CANADIAN SUMMER SCHOOL IN GERMANY (CSSG) 2016 May 4 - June 18, 2016 AUGER 200 – INTERMEDIATE GERMAN I & II Augustana Campus, University of Alberta in Kassel, Germany Instructors
Feisal Kirumira, Augustana Campus, University of Alberta Email:
[email protected] Telephone: 0176 75 46 64 57
Office Hours
by appointment in the afternoons
Time
Classroom hours Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Some student presentations and excursions will take place in the afternoons.
Texts 1. Hilpert, S. & Kalendar, S. Schritte International 5 Kursbuch + Arbeitsbuch, B1/1. Hueber Verlag, 2011. 2. Hilpert, S. & Kalendar, S. Schritte International 6 Kursbuch + Arbeitsbuch, B1/2. Hueber Verlag, 2011. 3. Hilpert, S. & Kalendar, S. Schritte Übungsgrammatik Niveaustufen, A1- B1. Hueber Verlag, 2011 4. Literary text: TBA. 5. Dictionary of your choice recommended (preferably German-German). Course description This course is an intensive course (a full year course in 6 ½ weeks) designed to develop further comprehension, writing, reading and speaking skills acquired in Beginners’ German through classroom instruction, excursions, and immersion experience, including living in a German home. Improvement in overall fluency, enhanced knowledge of the culture of the Germanspeaking countries and review of key grammatical concepts are integral to this course. The language of instruction for this course is German. Textbooks and other readings are also in German. Films will be in German with English subtitles. Course objectives This course will be centered on the following theme: linguistic proficiency interpersonal communication - intercultural communication: through task-based grammar instruction, personal experience, literary texts, films, and lectures. The course will focus on studentcentered, communicative learning, encouraging students to interact spontaneously and meaningfully in German. Students will further refine skills in reading, listening, speaking and writing through a variety of texts and communicative opportunities. Strategies to enhance language learning skills will be integral to this course. 1
Extra help If you want help with grammar, course journals, presentations or any other aspect of class work, you can get individual tutoring with any member of the CSSG team after the lunch break from around 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. (on class days). Prerequisite One-year Beginners’ German at a Canadian university: as Beginners’ German courses vary across the country, we assume that students coming into this course have studied the following grammatical structures: Present tense of sein, haben, werden / verbs with stem-vowel change / verb + gern or lieber / modal verbs / separable-prefix verbs / verb-noun and verb-verb combinations / imperative / simple past of haben, sein and modal verbs / perfect tense / infinitive phrases (zu, um ... zu) / nominative, accusative, dative and genitive cases / interrogative pronouns / der-words and einwords / possessive adjectives / adjective endings / dependent and independent clauses / coordinating and subordinating conjunctions / prepositions: accusative, dative, two-case / da-compounds, wocompounds / comparative, superlative / negation / relative clauses and relative pronouns / reflexive pronouns / reflexive verbs / als, wenn, wann. Language Policy The CSSG is an immersion program. It is therefore essential that students demonstrate a commitment to communicate solely in German during all CSSG activities. If a CSSG instructor hears a student speaking a language other than German, the incident will be noted and the student will receive a yellow card. The consequence of three infractions is a red card. A red card will result in exclusion from a CSSG excursion. A red card issued after the final excursion will result in a 5 % reduction in the student’s final grade. Students receiving no yellow card throughout the program will receive a prize at the end of the program which recognizes this achievement. We also have a green card which is given out each week to the student who has spoken German the most outside the classroom. Each class member votes anonymously to choose this student and she/he will receive a green card as a token of recognition for her/his efforts to uphold the CSSG Language Agreement. Students will be required to sign the CSSG Language Agreement. This policy will be strictly enforced. First homework assignment (to be handed in by email prior to arrival or on the first day of class in Kassel) All students must research 7 places in Kassel that they would like to visit and write (in German) why these places are interesting to them. This assignment will be the basis for other assignments in the course, including oral presentations. You are required to write approximately 75-100 words on each place. You can use the internet, correspondence with the host family, travel guides etc. as resources. DO NOT simply copy and paste sentences from these resources but use your own words and cite your sources. The purpose of the pre-course assignment is not only to familiarize yourself with Kassel but also to allow the instructor to assess your writing skills. You are encouraged to use basic to intermediate-level sentence structures; subject verb agreement, verbs separable prefixes, verbs with prepositions, different tenses (where necessary,) appropriate vocabulary etc. You will discuss your text with the instructor who will provide you with feedback on how to improve your writing skills, grammar etc. Students will hand in a revised version on May 13. A follow up to this assignment will be handed in on June 13 in which you describe your own encounters with at least 3 of these places. Grading Policies, Required Work and Policy for Late Assignments Evaluation of your performance in this course will take several forms. The evaluation system is designed to reflect your 2
