midterm
Week 7
1.Functional:
· Giving information about studies and programs
· Expressing opinions
2.Grammatical:
· Coordinating conjunctions
· Subcoordinating conjunctions
3.Vocabulary:
· Vocabulary related to education and study
4.Culture:
· University system in Germany vs U.S.
· Student live in Germany
Reading student magazines
Writing and talking about home university
Interviewing a German student
IV.A., III.A., I.C., II.B., V.A.
Week 8
1.Functional:
· Expressing interests and emotions, agreement and disagreement
· Forming opinions
2.Grammatical:
· Reflexive pronouns
· Comparison of adjectives
3.Vocabulary:
· Vocabulary related to music
· Adjectives to describe emotions
4.Culture:
· Music styles and samples
· German musicians
Interviewing classmates/staff or host for music preferences
Listening to song lyrics
Writing a verse
Presenting favorite music/musician
III.A., IV.A., V.A., II.A.
Week 9
1.Functional:
· Talking about past issues
· Giving recommendations
2.Grammatical:
· Genitive
· Adverbs of place and time
3.Vocabulary:
· Travel
· Countries and nationalities
· Weather
4.Culture:
· Traveling in Germany/Europe
· Different holiday destinations
Talking about travel experiences
Moodle: Planning a trip
Role-play: On a travel fair
III.A., III.B. V.B., II.B., I.B.
Week 10
1.Functional:
· Describing people
· Forming opinions and suggestions
· Capturing the focus of articles
2.Grammatical:
· Subjunctive II: polite request
3.Vocabulary:
· Character traits
4.Culture:
· German mentality
· German personalities
Reading comprehension: articles about German mentality/character
Role-play: sketch
Writing a short essay about a famous German person
IV.B., V.B., I.A. , I.B.
Week 11
Review for final exam
Review for final exam
Week 12
Final exam
Final exam
Subject to changes depending on level and progress of class.
Buscha et.al, A Grammatik, Schubert, 2010.
Reimann, Essential Grammar of German, Hueber, 2001.
Willmann et.al, Langenscheidt Euro-Wörterbuch Englisch, Langenscheidt, 2006.
Kerstin Mahssasse has a Master's Degree from the Technical University in Educational Science, Modern History and German as a Foreign Language focusing on the use of German in engineering sciences. She taught German at the Technical University of Berlin, the Berlin School of Economics and Law, the Goethe Institute in Berlin and Canada and several other institutions. Besides teaching the general language, she teaches German for business purposes. Being passionate about teaching she is convinced that encouraging scholars to codetermine the curriculum and using their creativity promotes the development of different learning strategies and makes studying more enjoyable. In her free time she enjoys singing different styles of music.