GERMAN

German is an influential European language and is spoken by approximately 82 million people in Germany, 8 million in Austria and an additional 8 million in Switzerland, Alsace-Lorraine and Luxembourg. As one of the key European economies, Germany is a crucial commercial and trading centre whose industrial interests include the car industry, engineering, chemicals and electronics. Learning German is thus a must for anyone who has, or is planning, a career in business or commerce. No one can fail to enjoy the contrasting images of the chocolate box beauty of the small towns, the sophistication of the larger cities, the historic castles and long reaches of forest as opposed to the industrial heartland.

GRMN1010 Introductory German Language I

GRMN1010 is designed for students with little or no knowledge of German. It is intended to develop communicative competence at an elementary level in German in the four macro-skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing), to introduce some elementary grammatical structures of German, and to raise some basic issues about the German-speaking cultures specifically and the nature of language generally.

Aims of Language Learning/Development of "Graduate Attributes"; Communicative and Grammatical Content

(a) With the continuing globalization of culture and business, skills in intercultural communication are constantly increasing in importance. At every level of the German language program, you should:

• acquire language-learning strategies designed to help you take charge of your own learning and communication. While the courses in the German language program promote the development of all four macro-skills, proficiency in each skill is not expected to evolve at exactly the same rate or with the same degree of sophistication.

• extend your awareness and understanding of the nature of language and culture through studying the communicative systems of German.

(b) Communicative Content Students will be expected to understand and produce simple German related to the following topics:

• Basic personal information (names, ages, families, courses of study, jobs, leisure interests etc.)
• Basic general information (alphabet, numbers, times, days of the week, dates etc.)
• Food and drink (likes and dislikes, eating out, shopping etc.)
• Travel (making plans, places and events of interest, means of transport etc.)
• Some texts will introduce basic cultural/historical information (e.g. famous people, history of Germany in the 20th century)

(c) Grammatical Content

As part of their communicative activities, students will be expected to understand and produce standard usages of the following items:

• Verbs (present tense: regular, modal, some strong and irregular verbs, sein, haben, werden and wissen; position of verb in main clause)
• Grammatical genders and plurals of nouns
• Nominative case (with subject of verb, sein, werden and bleiben)
• Accusative case (with direct object of verb and with prepositions)
• Dative case (with indirect object of verb, with prepositions, with certain verbs, dative of advantage)

Assumed Background

GRMN1010 is a "zero-beginners" course, so it has no assumed background, and no formal prerequisites. However, students with a limited knowledge of German (e.g. Grade 9 standard) are entitled to enroll.

Teaching and Learning Modes

The language-acquisition courses in the German program emphasize the meaningful use of German language in an expanding range of contexts, and at increasing levels of linguistic and intellectual sophistication. Language learning within and outside the classroom is based primarily on practice, analysis and discussion of a variety of topics and structures presented through a variety of materials (print, audio-visual, internet etc.). The processes of learning about "language" and about "culture" are considered largely indivisible, as are issues of "communication" and "grammar", although all courses include some formal discussion and/or revision of linguistic structures at appropriate junctures. Assessment tasks are integrated closely with classroom activities, and concentrate largely on communicative competence.

Students should note that regular attendance at classes, active participation in classes, conscientious completion of homework and careful evaluation of "feedback" (e.g. of work which is marked and returned) are essential to successful language learning.

GRMN1020 Introductory German Language II

GRMN1020 is designed for students with the knowledge of German inculcated in the prerequisite course GRMN1010 (or GR148). It is intended to develop communicative competence at a simple level in German in the four macro-skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing), to introduce some fundamental grammatical structures of German, and to raise some basic issues about the German-speaking cultures specifically and the nature of language generally.

The level of competence inculcated by GRMN1020 is similar to that inculcated by Senior German. A pass in GRMN1020 is treated as equivalent to a pass in Senior German for the purposes of further language study.