ability to actively and effectively participate in a wide variety of language related activities, both in and out of the classroom. You are expected to come to class every day, be prepared to interact in German in a variety of situations, keep up with the material, complete and hand in assigned homework, and take exams and quizzes. We believe that learning a foreign language is the development of a skill, not the acquisition of a body of knowledge. It can be compared with learning to play a musical instrument in a band. You begin with the very basics and through study and practice you advance to ever more complex music. The key word is practice, especially in tune with other band members, or learning by working collaboratively with others, and therefore this course is designed to allow you to take an active part in each class, to hear, respond to, read, and speak a lot of German. In class, we frequently engage in partner- and group-work as this maximizes your opportunities to practice your language skills. As a result, the quality of the education you receive as well as your ultimate performance in this class will depend on the amount and quality of your own effort, as well as that of the other students. *Late assignments will be accepted, however, students will have to inform their instructor before the due date and complete all the tasks given by their instructor to help them complete the assignment. Otherwise, a 10% will be deducted for each day past due. Active participation will be evaluated based on the raw score of attendance combined with a subjective mark for active participation in all aspects of class (based on initiative taking, willingness to communicate, volunteering answers, asking questions, cooperation in teamwork, etc.) and preparedness for class. Course Journal The learning objective of the journal is to improve your writing skills and active vocabulary. Journal writing gives you an opportunity to develop your thoughts and opinions about your experience in Germany. You can choose to write about any topic. Students in past years have written about their activities in Kassel, their host families, comparative analyses of German and Canadian culture and / or lifestyle, creative work such as a fairy tale, poems, songs etc. It is always a good idea to incorporate newly learned vocabulary and grammatical structures into the journal. These pages will be corrected with a code and you will then correct the mistakes, re-write the journal entry and re-submit. You do not need to type this or any assignment. Your journal will be graded on clarity, vocabulary, grammar and coherence. The corrections will also be taken into account for the final grade. Homework assignments will include reading, listening, speaking, and writing tasks derived from the Schritte International coursebook and workbook as well as from the literature we read and the films we watch. It is important for students to complete all assignments on time in order to keep up with the learning progression. Assigned grammar tasks in Schritte Übungsgrammatik are to be selfcorrected and handed in. You will receive an answer key. A language learning diary is a student’s record of language acquisition. At least once a week the student will write a diary entry concerning, at least, one experience in which s/he communicated with a German speaker (e.g., a host family member, a tandem partner, people in restaurants and stores, people at excursion sites and information centres, etc.). S/he must 1) briefly describe the experience and the interaction, 2) record any specific words or phrases or grammar needed (especially any 3
learned in class), 3) record any new words or phrases heard, and whether there was any new cultural learning involved, 4) explain whether the communication was successful (i.e., “Did you achieve what you set out to?”), 5) look up key words or phrases that would have better facilitated communication, 6) identify gaps in her/his linguistic, intercultural, and behavioral repertoire (e.g. keeping silent vs. experimenting with broken German ☺), and 7) set/adjust personal learning goals (i.e., identify and tackle common errors, set targets for speaking more often and in more varied places, strive to activate new vocabulary, use more complex sentences, ask more questions, etc.). Oral presentations The topic of your first presentation is your choice, related to aspects of the cities of Kassel or Nürnberg and/or aspects of German life. This may be, for example, an event you would like to attend, a museum or tourist attraction you would like to visit, etc. The topic of your second presentation is your choice, related to aspects of the history, culture, politics, and/or other aspects of German life in Berlin. The second presentation is designed to help prepare you (and the other students) for our trip to Berlin. You can choose to work with a partner, group or alone. The presentations will be graded on communicative goals achieved, vocabulary, preparation, fluency, grammar, pronunciation, intonation and creativity. You will also be graded on the level of interaction with your classmates (you will receive the rubric used for grading at the orientation). Written assignment The written assignment will be a short essay on a topic related to the course or a topic decided upon with the instructor. The goal of this assignment is to acquire and improve writing and analytical skills. There will be in-class practice sessions for this assignment. You will have time in class to write your essay. The essay will be graded based on 1) insights and ideas, 2) organization and structure, 3) grammar and cognitive structures, and 4) contextually appropriate vocabulary. Midterm and final exams Both the midterm and final exams are cumulative, covering all material studied. Both exams will have a short oral component, which will be a short conversation (ca. 3-4 minutes) with a partner. We will draw names for the partners and we will give you a sheet of paper with the topic as well as supplemental ideas for the conversation. This conversation will be graded on communicative goals achieved, vocabulary, grammar and clarity. The written component will include sections which test your reading (comprehension) and writing skills, with grammatical exercises, vocabulary, questions about the films we have watched or literary texts we have read, etc. Assignment dates
Course journals will be due on Fridays (beginning May 13th). Oral presentations will take place on May 23rd & 24th and June 9th and 10th. Homework (daily); the Schritte Übungsgrammatik workbook will be due afternoons on May 18th, May 25th, and June 14th respectively. Language learning diaries will be due on May 18th, May 25th, May 31st, June 8th and June 15th respectively. Vocabulary and grammar quizzes (once or twice a week). Written assignment (due June 14th).
