Undergraduate Course: German 1A (ELCG08001)
Course Outline
| School | School of Literatures, Languages and Cultures |
College | College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 40 |
ECTS Credits | 20 |
| Summary | An intensive course in spoken and written German, with a main focus on grammatical structures, for those with little or no previous knowledge of the language. This is a course for highly motivated students willing to put in a year of sustained hard work to acquire degree-entry level competence in German language. The course is open to students of any year, but not to those with Advanced Higher / A-level or equivalent knowledge in German; those should be registered for German 1B instead (please also see below 'other requirements'). |
| Course description |
German 1A is a year-long course that aims to take students to approximately CEFR Level B1, so that they can progress to, and survive in, German 2.
There are five contact hours per week, four of which focus mainly on the acquisition of knowledge of grammatical structures and their correct application in the production of both written and spoken language.
Students must attend all 4 Language Seminars and an Oral Tutorial.
The fifth contact hour each week is dedicated to spoken practice and listening comprehension, including the practice of a number of common situations (providing personal details, talking about friends, family, hobbies and work, asking for and giving directions, ordering in a restaurant etc.). In order to take this course, students will need to have a good grasp of grammatical terminology, or at least be prepared to acquire this terminology very quickly.
Students are expected to prepare for each class by going through the explanations given in the Coursebook and Workbook and completing the matching exercises; this preparation is basis for the discussion of questions and further practice in class. Regular attendance at all classes and the completion of all set work, including formative homework exercises, is vital for the successful completion of the course. Overall, students should expect to spend at least 8-10 hours per week in self-study, in addition to the five contact hours.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | Students with a 'C' pass at Higher (SQA) or A-level may be considered for entry to German 1A at the discretion of the Course Organiser.
If you hold a Scottish Higher in German, you will be automatically admitted to German 1B rather than German 1A. However, if you enter the course more than twelve months after you took your Higher, you should take our Diagnostic Test. If this tells us that you are better suited to 1A than to 1B, you will be given the option of switching to 1A. The Diagnostic Test is also open to students who have done a 'crash Higher', whether or not it was in the past twelve months.
For students who hold a qualification in German other than a Scottish Higher: if your entry qualification for German entitles you to admission to German 1B but is over three years old, you will be automatically admitted to 1B. However, you may also, if you wish, take our Diagnostic Test, and if this tells us that you are better suited to 1A than to 1B, you will be given the option of switching to 1A. (We recommend that you take the test if you have not engaged in language learning activities since you gained that entry qualification.)
To take the Diagnostic Test, please contact the German 1B Course Organiser as soon as possible.
Please note that changing from 1B to 1A is not allowed in any other circumstances, and is not possible after week 2 of semester 1.
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| Additional Costs | Cost of course books. |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2019/20, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 60 |
| Course Start |
Full Year |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
400
(
Seminar/Tutorial Hours 108,
Summative Assessment Hours 4,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 8,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
280 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
50 %,
Coursework
50 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
The course is assessed in a mix of coursework (50%) and end-of-year exam (50%).
The coursework consists of one take-home test (worth 10% each) and two vocabulary tests (worth 5% each) per semester, as well as one class test scheduled during the December exam diet (worth 20% of the overall mark). It also contains an oral component based on the attendance of and participation
The end-of-year degree exam (50%), scheduled during the April/May exam diet, is a 3-hour written examination that assesses the students' language competency through a mix of fill-in-the gap exercises, translation from English into German, text production in German, and reading comprehension. |
| Feedback |
Throughout both semesters, students will receive regular written and oral feedback on the assignments submitted as well as on their performance in class. |
| Exam Information |
| Exam Diet |
Paper Name |
Hours & Minutes |
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| Main Exam Diet S2 (April/May) | German 1A | 3:00 | | | Resit Exam Diet (August) | | 3:00 | |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- demonstrate a familiarity with everyday German vocabulary, grammar and syntax, along with a broad understanding of German and Austrian culture
- appraise straightforward spoken and written information about familiar everyday-, study- or work-related topics, identifying both general messages and specific details
- communicate with reasonable accuracy in familiar contexts on familiar topics both orally and in writing, expressing personal opinions, and comparing and contrasting those of others
- develop effective communication, presentation and interaction skills across a range of media
- demonstrate self-reliance, initiative, and the ability to work flexibly with others as part of a team
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Reading List
Essential Reading:
Coursebook: DaF kompakt neu A1-B1 Kursbuch A1 - B1,Birgit Braun, Margit Doubek et al.
Workbook: DaF kompakt neu A1-B1 Übungsbuch A1 - B1,Birgit Braun, Margit Doubek et al.
Recommended Reading
Essential German Grammar (some copies available from Main Library )
Martin Durrell, Katrin Kohl 2nd edition |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
By the end of the course, students will have further developed their skills in the areas of research and enquiry, personal and intellectual autonomy, communication, and personal effectiveness. For further specification of these skills see the university's graduate and employability skills framework at http://www.employability.ed.ac.uk/documents/GAFramework+Interpretation.pdf |
| Additional Class Delivery Information |
5 contact hours per week: 4 grammar/written language seminars, plus 1 oral language practical tutorial. |
| Keywords | DELC German 1A |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Ms Annette Gotzkes
Tel: (0131 6)50 3604
Email: A.Gotzkes@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Gillian Paterson
Tel: (0131 6)50 3646
Email: Gillian.Paterson@ed.ac.uk |
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