Review of grammatical principles; analysis of complex texts, especially focussing on political and cultural topics; aural/oral exercises based on current events with an emphasis on communicative/’problem solving’ skills; minor presentations; short essays and creative writing exercises. The course aims at making students capable of freely communicating with native speakers on current and randomly chosen topics, extending beyond everyday situations and meeting the interests and intellectual needs of college/university students. (4 credits)
Prerequisites:
Four semesters of college/university level German or equivalent.
Learning outcomes:
By the end of the course, the student can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation, can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers possible without strain for either party, can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects, and can explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
Method of presentation:
Oral and written exercises based on texts, pieces of music, paintings/pictures, and movies. Excursions to exhibitions/sights of interest.
Required work and form of assessment:
Regular attendance and participation in class work, regular assignments, oral presentations, classroom discussions, midterm exam, final exam. Grading: 50% participation in class and homework, 25% midterm exam, 25% final exam.
content:
General content:
1. Grammatical principles in respect to usage.
2. Development of vocabulary, including mnemonic techniques.
3. Listening comprehension exercises in video and audio presentations.
4. Reading literary texts appropriate for intermediate level, and regular reading of news and media texts; non-fiction texts on German culture.
5. Writing practice in essays and creative assignments.
Grammatical content:
1. Valency of the verb / tenses
2. Subjunctive II
3. Passive Voice
4. Prepositions taking the dative or the accusative
5. Verbs with direction and position
6. Genitive
7. n-declension
8. Participles as adjectives
Required readings:
Hering/Matussek/Perlmann-Balme: "em Übungsgrammatik Deutsch als Fremdsprache", Hueber Verlag, 2002
Review of grammatical principles; analysis of complex texts, especially focussing on political and cultural topics; aural/oral exercises based on current events with an emphasis on communicative/’problem solving’ skills; minor presentations; short essays and creative writing exercises. The course aims at making students capable of freely communicating with native speakers on current and randomly chosen topics, extending beyond everyday situations and meeting the interests and intellectual needs of college/university students. (4 credits)
Four semesters of college/university level German or equivalent.
By the end of the course, the student can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in his/her field of specialisation, can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers possible without strain for either party, can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects, and can explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.
Oral and written exercises based on texts, pieces of music, paintings/pictures, and movies. Excursions to exhibitions/sights of interest.
Regular attendance and participation in class work, regular assignments, oral presentations, classroom discussions, midterm exam, final exam. Grading: 50% participation in class and homework, 25% midterm exam, 25% final exam.
General content:
1. Grammatical principles in respect to usage.
2. Development of vocabulary, including mnemonic techniques.
3. Listening comprehension exercises in video and audio presentations.
4. Reading literary texts appropriate for intermediate level, and regular reading of news and media texts; non-fiction texts on German culture.
5. Writing practice in essays and creative assignments.
Grammatical content:
1. Valency of the verb / tenses
2. Subjunctive II
3. Passive Voice
4. Prepositions taking the dative or the accusative
5. Verbs with direction and position
6. Genitive
7. n-declension
8. Participles as adjectives
Hering/Matussek/Perlmann-Balme: "em Übungsgrammatik Deutsch als Fremdsprache", Hueber Verlag, 2002