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The Language Centre

Advanced German 2 (LL206)

Summary

Level:

This course will be offered to students who already have a good knowledge of German (i.e. A level or equivalent) or who have successfully completed Advanced German 1 or Learning German 4 course.

Main Objectives:
    The module will provide a useful springboard for transfer to more detailed study of German culture and literature and more specialised study of the German language. To this end, in addition to the study of more advanced language structure and syntax, the course will concentrate on using the target language with the purpose of discussing and analysing issues of German political, social and cultural topicality. Literary appreciation skills will also be developed further by the study of literary extracts and one modern novel.
      Assessment Scheme:

      3 exams and an oral test. Students requiring 30 CREDITS are required to do an additional exam.

      Weighting:

      24 CREDITS or, with additional assessed work: 30 CREDITS

      Teaching:

      One seminar per week of 3 hours' duration over 25 weeks plus 2 hours independent learning per week

      Availability/Location of module within courses:

      This module is available as an approved option in undergraduate programmes for departments in the Faculties of Arts, Sciences and Social Studies, commencing Week 2, Term 1. It is available as a day-time or an evening module.


      Course Description:

      • To improve and consolidate the four skills (i.e. reading, writing, speaking and listening) at an advanced level.
      • Emphasis will therefore be put on accuracy in both spoken and written expression, with intensive practice of the language in a range of registers.
      • To study a range of topics relating to contemporary German society, culture and literature.
      • To enhance literary appreciation skills through the study of a work of modern fiction and some poetry.
      • Generally to improve comprehension skills to enable the students to explore and retain interest in German current affairs through a range of media.
      Grammar  

       

      The following items feature in the main language textbook:

      • preterite tense;
      • prepositional use;
      • subjunctive tenses;
      • complex subordinate clauses;
      • adjectives as nouns;
      • verbs with dative;
      • adjectival phrases;
      • separable and unseparable verbs;
      • relative clauses;
      • conditional sentences;
      • passives;
      • use of the infinitive;
      • comparatives;
      • compound nouns.
      Topics
      • German life and politics after unification (5 Eastern 'länder', asylum, refugees, etc);
      • The Media;
      • Germany and the European Union;
      • Women in society;
      • Industry, Science, Technology.

      (This list of topics is not exhaustive as students' personal interests may be taken into account). The fictional work by H Böll: Die verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum will offer opportunities to develop an appreciation for narrative style and to consider the themes of myth and reality.

      Course Text Books:

      1. "Mittelstufe Deutsch", Johannes Schumann, in einem Band, Neubearbeitung, Verlag für Deutsch 1992
      Additional material
      1. "A Practice Grammar of German"  Dreyer, Schmitt.  Verlag für Deutsch.
      2. "Die verlorene Ehre der Katharina Blum", Heinrich Böll, 1974

      Teaching:  

       

      One seminar per week of 3 hours' duration over 25 weeks. Seminars will be in German. Students will be expected to devote at least three hours per week to independent study. Students will also be encouraged to avail themselves of the facilities of the Language Centre e.g. computers, satellite TV, supplementary audio tapes, etc.

      Assessment:  

       

      Students will be required to complete, in class, three assessment tests, one in each term. The examination will count as 50% of the final mark, the remaining 50% being based on assessment.

      The tests will include a range of skills including aural comprehension, reading comprehension, composition, grammatical competence, short translations and conversation.

      Examination  

       

      At the end of the module, there will be a 3 hour examination paper, consisting of a written comprehension with multiple tasks, a translation from German into English, and a short composition in German. The examination will count as 50% of the final mark.

      The use of a bilingual dictionary is allowed.