Aims of Language Learning/Development of "Graduate Attributes";
Communicative and Grammatical Content

(a) With the continuing globalization of culture and business, skills in intercultural communication are constantly increasing in importance. At every level of the German language program, you should:

• acquire language-learning strategies designed to help you take charge of your own learning and communication. While the courses in the German language program promote the development of all four macro-skills, proficiency in each skill is not expected to evolve at exactly the same rate or with the same degree of sophistication.
• extend your awareness and understanding of the nature of language and culture through studying the communicative systems of German.

(b) Communicative Content

Students will be expected to understand and produce simple German related to the following topics:

• Personal history (e.g. childhood, schooling)
• Looking for work, work and working conditions
• Health
• Basic cultural information (e.g. famous people, history of Germany in the 20th century, fairytales)

(c) Grammatical Content

As part of their communicative activities, students will be expected to understand and produce standard usages of the following items:

• Verbs (strong, separable; perfect tense, imperfect tense)
• Subordinate clauses

Students with limited experience of second-language learning should note that GRMN1020 builds on the content of GRMN1010, and assumes that students have effective knowledge of the earlier course. The reason for this is that second-language learning is cumulative; you can't afford to forget much.

Assumed Background

The formal prerequisites for GRMN1020 are noted at the beginning of this course outline.

Students who do not fulfill either of those prerequisites, but who have an equivalent knowledge of German (e.g. from equivalent formal prerequisites gained at other educational institutions, or from residence in a German-speaking country) are permitted to enroll in GRMN1020, but they must consult the course convenor beforehand.

Teaching and Learning Modes

The language-acquisition courses in the German program emphasize the meaningful use of German language in an expanding range of contexts, and at increasing levels of linguistic and intellectual sophistication. Language learning within and outside the classroom is based primarily on practice, analysis and discussion of a variety of topics and structures presented through a variety of materials (print, audio-visual, internet etc.). The processes of learning about "language" and about "culture" are considered largely indivisible, as are issues of "communication" and "grammar", although all courses include some formal discussion and/or revision of linguistic structures at appropriate junctures. Assessment tasks are integrated closely with classroom activities, and concentrate largely on communicative competence.

Students should note that regular attendance at classes, active participation in classes, conscientious completion of homework and careful evaluation of "feedback" (e.g. of work which is marked and returned) are essential to successful language learning.

GRMN1110 German Language I

GRMN1110 is designed for students with a working knowledge of German. It is intended to consolidate and extend communicative competence in German in the four macro-skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing), to revise and extend working knowledge of grammatical structures in German, and to raise some contemporary issues in the Germanspeaking cultures, and some issues about the nature of language generally.

Aims of Language Learning/Development of "Graduate Attributes"; Communicative and Grammatical Content

(a) With the continuing globalization of culture and business, skills in intercultural communication are constantly increasing in importance. At every level of the German language program, you should:

• acquire language-learning strategies designed to help you take charge of your own learning and communication. While the courses in the German language program promote the development of all four macro-skills, proficiency in each skill is not expected to evolve at exactly the same rate or with the same degree of sophistication.
• extend your awareness and understanding of the nature of language and culture through studying the communicative systems of German.

(b) Communicative and Grammatical Content

GRMN1110 is based on a series of contemporary texts dealing with a variety of cultural themes. The texts are studied both for their inherent interest, and as starting-points for the consolidation and extension of the macro-skills and the grammatical knowledge developed in Senior German, in Introductory German Language courses, or elsewhere. The texts include a variety of formats; the themes include Die Medien, Die Sprache and Deutschland nach 1945; and the grammatical topics include clause-structure, tense, case, and adjectives (endings, and comparative and superlative).

In terms of receptive skills, GRMN1110 develops students' ability to understand:

• everyday written texts, most of which have been adapted from the contemporary media;
• everyday spoken texts, including films, and lectures written specifically for the course;
• explanations of grammatical structures, which are derived primarily from the written texts.

