Subject Strand: German
ASSESSED SUMMER SCHOOL: SUBJECT-SPECIFIC RETURN
This syllabus is for PARTNERS applicants seeking to progress to the degrees of:
1. German Studies (R120)
2. Modern Languages degrees (including German) (T900)
Aims
To allow students to demonstrate their potential to succeed by showing a grasp of entry level subject-specific knowledge,
understanding, cognitive and subject-specific skills.
Learning Objectives
At the end of the Summer School, the student will have had the opportunity to:
 Consolidate the four skills of reading, writing, speaking and listening.
 Develop sound lexical knowledge of an important theme from German history and/ or Current Issues in German
society .
 Develop sufficient skills of analysis to be able to extract and summarise the main points from an extended document in
the target language.
 Consolidate knowledge of aspects of grammar, especially the grammar of German and contrasting it to English.
 Develop the confidence to discuss these using appropriate systemic terminology on a meta-language level, notably to
describe the system of tenses.
 Develop through practice on the project, the skills-set and confidence in writing at length in the target language
German.
 Use information technology as a tool appropriate to assist in the production of a glossary and written summary, as well
as a source/resource locator.
Learning Outcomes
A good knowledge and understanding of:
 Grammatical terminology; the role of different parts of speech specifically: word, sentence, noun (proper, common,
abstract) noun case and declension, noun gender, articles, pronouns (possessive, personal and relative) adjectives
(agreement and position), the verb (tense, voice and mood) adverb, preposition, conjunction, articles.
 Lexical development in terms of the theme to be defined, e.g.: die unmittelbare Nachkriegszeit
 The tense system of German.
The ability to apply this knowledge and critical understanding to demonstrate comprehension of text (written or spoken) within
the theme to be defined. Write at length in German about one aspect of the theme, e.g.: die Nachkriegszeit, Stunde Null.
Competence in speaking and listening in exercises developed dealing with the theme as outlined above. Manipulating the
language laboratory for the purposes of voice recording and (intensive and extensive) listening. Using the facilities of the openaccess centre; video, audio and Computer Assisted language learning.
Summer School Syllabus
Sessions 1 and 2
Opening remarks and introductions
The structure of language (interactive lecture common to all students of modern languages).
The following will be examined: word, sentence, noun (proper, common, abstract) noun case and declension, noun gender,
articles, pronouns (possessive, personal and relative) adjectives (agreement and position), (comparative and superlative forms
the verb) (tense, voice and mood) adverb, preposition, conjunction, articles negative particles.
Sessions 3 and 4
Introduction to language laboratory
Using the language laboratory; using Black Board and online dictionaries; online resources; oral Presentation skills
Session 5
Introduction to theme (written)
German: Lexical preparation and introduction to written subject-specific texts
Session 6
Development of theme; audio visual based material (laboratory)
Study of a text related to the chosen topic and vocabulary extension activities / exercise after lexical preparation and
viewing/listening to soundtrack/ audio-visual material.
Sessions 7, 8 and 9
Consolidation of theme
Subject Strand: German
Study of texts and audio-visual materials in German and English on the selected theme. From text, work on appropriate points of
grammar and lexis.
Session 10
Grammar consolidation
Introduction to tenses and the tense system of German.
Description and outline of project task, e.g.: Nachkriegszeit, Trümmerliteratur
Sessions 11 and 12
Development of tense structure of German
Using a variety of text based sources to examine the usage of the (past) tenses. Concluding remarks re project. Close.
Activities for Personal Study
 Establishment of alphabetical, bi-lingual, word-processed glossary based upon texts dealing with the theme
 Grammar exercises
 Summary of an aspect of theme established from the texts provided, e.g.: Kurzgeschichten, Borchert, Böll Sources will
include the written and audio-visual sources provided during the summer school and internet sources.
Resources
 Paper and audio visual materials generated in-house (& photocopying)
 Monolingual and bi-lingual dictionaries (available in the SML or The Robinson Library)
 Computing resources
 Paper and audio visual material will be supplied by the School of Modern Languages (SML).
Assessment
 Grammar exercises and listening [criteria: completeness; accuracy] 25%
 Translation into German [criteria: accuracy] 25%
 2 written task [criteria: accuracy, research, use of sources content; grammatical sophistication and accuracy; range of
vocabulary and idiom; presentation] 25% each
What method of hand-in will be used?
Students complete and hand in assessed work in class.