Module manager: Kirsten Rathjen
Email: K.Rathjen@leeds.ac.uk
Taught: Semesters 1 & 2 (Sep to Jun) View Timetable
Year running 2024/25
German language skills to CEFR B2 Level
| GERM1010 | German Language Awareness and Skills |
| GERM2010 | German Language Skills in Context |
GERM2031
This module is not approved as a discovery module
Building on the skills attained at Level 1, students will develop the knowledge and skills required for successful oral and written communication in a variety of registers and contexts including daily life in Germany, Switzerland and Austria but also prepare for the sort of paperwork and everyday cultural challenges which they could expect to face in a German-speaking environment. Furthermore, students will broaden their specialist vocabulary and gain an understanding of variations in register and rhetorical strategies, which they can apply to their own written and spoken and German.
This module aims to:
- further develop linguistic knowledge and skills to enable students to communicate effectively in German (reading, writing, speaking, listening)
- establish an advanced level of German grammar, vocabulary, structures and registers;
- further develop the students’ ability to analyse and produce a variety of different text formats, e.g. blogs, homepages, podcasts, etc.;
- introduce students to a range of 'Fachsprachen' (specialist or applied languages) usually including business, tourism, politics and academia;
- explore important aspects of life in Germany, Austria and Switzerland to develop students’ inter-cultural knowledge and skills
- develop students' ability to reflect on their own learning and to choose and complete autonomously language learning activities.
On completing this module students should be able to:
1. demonstrate receptive and productive language skills for the use of German in a variety of social, cultural and professional contexts
2. communicate appropriately and effectively in German on a range of topics with a reasonable degree of grammatical accuracy
3. have a thorough understanding of German grammar, structures and registers
4. demonstrate knowledge of daily life and aspects of social and cultural life as well as cultural sensitivity in German-speaking countries.
5. identify, analyse and employ a range of specialist or applied languages (‘Fachsprachen’) in German
6. face with confidence the linguistic and cultural challenges of their Term or Year Abroad and take responsibility for their own learning process in a German-speaking country
The Autonomous Learning Portfolio and the Fachsprachenprojekt will not only foster independent learning skills but also provide students with opportunities to explore the German language and the German-speaking world from different angles. By analysing and producing a variety of different genres, e.g. podcasts, blogs, novels, homepages, students will gain an in-depth understanding of the chosen topics and an opportunity to apply various techniques in their own production.
Lectures cover contemporary and historical topics of social relevance in the German-speaking world and practical importance for the Year Abroad. These usually include applied and specialist languages, linguistic varieties and dialects, social and political developments and current affairs in German-speaking countries, as well as preparation for the Year Abroad.
In seminars students practice their receptive language skills (listening and reading) as well as their productive skills (speaking and writing) on the topics covered in the lecture as well as year abroad specific topics such as the job application process, education, and media. Seminars will also reiterate relevant grammar topics.
| Delivery type | Number | Length hours | Student hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lectures | 15 | 1 | 15 |
| Seminars | 15 | 2 | 30 |
| Private study hours | 105 | ||
| Total Contact hours | 45 | ||
| Total hours (100hr per 10 credits) | 150 | ||
Preparation for and revision of seminars
Completion of portfolios
Completion of Fachsprachenprojekt
Students will be given informal feedback on their progress during seminars throughout the year.
Feedback on formative assessments will be given on a draft version of their CV and covering letter, written homework, group presentations, etc.
Furthermore, there will be formative grammar tests to motivate the students to work on their grammar skills.
| Assessment type | Notes | % of formal assessment |
|---|---|---|
| Project | Language Project - 1,200-words (Fachsprachenprojekt) | 40 |
| Presentation | 15 minutes verbal presentation of Language Project | 25 |
| Portfolio | 1 Portfolio Part | 35 |
| Total percentage (Assessment Coursework) | 100 | |
Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated
There is no reading list for this module
Last updated: 5/24/2024
Errors, omissions, failed links etc should be notified to the Catalogue Team