German Level 1

On successful completion of this module, you will be better prepared to:

• respond to and produce a basic range of spoken language in very familiar contexts;
• respond to and produce simple written texts, applying grammar and vocabulary from the A1-beginner level range (CEFR);
• demonstrate intercultural awareness in your handling of everyday social interactions in German and in your use of language;
  
• use a basic range of digital language-learning tools, to support your production.

In this module, you will cover the following linguistic structures:

• present tense;
• imperative;
• personal pronouns;
• articles;
• negatives;
• possessive adjectives;
• declension of nouns and pronouns;
• modal verbs;
• separable verbs;
• perfect tense;
• imperfect of haben/sein;
• word order;
• prepositions, conjunctions.

These linguistic structures will be applied to the following topics:

• making contact;
• family and relationships;
• directions and travel;
• opinions;
• work, training and professions;
• eating and drinking;
• holidays and leisure time;
• the home;
• sickness and health;
• asking for and giving information;
• features of modern life, including social and behavioural norms;
• selected cultural areas and personalities of German-speaking countries.

In line with modern foreign languages communicative and active learning methodologies, the in-class activities you will complete will cover all four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking). These will include pair work and groupwork (dialogue practice, information gap exercises, discussion), individual tasks, discovery and formulation of grammatical rules, work with texts, etc.

Weekly preparation tasks set on the Virtual Learning Environment and coursework tasks will give you the opportunity to revise and consolidate your knowledge and skills at your own pace and to develop your awareness of how to use language-learning tools independently. Following a flipped-classroom approach, you will be provided with materials to study independently beforehand, and then will apply these during classroom time, ensuring thus that face-to-face time is devoted for interactional learning and communicative skills acquisition. This approach not only ensures you engage with a wide range of tasks and activities, but also seeks to support different learning preferences.

Your coursework will be marked and returned within two weeks. Rubrics and revision guidance (how-to guides) will be included as needed with each coursework. You will receive detailed feedback alongside suggestions for improvement and an overall percentage showing your provisional grade for that assessment.

• Coursework (25%): Integrated skills pack, at the end of autumn term, including receptive/productive skills: reading and writing (c.100 words).
• Coursework (25%): Integrated skills pack, in mid-spring term, including receptive/productive skills: listening and speaking.
• Examination (25%): 1-hour in-class test on the Virtual Learning Environment (BYOD), at the end of spring term, testing grammar/lexicon awareness and reading/writing (writing c. 120 words).
• Practical (25%): Oral exam in pairs at the end of spring term, including graded, open conversation on topics seen in class and an unprepared communicative task (approx. 10 minutes per student, in total).

You will complete two pieces of summative coursework (set towards the end of autumn term and mid-spring term), which will include rubrics and revision guidance to ensure you are supported when completing your work and so that you are aware of the assessment expectations. There will also be a 1-hour in-class examination (scheduled at the end of spring term), and one practical, in the form of an oral examination, (at the end of spring term or during the summer term). All summative assessments contribute to the final module grade/mark.

• 7.5 ECTS points awarded on successful completion of the module.
• Available to take for credit towards your degree, where your department allows. Also available for extra credit. The Module options by department page has a full list of the credit options.
• You must be prepared to attend all classes and undertake approximately 3 hours of private study each week in addition to the assessment.

Module materials

Relevant reading lists and/or materials will be published on the VLE.