GER10140 Reading German Literature

Academic Year 2020/2021

This is a level 1 module for students of German (non-beginners) or any students with German who want to read German literature. All students should have reached at least level A2 on the Common European Framework of Reference or have taken Honours German in the Leaving Certificate.
The module aims to introduce students to the reading and analysis of short literary texts in German (poetry and short prose) and, in the process, further their language learning.
Students will be guided in the reading process and learn to develop questions to comprehend the historical context, plot, themes and characters. They will be given the tools to analyse the texts for their rhetorical effect, narrative strategies and stylistic features. They will also be introduced to key aspects of academic writing, including referencing and academic style.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this module students should be able to:
- Read, comprehend and enjoy short German texts, summarising and analysing their main themes, characters, stylistic and rhetorical features in English
- Differentiate the main features of short literary genres (poems and short stories)
- Develop a catalogue of questions to aid their comprehension and analysis of short literary texts
- Demonstrate awareness of the role that historical context plays for literary texts
- Understand more readily short mini lectures in German (made available as recordings)
- Write a close analysis in English of a short literary text, in an appropriate register and style
- Collaborate with other students on an assignment (in English) discussing an allocated literary text not previously studied
- Write creative responses in German to literary texts

Indicative Module Content:

The module is divided into 4 different thematic blocks, e.g.

- Language and communication
- Relationships and conflict
- Growing up, ageing, issues of identity and gender
- Heimat: belonging, inclusion and exclusion

The focus is on short literary texts (prose and poetry) from different historical periods, but mainly the 20th and 21st centuries, and written by a range of authors from the German-speaking countries. Strategies to develop and practise close reading and analysis will employed, and we will look at the different stylistic and rhetorical features in the texts. Some creative writing will also feature.
All of the texts and supporting material including guiding reading questions will be made available on Brightspace.


Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Seminar (or Webinar)

20
Specified Learning Activities

38
Autonomous Student Learning

50
Total

108
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
In order to benefit from the learning experience, students need to attend and participate actively in this module, and work consistently and independently outside of class time. Engaging with the material on Brightspace will help in this.

The module will be taught by a mixture of small-group tutorials (Thursdays) where discussion, peer and group work, and task-based learning takes place in English, and short mini-lectures held in German (Fridays) outlining concepts, strategies and context. Creative writing will also feature.
The Thursday class has two offerings, one on campus, the other online in the virtual classroom.
The Friday class has one offering in the virtual classroom, and the short mini-lectures will be made available as recordings.

You will be given strategies for reading comprehension and tools for analysis, and provided with guiding questions and "survival vocabulary" to help you unlock the texts in the original German. Your comprehension and analytical skills will grow over the course of the module.

Assessment is by means of learning journals, a commentary on a particular passage and a small group / pair written assignment discussing a new text not already covered in class. These will be briefly presented in the virtual classroom on the Friday of week 11. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
GER10030 - Intro to German Literature


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Group Project: Written group project on an unseen text, answering specific questions, and briefly presented at the last Friday class, hopefully on campus. Week 11 n/a Graded No

50
Journal: Reflective online journal entries (one submission every 2 weeks) to chart and comment on the learning process Throughout the Trimester n/a Other No

10
Essay: Commentary and critical analysis of poem, ca. 1,200 words in English, following particular guidelines. Week 7 n/a Graded No

40

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, on an activity or draft prior to summative assessment
• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

The online reflective journals will get comments, and individual feedback will be provided for the essay. Students who wish to get some feedback or pointers for improvement prior to essay submission, must submit a draft or outline by a specified time. If students wish, they may re-submit their essay (by week 12, and including a hard copy of the first submission) in order to improve the grade by up to 3 grade points. Advice may also be sought on the group project beforehand and especially during the designated workshop class set aside for this. Written feedback on the group project will be made available after the publication of results. All students must attend the final class where the projects are briefly presented.

All primary works (short stories and poems) will be made available in Brightspace and titles of relevant secondary material will also be communicated there.