This is an intensive beginner’s language programme. The course is designed to enable students with no previous knowledge of German to reach a lower-intermediate proficiency by the end of the year, and to build towards the use of the language at a high level. Study focuses on the major language skills;

• receptive skills (listening and reading)
• productive skills (speaking and writing)
• inter-cultural awareness skills (awareness of cultural diversity)

These skills, as well as the study of the grammatical and lexical patterns of the language are practiced and developed through classwork exercises, online activities and written work, use of video and audio material, and interaction with native speakers where possible - including native speaker exchange students hosted by the school.

1. Read, understand, and speak German to a level comparable with A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for languages (CEFR) (LO1)
2. Speak German confidently and with appropriate grammatical correctness and spontaneity about topics that are familiar and routine (LO2)
3. Write coherent texts in German in a range of registers on a range of topics with appropriate grammatical accuracy (LO3)
4. Extract data and ideas from a range of authentic written texts (LO4)

Teaching, learning, and assessment are designed to enable students to achieve the learning outcomes described above. While part of any class session is likely to involve direct teaching, the emphasis is on student participation and students will be expected to take part actively in discussions and in tasks such as small group and pair work, role play, and individual or group presentation. The module will be delivered through a range of interactive teaching sessions and seminars supplemented by learning activities and materials outside of class such as online sources and recordings. Full details on the delivery mode of this module will be available on Learning Central at the start of the academic year.

There will be a minimum of 4 hours of language seminars per week on campus.

Independent Learning: You will be expected to spend a significant amount of time studying and participating in in individual and collaborative activities outside the live sessions. Materials will be provided on Learning Central which will help you develop your expertise as an independent language learner. You will be asked to consolidate your language learning by learning vocabulary and linguistic structures, and by reading, watching and/or listening to material in the German language. You will also be expected to prepare and complete exercises and activities online, to complete written, listening and oral tasks and to engage with tutors and peers through discussion boards and forums. Over the course of the year you will begin to acquire a repertoire of effective language learning strategies.

1. Understand the principles of learning a foreign language intensively and organise their learning with guidance with the tutor
2. Subject-specific language skills (reading, writing, listening, and speaking) in the German language at the appropriate level
3. The ability to use language creatively and precisely for a range of purposes and audiences
4. The abilities to extract and synthesize key information from written, spoken, and other sources
5. A greater awareness of how languages (including the mother tongue) function
6. The skills to be effective, independent, and self-aware Learners, including active reflection on learning processes and preferences so as to independently develop appropriate strategies and linguistic skills to ensure progression
7. The ability to work creatively and flexibly with others as part of a team
8. Skills in intercultural awareness, understanding and competence, including a critical understanding of other cultures and practice other than one’s own
9. Enhanced skills in effective communication, presentation, and interaction – both in an online environment and face-to-face
10. Extended and refined vocabulary and skills by engaging with the Independent Learning Portfolio
11. Enhanced digital literacy skills including the ability to engage with appropriate language learning technologies
12. The ability to actively participate in group discussions with a community of learners through chats, discussion boards or forums
13. The ability to identify, assess, and make good use of appropriate reference materials (e.g. dictionaries; online resources; self-study tool)

The key language skills are receptive (reading and listening), production (speaking and writing), mediation and intercultural awareness. Developing these skills involves acquiring metalinguistic and lexical competence, i.e. studying the building blocks of the language including grammatical and lexical patterns and structures. All of these skills are assessed through continuous assessment over the course of the module which reflects the progressive and accumulative nature of language learning.

IMPORTANT: In order to meet the learning outcomes of the module and pass the module, you must achieve a pass mark (40%) in both the Oral Examination and the final Written Exam AND an overall module average of at least 40%.

The method(s) of assessing the learning outcomes for this module are set out in the Assessment Table, which also contains the weightings of each assessment component.

Mapping of Assessments to Intended Learning Outcomes:

Writing in German assesses ILOs 3

Reading comprehension assesses ILOs 1,3,4

Written exam assesses ILOs 1,3,4

Oral Examination assesses ILOs 1, 2

Reassessment

You may be required to resit one or more of the assessments in this module if you fail the module. The Examination Board will advise you which assessments you need to resit during the August resit period. Resit assessments that are not supported by extenuating circumstances will be capped at the pass mark applicable to your programme.

The course will focus on:

• Consolidating and building on knowledge of grammar points studied
• Developing more complex sentence structures
• Developing the range of vocabulary relevant to contemporary society, as specified in the European Common Framework of Reference, level A2
• Developing a sense of different registers
• Developing an awareness of the cultural contexts of German culture
• Making the most of independent learning and learning technologies