Admission requirements
This course is only available for students in the BA International Studies.
Description
In this course you learn how to handle successfully a variety of basic social situations you may encounter in daily life in Germany. You learn to maintain non-complicated face-to-face conversations, and to perform such tasks as introducing yourself, asking directions, understanding a TV program or writing an e-mail. These basics are acquired by using the textbook and through a wide range of real-life situations, performed either individually or in groups. Grammar, cultural topics, current issues and pronunciation are main concerns, too.
Course objectives
This course enables the student to achieve a level A1/A2 of the Common European Framework (CEF).
This course is the first one in a series of three language acquisition courses within the International Studies programme. The final objective of this course series is to obtain an intermediate level of proficiency in German, aimed at communication with people in the region in everyday social situations and enabling students to follow current affairs in the region via various media.
Reading: A2
Speaking: A1/A2
Listening: A2
Writing: A1/A2
Timetable
The timetable is available on the BA International Studies website
Mode of instruction
Three two hour tutorials every week
Attending lectures and tutorials is compulsory. If you are not able to attend a lecture or a tutorial, please inform the tutor of the course. Being absent without notification can result in a lower grade or exclusion from the final exam or essay.
Course Load
Total course load for this course is 10 EC (1 EC = 28 hours), this equals 280 hours, broken down by:
Attending classes (6 hrs per week over 12 weeks): 72 hours
Preparing classes, exams and extra activities : 208 hours
Assessment method
Assessment and Weighing
Weekly tests (grammar and vocabulary): 20 %
Writing assignments (6 essays): 10%
in-class oral performance: 10%
final exam:
a. listening comprehension, reading comprehension and writing: 45 %
b. speaking/listening performance: 15%
To complete the final mark, please take notice of the following: the final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average.
To pass the course, the average has to be 5.5 at least.
Resit
If the final grade is insufficient (lower than a 6), there is the possibility of a resit.
The resit will be a written exam of two hours, and will test if the students have reached the end level of this semester. This exam consists of the following components:
Reading and writing;
Written dialogue;
Vocabulary and grammar.
Blackboard
Blackboard will be used. For tutorial groups: please enroll in blackboard after your enrolment in uSis
Students are requested to register on Blackboard for this course.
Reading list
Begegnungen Deutsch als Fremdsprache A1, Integriertes Kurs- und Arbeitsbuch (+CD), by Anne Buscha und Szilvia Szita, Schubert Verlag, ISBN 13: 978-3-929526-86-8
Begegnungen Deutsch als Fremdsprache A2, Integriertes Kurs- und Arbeitsbuch (+CD), by Anne Buscha und Szilvia Szita, Schubert Verlag, ISBN 13: 978-3-929526-89-9
To support student’s selfstudy two more books can be recommended:- A glossary in English, French and Spanish:
Begegnungen Deutsch als Fremdsprache A1, Glossar Englisch, Französisch, Spanisch, Schubert Verlag Leipzig, 2007. ISBN13: 978-3-929526-88-2. - A grammar book with explanations and excercises:
A-Grammatik, Übungsgrammatik Deutsch als Fremdsprache, Sprachniveau A1/A2 (+CD), by Anne Buscha und Szilvia Szita, Schubert Verlag, Leipzig, 2010.
ISBN 978-3-941323-09-4
- A glossary in English, French and Spanish:
Registration
Enrolment through uSis is mandatory.
General information about uSis is available in English and Dutch
Registration Studeren à la carte and Contractonderwijs
Not applicable
Contact
Remarks
For this course attendance and participation is essential. Classes missed for a good reason have to be discussed with the language instructor BEFORE the class takes place. Frequent absence will inevitably lead to lower participation grades, or denied access to the final exam.
Passing this course is an additional requirement for a positive Study Recommendation at the end of the year.
This course uses Integrated communicative language learning method. Therefore active participation in the classroom activities is essential for successful learning outcomes.