GER20070 German Language II b

Academic Year 2020/2021

This is a level 2 module for programme students of German and other subjects. Building on Autumn module German Language IIa (GER20060), it assumes that students have attained at least level B1+ of the CEFR and are working towards level B2. International students are welcome to take this module and should contact the module coordinator if in doubt about their level.
Using the integrated textbook and workbook "Mittelpunkt Neu Lehr- und Arbeitsbuch B2.2" and supplementary print and online media, it further develops writing, reading, oral and aural skills during 3 weekly class hours, 1 of which focuses on spoken production and interaction. More nuanced grammatical structures are introduced and trained, the range of expression expanded, and further strategies developed for more complex text production and improved aural comprehension. The necessary skills will be fostered to prepare for study abroad at a German-speaking university. Students who achieve at least a B grade in this module will be deemed to have reached level B2 of the CEFR.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On successful completion of this module, students will be able to
- using clear, coherent and controlled German assimilate the main ideas of relatively complex articles and reports concerned with current affairs, cultural, social and academic issues;
- translate from English into German employing newly-acquired grammatical structures and specific vocabulary;
- express different viewpoints on topics covered;
- write formal letters and emails;
- follow and partake in topical and cultural discussions in preparation for later study or work in a German-speaking environment;
- engage with audio and audio-visual programmes;
- make a recorded short presentation;
- discuss the benefits of and strategies for watching audio-visual material as an aid to language learning;
- build in the feedback from regularly submitted homework and acquire a heightened ability to self-correct.

Indicative Module Content:

The module is divided into 3 blocks, each block dealing with the topics and associated grammatical points in selected chapters of "Mittelpunkt neu B2.2", one of which will deal with "Im Ausland studieren".

Regular homework is set and corrected. Assessment involves Brightspace quizzes, a listening comprehension test, an oral assignment, and a 2-hour written exam.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Small Group

23

Conversation Class

12

Specified Learning Activities

35

Autonomous Student Learning

35

Total

105

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
In order to benefit from the learning experience, students should attend and participate actively in all classes. Students are expected to work consistently and independently outside of class time, engage with the tasks and material on Brightspace and submit regular homework. Please note that if you are unable to attend class for a valid reason, you must make contact with your tutor. Homework will not be marked if there is poor attendance and no contact.

The module is taught in small group classes. All the 3 weekly classes will be live online classes up to the March break, at least. If after that there is any campus teaching, there will be an online alternative.

The classes are all workshop-based and rely on student interaction. They are constructed around task-based activities, buzz-groups, individual presentations, individual and group exercises, and include peer learning and language games. Further self-assessment using the CEFR is conducted during the module, and strategies for vocabulary and grammar acquisition are offered and tested at regular intervals. Regular homework exercises are set and marked up by the tutor, and students are encouraged to correct them and resubmit in order to maximise the learning process.
 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Recommendations:

Students who have not completed the level 1 Spring German-language module must contact the module coordinator.

German of a standard equivalent to level B1.2 of the Common European Framework of Reference.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Pre-requisite:
GER10020 - German Language I b

Co-requisite:
GER20060 - German Language II a

Incompatibles:
GER10120 - Spoken German for Beginners, GER20180 - Intensive German Ex-Beginners, GER20240 - German for Ex-Beginners A, GER20250 - German for Ex-Beginners B, LANG10110 - German Gen Purp 4, LANG10130 - German Gen Purp 2, LANG20250 - German Gen Purp 3, LANG20450 - German for General Purposes 4


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Examination: Written exam
(Free writing exercise according to guidelines & specified grammar / translation tasks)
2 hour End of Trimester Exam No Graded No

50

Presentation: Recorded presentation / podcast on a defined task Week 12 n/a Graded No

30

Class Test: Listening comprehension (MCQs richtig/falsch, filling in gaps etc.) Week 7 n/a Graded No

20


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

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment
• Online automated feedback
• Peer review activities
• Self-assessment activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

All submitted homework will be corrected and returned with comments. The homework should then be corrected and resubmitted. Self- and peer-assessment according to agreed criteria will be carried out in class, and online grammar websites will be used with self-correction. The spoken German conversation classes will focus exclusively on the recorded presentation from week 9 onwards.

The below text book should be purchased from the Campus Bookshop prior to the first class and be brought to all subsequent classes (the bookshop will also post it out to you):

Mittelpunkt neu B2.2. Deutsch als Fremdsprache für Fortgeschrittene. Lehr- und Arbeitsbuch mit Audio CD (Stuttgart: Klett, 2018).

The recommended grammar (also available from the Campus Bookshop) is:
Martin Durrell, Katrin Kohl, Claudia Kaiser & Gudrun Loftus: Essential German Grammar (Oxford: Routledge, 2015)

Even though online dictionaries are being used, they are not always reliable. Students should also be in possession of a LARGE hardback bilingual (e.g. Collins, Oxford or PONS) or monolingual (e.g. Duden, Langenscheidt) dictionary.