Module Catalogue 2025/26

Pre Requisite Comment

Students with prior knowledge may seek exemption.

Co Requisite Comment

N/A

Aims

Students should be familiar with the very basic structures of the language and survival vocabulary (numbers, days of the week, etc.). However, they may still feel insecure and will only be able to form very simple sentences. The aims of this course are to consolidate what students already know through systematic revision and provide them with the following:

i. Basic communication skills for coping with simple, though not completely stereotypical situations in everyday life in the foreign country;
ii. More confidence than would be expected from beginners;
iii. A basic awareness of their own language learning strategies;
iv. A personal interest in the countries where the foreign language is spoken and their people;

This is the first part of a German Elementary course designed with the non language specialist in mind. It is intended for false beginners (i.e. students who may have studied the language before, but not to GCSE, or who may have a GCSE in the language but haven’t studied it in several years). The module covers the four skills: writing, reading, speaking and listening. At the end of the module, students will have gained a body of vocabulary and grammatical structures sufficient to allow them to communicate orally and in writing with reasonable confidence at a basic user level. They will have also gained some knowledge of the German culture.

Outline Of Syllabus

I.       Introducing yourself and others: name, origin, residence, age, occupation, area of study
II.       Talking about family and friends
III.       Describing locations of items for study and work
IV.       Describing your home and your town
V.       Expressing liking and preferences
VI.       Talking about your daily routine
VII.       Making appointments

Intended Knowledge Outcomes

All areas of grammar, vocabulary and background knowledge related to the skills listed below.

Intended Skill Outcomes

Speaking
Introducing yourself and family, spelling, counting, locating items, expressing like/dislike, describing your home and means of transport, describing cities, talking about daily routines, making appointments

Listening
Understanding native speakers in situations as above provided they speak slowly and with a reasonably clear accent

Writing
an informal email to a German Tandem partner, contribution to a discussion forum about “Life style” describing their dream home and city and ways of travel

Reading
Ability to filter relevant information from simple texts referring to contexts as outlined in syllabus by various strategies of decoding; these could be newspaper reports, brochures, letters, publicity materials, etc.

Cognitive skills

Students will learn:
To understand the functions and structures of English and of German at Elementary level
To understand the relationships between various languages
To apply a range of strategies for language learning
To locate and make use of technology for language learning

Intercultural skills

Students will:
develop knowledge about German cultural customs
develop greater awareness of their own culture, but also of other cultures present in the class room
develop sensitivity towards and appreciation of cultural differences

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

1. Teaching in the language seminars will focus on communication skills. Grammar will be taught systematically to enable students to produce and manipulate the foreign language. Use of the target language will be made as much as possible to develop listening skills. All four skills: listening, reading, writing and speaking are fully integrated in the language seminars and associated work and preparation, and will be tested equally.

2. Independent learning and learner autonomy are further developed through online guided tasks, pair and group work, assessment preparation and completion, and self-study at home, via the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) and in the Language Resource Centre. Particular initiative is expected from students, e.g. course participants will be asked to contribute their own materials to the classes and activities.

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The portfolio will help students assess their progress and identify their strengths and areas for improvement. It will test student’s ability to communicate effectively, identify relevant information and produce a structured text in the target language.

General Notes

N/A