• Offered for Year: 2022/23

• Module Leader(s): Mr Okke Baumbach
• Lecturer: Mrs Antje Moench

• Owning School: Modern Languages
• Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus

Semesters

Aims

In consonance with the overall aims of the degrees offered in the SML, this module will:

1. Focus on further developing students' written and oral communicative competences in German gained in Level B (including fluency, grammatical and lexical accuracy and range; register and pronunciation);
2. Continue to prepare students for the future study of German (including written and oral/aural communicative skills, and intercultural awareness and competence) and/ or for their future learning experience (including independent learning and study skills - reflective skills);
3. Continue to facilitate students' ability to establish and maintain effective social and working relations with speakers of German in written and spoken media during their intercalary year. This includes students’ ability to use and understand authentic material and produce their own written and spoken output.

The module will be taught and assessed in German.

Outline Of Syllabus

Students cover a variety of topics related to contemporary German, Austrian and Swiss society, and / or relevant to Contemporary societies and cultures. Depending on student feedback, these may include:

1. Cultural differences
2. A practical guide to living and working in Germany
3. Ethical / controversial current issues
4. Culture and Traditions / Cultural issues
5. German Language and registers
6. Current Affairs

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities

Jointly Taught With

Teaching Rationale And Relationship

1. Teaching in the language seminars will focus on oral and aural communication skills (speaking and listening) while reading and writing skills are mainly developed in the preparation of and the associated work after the language seminar. Students will work in a group of up 20 for two hours most weeks (in total 24h). However, every second week the group will be split. Half of a group will be able to work with the teacher in a much more intensive setting for one hour (in total 10h), enabling a more individualised support for each student, something students very much appreciated when it was tried experimentally. The other hour students will spend on structured exercises online in regards to listening and writing, since these require less immediate teacher input (10h online).

The recorded one-hour grammar lectures (22h online) will focus on key study skills and the formal structures of the language. As in previous years students will study these online in advance of the on-campus grammar workshop. Studying them online will allow students to work through them and the associated exercises at their own pace which is only to their benefit. The grammar workshop (22h) will provide students with the opportunity to reflect on and discuss grammatical features with others in class, consolidate the phenomena further by practice and the opportunity to ask questions.

Of the 200h hours, 56 hours are taught on campus, 32 hours are online and 112 hours are dedicated to independent study.

2. Independent learning and learner autonomy are further developed through the means of structured homework and research activities, pair and group work in class and self-study at home via the University’s Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) Canvas and the Language Resource Centre. Particular initiative is expected from students at this level, e.g. course participants will be asked to contribute their own materials to the classes and activities and to be very pro-active in their language study.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Exams

Exam Pairings

Other Assessment

Assessment Rationale And Relationship

- The portfolio (40%) will encourage regular work on language skills and enable students to receive regular formative (for learning) feedback. It will help students assess their progress and identify their strengths and areas for improvement, thus stimulating their independent and reflective learning skills throughout the year. The first task will be submitted online towards the end of Semester 1 (20%). It will test the students’ ability to produce a well-structured text in the target language based on the comprehension and analysis of written source material. The second task (20%) will be submitted online before the Easter break. This task will test students’ ability to produce a well-structured text in the target language based on the comprehension and analysis of audio / video source material (excluding written text).

- The oral examination (20%) will take place during the revision week of Semester 2. It will test students’ ability to conduct independent research, critically evaluate authentic material, and to produce and present their own output orally in a clear and structured manner. It will also assess their ability to speak freely and interact in a discussion on these findings and on general matters.

- The final written exam at the end of Semester 2 (40%) will take place during the exam period and will test the students’ ability to produce and present a well-structured text or texts in the target language. Students may be allowed to type their own answers provided that spell check / grammar check has been disabled. This formal examination provides summative information to staff and student on student's achievement in the target language at the end of this module.

Reading Lists

• GER2061's Reading List

Timetable

• Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
• GER2061's Timetable