Exam dates
Midterm on May 27th & Final Exam on June 16th
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Evaluation
Active participation Course Journal Homework/Language learning dairy Vocabulary & Grammar quizzes Two oral presentations Written assignment Midterm exam Final exam
10 % 10 % 15 % 10 % 10 % 5% 10 % 30 %
Past Evaluative Material You will have access to sample past evaluative material, i.e. a sample rubric for participation, a sample vocabulary quiz etc., through eClass. You can access eClass on the Augustana website front page www.augustana.ca once you have received your Bear Tracks login. CSSG Behaviour Agreement All students are required to sign the CSSG Behaviour Agreement and are bound by the Augustana LEARNING AND BEYOND: STUDENT STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOUR. Please see the Documents section of the CSSG website for these documents. Grading System The Alberta-wide standard alpha-four point grading system will be used in awarding grades. Student work will be marked in percent, and the following chart indicates the approximate percent/grade equivalents. The relationship between percentages and the resultant grades on any particular assignment or examination (or set of assignments and examinations) will depend on its difficulty, the nature of the course, and the instructor’s assessment of the level of this class compared to similar classes she/he has taught. CSSG Grading Scale Letter % Pts Descriptor A+ 95-100% 4.0 Outstanding: Superior performance showing understanding and knowledge of the subject matter far exceeding expectations. A 90-94% 4.0 Excellent: Superior performance showing comprehensive understanding of subject matter. A85-89% 3.7 Very good: Clearly above average performance with complete knowledge of subject matter. B+ 80-84% 3.3 Very good B 75-79% 3.0 Good: average performance with knowledge of subject matter generally complete. B70-74% 2.7 Good C+ 65-69% 2.3 Satisfactory: Basic understanding of the subject matter C 61-64% 2.0 Satisfactory C58-60% 1.7 Satisfactory D+ 55-57% 1.3 Minimal Pass: Marginal performance; generally insufficient preparation for subsequent courses in the subject matter. D 50-54% 1.0 Minimal Pass: Marginal performance; generally insufficient preparation for subsequent courses in the subject matter. F 0-49% 0.0 Fail: Unsatisfactory performance or failure to meet course requirements. 5
Academic Integrity “The University of Alberta is committed to the highest standards of academic integrity and honesty. Students are expected to be familiar with these standards regarding academic honesty and to uphold the policies of the University in this respect. Students are particularly urged to familiarize themselves with the provisions of the Code of Student Behaviour (online at http://www.governance.ualberta.ca/en/CodesofConductandResidenceCommunityStandards/CodeofStudent Behaviour.aspx ) and avoid any behaviour which could potentially result in suspicions of cheating, plagiarism, misrepresentation of facts and/or participation in an offence. Academic dishonesty is a serious offence and can result in suspension or expulsion from the University.” Learning and Working Environment Augustana is committed to ensuring all students; faculty and staff are able to study and work in an environment safe and free of discrimination and harassment. It does not tolerate behaviour that undermines that environment. The Fine Arts and Humanities Department urges anyone who feels this policy has been or is being violated to Discuss the matter with the person whose behaviour is causing concern; or If that discussion is unsatisfactory, or there is concern that direct discussion is inappropriate or threatening, discuss it with the Chair of the Fine Arts and Humanities Department. For additional advice or assistance regarding this policy you may contact the student ombudservice (http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/OmbudService/ ). Information about the University of Alberta Discrimination and Harassment Policy and Procedures can be found in the GFC Policy Manual, section 44 available at http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/gfcpolicymanual/policymanualsection44.cfm . Academic Honesty All students should consult the information provided by the Office of Judicial Affairs regarding avoiding cheating and plagiarism in particular and academic dishonesty in general (see the Academic Integrity Undergraduate Handbook and Information for Students). If in doubt about what is permitted in this class, ask the instructor. Students involved in language courses and translation courses should be aware that on-line “translation engines” produce very dubious and unreliable “translations.” Students in language courses should be aware that, while seeking the advice of native or expert speakers is often helpful, excessive editorial and creative help in assignments is considered a form of “cheating” that violates the code of student conduct with dire consequences. An instructor who is convinced that a student has handed in work that he or she could not possibly reproduce without outside assistance is obliged, out of consideration of fairness to other students, to report the case to the Associate Dean of the Faculty. See the Academic Discipline Process. Policy Policy about course outlines can be found can be found in §23.4(2) of the University Calendar. Recording of Lectures Recording is permitted only with the prior written consent of the professor or if recording is part of an approved accommodation plan. Specialized Support and Disability Services Students who require accommodations in this course due to a disability affecting mobility, vision, hearing, learning, or mental or physical health are advised to discuss their needs with their professor and must have written documentation of their disability from their home university. Cell Phone Use Out of respect for the instructor and other students wanting to learn, texting and other cell phone use is not allowed in the classroom. 6
