MATERIALS

This course is designed to help students increase their proficiency in German language while emphasizing authentic cultural contexts. Through exposure to a variety of texts and text types, students develop tools and discourse strategies for culturally authentic interaction with native speakers.

In German 204 we will cover chapters 6-10 of Kaleidoskop. You will work through reading material, vocabulary, and grammar presentations outside of class, using your textbook, workbook, audio- and video-clips. Class activities focus on an active use of the language, such as discussions, partner work, group projects, etc. In addition to activities based on Kaleidoskop, music, news clips, feature films, and German TV are integrated into the course to increase your listening comprehension as well as your understanding and appreciation of current cultural and political issues and trends in the German speaking world.

Please note: In order to continue to take courses in German, you need to earn a C- or better in this course!

Attendance and Participation
Given your goal of communicative proficiency, regular attendance and preparation are essential. Class time is designed for active learning: we will discuss the texts you have prepared and you will work with other students on such tasks as interviewing, reporting, describing, narrating and so forth. To use class time effectively, you need to come prepared (i.e., having completed your homework assignments), and you must actively participate in activities. You are given points for class participation, and missing class means forfeiting those points. If illness or emergencies keep you out of class, contact me by phone or email BEFORE class.

Conversation Session
In addition to our three meetings per week, you are required to attend a fourth session - the conversation hour - in which you will work on conversation skills in small groups with one of our teaching assistants. These conversation sessions are an integral part of this course, and you will be evaluated on your active participation. Missed conversation sessions cannot be made up.

Worksheets
In additon to exercises based on Kaleidoskop, you will also complete and submit exercises designed to reinforce and expand the thematic and grammatical material covered in the textbook. Links to these exercises are in the syllabus.

There will be four chapter tests (at the end of chapters 6-9) and a final exam, consisting of a written and an oral part, which will cover the entire semester, but stress the last chapter. Because language learning involves a wide variety of activities, you will earn course points for every aspect of your work. Your course work will be evaluated/weighted as follows:

Arbeitsblatt Grammatik