Module LZG-1001:
Advanced German 1

Module Facts

Run by School of Arts, Culture and Language

20.000 Credits or 10.000 ECTS Credits

Semester 1

Organiser: Prof Carol Tully

Overall aims and purpose

  1. To develop students' translation and reading comprehension skills through the study of texts varying in style and register.
  2. To enable students to produce competent pieces of writing in German.
  3. To develop students' oral and aural skills through conversation exercises and selected audio-visual materials varying in tone and register.
  4. To develop vocabulary acquisition and incorporate key expressions into oral and written work.
  5. To develop a more complex understanding of key grammatical structures and an ability to use grammatical constructions in written and oral expression.
  6. To discuss and defend arguments and ideas in group and one-to-one discussions.
  7. To understand key aspects informing contemporary German identities.

Students on this module will be working towards achieving B1+/B2 on the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

Course content

This module enables post A-level students to develop written and oral communicative skills in German by extending linguistic competence acquired at A-level. It comprises text-based classes in which students have the opportunity to develop translation and writing skills, as well as oral/aural classes, in which a range of audio and visual aids are employed to stimulate group discussions and debates. Throughout the module, students also have the opportunity to revise and consolidate key areas of grammar. The texts and materials used in this module are chosen from a range of sources including media and literary works in order to familiarise students with variations in tone and register. Through these materials, students will also gain insight into particular German themes and issues that relate to contemporary life and society in the German-speaking world. Learning outside of the classroom is supported through a co-curricular Self-Study Portfolio.

Assessment Criteria

good

50-69%: Good knowledge of German grammar and vocabulary resulting in a good ability to communicate in writing or translate from German-English and English-German. Good understanding of aural and written material in German. Good grasp of German pronunciation and some ability to converse freely in German and respond to spoken material. Ability to present and defend opinions in written and oral German.

excellent

70+%: Excellent knowledge of German grammar and vocabulary resulting in an excellent ability to communicate in writing or translate from German-English and English-German. Excellent understanding of aural and written material in German. Excellent grasp of German pronunciation and clear ability to converse freely in German and respond to spoken material. Clear ability to present and defend opinions in written and oral German.

threshold

40-49%: Limited knowledge of German grammar and vocabulary resulting in a limited ability to communicate in writing or translate from German-English and English-German. Basic understanding of aural and written material in German. Basic grasp of German pronunciation and limited ability to converse freely in German and respond to spoken material. Limited ability to present and defend opinions in written and oral German.

Learning outcomes

  1. Engage with German language in spoken form, understanding, reacting and responding to it in an interactive context.

  2. Demonstrate an ability to extract and use information presented in German-language sources to answer questions in the target language.

  3. Understand and translate written texts varying in style and register.

  4. Produce accurate and idiomatically correct written German.

  5. Explore and evaluate some of the key themes and debates dominating contemporary German culture.

  6. Apply new areas of vocabulary to written and oral work.

  7. Employ key grammatical structures in written and oral work.

Assessment Methods

Type Name Description Weight
EXAM Written Exam 50.00
ORAL Oral Discussion 25.00
COURSEWORK Creative Cultural Project 25.00
LOGBOOK OR PORTFOLIO Self-Study Portfolio 0.00

Teaching and Learning Strategy

Hours
Seminar

4 one-hour seminars per week, with a varying focus on oral, aural, written and reading skills.

 44
Private study

Private study enables consolidation of vocabulary acquisition, grammatical structures as well as oral/aural techniques. On top of regular homework exercises, the Self-Study Portfolio provides a structured approach to private study.

 156

Transferable skills

  • Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
  • Self-Management - Able to work unsupervised in an efficient, punctual and structured manner. To examine the outcomes of tasks and events, and judge levels of quality and importance
  • Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
  • Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
  • Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sentistevely with others
  • Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
  • Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
  • Teamwork - Able to constructively cooperate with others on a common task, and/or be part of a day-to-day working team
  • Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting
  • Self-awareness & Reflectivity - Having an awareness of your own strengths, weaknesses, aims and objectives. Able to regularly review, evaluate and reflect upon the performance of yourself and others

Resources

Resource implications for students

It is expected that students will own a large bilingual German-English dictionary.

Talis Reading list

http://readinglists.bangor.ac.uk/modules/lzg-1001.html

Reading list

Recommended texts:

German-English dictionary: Oxford-Duden German Dictionary (Oxford) or Collins German Dictionary (Collins)

German-German dictionary: Wahrig, Langenscheidt or Duden

Fehringer, Carol, German Grammar in Context: Analysis and Practice (London: Arnold, 2002)

Zorach, Cecile, Charlotte Melin & Elizabeth A. Kautz, English Grammar for Students of German, 5th edn (USA: The Olivia and Hill Press, 2009)

Stocker, Paul, Wort für Wort. A new advanced German vocabulary, 5th edn (London: Hodder & Stoughton, 2010)

Other Learning Resources: Students registered for this module are expected to complete the School’s co-curricular Self-Study Portfolio. This portfolio encourages students to read German-language newspapers and watch German TV and German films on a regular basis; they should also read one German-language novel per semester. Students should complete one portfolio for German per semester.

Pre- and Co-requisite Modules

Courses including this module

Compulsory in courses:

Optional in courses: