Course Information
Course description:
Elementary
German I is a course over two semesters for
Homeschooler’s at the High School Level.
The main focus of this course is to provide
you with an introduction to German grammar, listening, speaking, reading, and
writing. You will see and discuss short videos and listen to CD’s. You will
also familiarize yourselves with some aspects of contemporary German culture.
Learning a second language is a challenge and should be a combination of hard
work and fun. In order to be successful, you should spend a minimum of eight
hours per week perfecting your language skills outside of class (credits x2).
Course Objectives:
After successful completion of this course students
will be able to:
 | pronounce all of the sounds of German accurately |
| select the correct form of personal pronouns for direct address of other people (“du,” “ihr,” Sie”) |
| express short sentences in the present tense |
| use certain idiomatic expressions correctly |
| use the German modal verbs with dependent infinitives, handling the word order correctly |
| comprehend basic ideas expressed in German within the framework of the learned vocabulary |
| read German texts dealing with topics such as families, relatives, the geographical regions of the German-speaking countries, and the weather in these countries |
| write paragraphs in German about familiar topics such as one’s family and one’s clothing |
| write dialogues based on everyday situations, using the present tense |
| appreciate some important aspects of culture in the German-speaking countries, such as family life, school and university life, and the world of work |
| demonstrate awareness of the major differences between German and North American culture |
Book: Komm Mit (Textbook/ Workbook/Set of CD’s)
Recommended books: English Grammar for Students of German, 3rd ed. by Cecile Zorach and C. Melin.
501 German
Verbs (can purchase at most bookstores)
Collins: German-English-English-German Dictionary (or any other dictionary)
Grading
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Quizzes |
20% |
Grading Scale:
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Homework |
20% |
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Class Participation & Daily Preparations |
20% |
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Oral presentations |
20% |
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Final Exam |
20% |
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TOTAL |
100% |
Requirements:
Attendance
is mandatory. Three (3) unexcused absences will lower the final grade by 3%,
four (4) by 6% and so on. Excused absences are at the discretion of the
instructor. Absences caused by related activities are only
excused if the instructor is made aware of them in advance. Please
provide a written excuse for each class hour missed.
Classroom Deportment: In
order to have an optimal teaching and learning environment, please keep the
following guidelines in mind: arrive promptly and dressed properly for the
classroom (no caps, no pajamas); treat everyone in
the class with courtesy; turn off your cell phones before class; give the
instructor your complete attention.
Quizzes:
You
will have 20 announced quizzes based on the textbook and some short, written
or oral, unannounced quizzes. The quiz with the lowest grade
will be dropped. Missed tests may not
be made up and will be recorded as zeros unless a
valid excuse is presented to the instructor.
Homework:
Homework will
include all assigned exercises in the workbook as well as additional video and
Internet exercises assigned by the instructor. Homework should always be
prepared. It will be collected every week. Due
dates are on the syllabus. Listening to the CD’s that you purchased for this
course is also a required part of your regular homework. Your
conscientiousness in this area will be measured by short conversations with
the instructor in German and sporadic checking of your workbooks and
Notebooks. Please keep in mind that you are expected to practice German
eight hours per week outside of class.
Videos:
You
will see a video series (Focus Deutsch) and complete homework
assignments on these videos. Through the videos you
will gain a better understanding of daily life and culture in the
German-speaking countries and improve your listening comprehension.
Class
participation and Daily Preparations: Active
participation in class and daily preparation are very crucial for improving
your language skills. Please read all required pages for each class hour,
study the vocabulary, and prepare the exercises assigned. Be active in class.
Speak up, speak out, and throw your hat into the rig!
"Use it or lose it!"
Oral
Presentations: Each
student will be expected to give and/or participate
in one presentation before the mid-term grade and another between the mid-term
grade and the end of the semester. The content and organization of the
presentations will be discussed in class. In
addition, memorized dialogues that are presented as
skits will be graded in the category of “oral presentation.”
Final
Exam:
There will be
a comprehensive Final exam. The exam will cover all materials studied in the
Fall/Spring semesters, including the video and audio programs.
It will be
administered in the First week of June 2006.
Extra
Credit: Students
may earn extra credit points for participating in events sponsored by the
German speaking community in the Washington DC area (Goethe Institute
Washington, German/Austrian/or Swiss Embassies, etc).. Get involved! Have fun
and earn extra credit at the same time.
Important:
Do not ignore problems. Ask questions. Do not fall behind. My Web Site is
at:
http://www.geocities.com/jwilliams1962/index.html or
[email protected]
.
Bitten Sie um
einen Sprechtermin
(appointment)!
Private
Tutoring is available online upon request
Viel
Spaß!
(have
fun)
This is the Book I want to use with the students and here is the info to order them from the publisher.
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