GER 2010 German 1B

STAFFING:

SYNOPSIS:

United Germany is a major economic, political and cultural force in the world, in particular in the European Union. German is widely used in central Europe as a means of communication, especially in business and trade, between partners who have no other language in common. German has contributed key terminology to fields such as music, science and engineering. German is also a major Australian community language with special historical significance to south-eastern Queensland. This course will extend students' communicative competence in German by involving them in learning activities based around various text types, spoken, written and visual, dealing with topics of cultural, historical and literary interest. Where appropriate, texts relevant to students' other major area of study interest can be used to supplement and complement their learning in German. Basic linguistic concepts, eg phonology, morphology, will be introduced and/or elaborated upon. Use will be made of the internet to source texts and other learning materials and to communicate with other speakers and/or learners of German world-wide.

OBJECTIVES:

On successful completion of this course students will be able to demonstrate:

1. enhanced ability to comprehend texts and to communicate in speech and in writing on the range of topics covered in the course;
2. enhanced socio-cultural and historical knowledge of German-speaking countries as exemplified in the topics and texts covered in the course;
3. knowledge of basic German phonology and morphology;
4. knowledge of some more advanced aspects of the German grammatical system;
5. familiarity with German technical terms relevant to their (other) major discipline;
6. ability to use the internet and other IT tools to research and write up a presentation on a topic of relevance to study in the course.

TOPICS:

TEXT and MATERIALS required to be PURCHASED or accessed:

ALL textbooks and materials are available for purchase from USQ BOOKSHOP (unless otherwise stated). Orders may be placed via secure internet, free fax 1800642453, phone 07 46312742 (within Australia), or mail. Overseas students should fax +61 7 46311743, or phone +61 7 46312742. For costs, further details, and internet ordering, use the 'Textbook Search' facility at http://bookshop.usq.edu.au click 'Semester', then enter your 'Course Code' (no spaces).

CDs: Berliner Platz 3, 2 Audio CDs zum Lehrbuchteil (ISBN 3468478747), 1 Audio CD zum Arbeitsbuchteil (ISBN 3468478763)

REFERENCE MATERIALS:

Einblicke - Lernprogramm Deutsch (2000), (9 CD-ROMs) Goethe-Institut and dkf multimedia, Munich

STUDENT WORKLOAD REQUIREMENTS:

ASSESSMENT DETAILS:

NOTES:

1.

Students will be advised of the date of presentation during the course.

2.

Test dates are tentative and will be confirmed when the timetable is finalised.

IMPORTANT ASSESSMENT INFORMATION

1. Attendance requirements:
   In order to achieve course objectives, attendance at and participation in all learning activities are strongly advised. These are important factors in the development of oral and aural skills and as such will be monitored regularly and cumulatively. Students absent from classes are responsible for obtaining and completing all work and homework covered during their absence and for informing themselves of announcements regarding course-related activities and administrative matters.
2. Requirements for students to complete each assessment item satisfactorily:
   To complete each of the assessment items satisfactorily, students must obtain at least 50% of the marks available for each assessment item.
3. Penalties for late submission of required work:
   If students submit assignments after the due date without prior approval, then a penalty of 10% of the total marks available for the assignment will apply for each of the first FIVE working days late, after which a zero mark will be given.
4. Requirements for student to be awarded a passing grade in the course:
   To be assured of a passing grade, students must demonstrate, via the summative assessment items, that they have achieved the required minimum standards in relation to the objectives of the course by obtaining at least 50% of the total weighted marks for all summative assessment, and at least 50% of the marks for each of the final Listening, Oral and Written Tests.
5. Method used to combine assessment results to attain final grade:
   The final grades for students will be assigned on the basis of the weighted aggregate of the marks (or grades) obtained for each of the summative assessment items in the course.
6. Examination information:
   Assessment in this course is continuous as outlined under Assessment Details above. No additional examination will be held during the official examination period.
7. Examination period when Deferred/Supplementary examinations will be held:
   Any makeup/outstanding assessment must be completed by a date set by the examiner.
8. University Regulations:
   Students should read USQ Regulations 5.1 Definitions, 5.6. Assessment, and 5.10 Academic Misconduct for further information and to avoid actions which might contravene University Regulations. These regulations can be found at the URL http://www.usq.edu.au/corporateservices/calendar/part5.htm or in the current USQ Handbook.

ASSESSMENT NOTES