In terms of productive skills, GRMN1110 develops students' ability, in both speaking and writing, to:

• answer questions about, summaries and express an opinion on everyday spoken and written texts;
• produce spoken and written texts modeled on those in the course materials;
• complete targeted exercises on specific structures (e.g. by cloze, translation, prose writing).

Assumed Background

The formal prerequisites for GRMN1110 are noted at the beginning of this course outline.

Students who do not fulfill any of those prerequisites, but who have an equivalent knowledge of German (e.g. from equivalent formal prerequisites gained interstate or overseas, or substantial residence in a German-speaking country) are permitted to enroll in GRMN1110, but they must consult the course convenor beforehand.

Teaching and Learning Modes

The language-acquisition courses in the German program emphasize the meaningful use of German language in an expanding range of contexts, and at increasing levels of linguistic and intellectual sophistication. Language learning within and outside the classroom is based primarily on practice, analysis and discussion of a variety of topics and structures presented through a variety of materials (print, audio-visual, internet etc.). The processes of learning about "language" and about "culture" are considered largely indivisible, as are issues of "communication" and "grammar", although all courses include some formal discussion and/or revision of linguistic structures at appropriate junctures. Assessment tasks are integrated closely with classroom activities, and concentrate largely on communicative competence.

Students should note that regular attendance at classes, active participation in classes, conscientious completion of homework and careful evaluation of "feedback" (e.g. of work which is marked and returned) are essential to successful language learning.

GRMN1120 German Language II

GRMN1120 is designed for students with the knowledge of German inculcated in the prerequisite course GRMN1110 (or GR115). It is intended to extend communicative competence in German in the four macro-skills (listening, speaking, reading and writing), to extend working knowledge of grammatical structures in German, and to raise some contemporary issues in the German-speaking cultures, as well as some issues about the nature of language generally.

The level of competence inculcated by GRMN1120 is similar to that required by the Goethe Institute's Zertifikat Deutsch.

Aims of Language Learning/Development of "Graduate Attributes";
Communicative and Grammatical Content

(a) With the continuing globalization of culture and business, skills in intercultural communication are constantly increasing in importance. At every level of the German language program, you should:

• acquire language-learning strategies designed to help you take charge of your own learning and communication. While the courses in the German language program promote the development of all four macro-skills, proficiency in each skill is not expected to evolve at exactly the same rate or with the same degree of sophistication.
• extend your awareness and understanding of the nature of language and culture through studying the communicative systems of German.

(b) Communicative and Grammatical Content

GRMN1120 is based on a series of contemporary texts dealing with a variety of cultural themes. The texts are studied both for their inherent interest, and as starting-points for the extension of the macro-skills and the grammatical knowledge developed in GRMN1110.

The texts include a variety of formats; the themes include Europa, Stationen eines jungen Lebens and Deutschland nach 1961; and the grammatical topics include passive voice, reflexive verbs/pronouns, modal verbs and subjunctive "I" and "II".

In terms of receptive skills, GRMN1120 extends students' ability to understand:

• everyday written texts, most of which have been adapted from the contemporary media;
• everyday spoken texts, including videos, and lectures written specifically for the course;
• explanations of grammatical structures, which are derived primarily from the written texts.

In terms of productive skills, GRMN1120 extends students' ability, in both speaking and writing, to:

• answer questions about, summarise and express an opinion on everyday spoken and written texts;
• produce spoken and written texts modelled on those in the course materials;
• complete targeted exercises on specific structures (e.g. by cloze, translation, prose writing).

Assumed Background

The formal prerequisites for GRMN1120 are noted at the beginning of this course outline.

Students who do not fulfil either of those prerequisites, but who have an equivalent knowledge of German (e.g. from equivalent formal prerequisites gained interstate or overseas, or from substantial residence in a German-speaking country) are permitted to enrol in GRMN1120, but they must consult the course convenor beforehand.

Teaching and Learning Modes

The language-acquisition courses in the German program emphasize the meaningful use of German language in an expanding range of contexts, and at increasing levels of linguistic and intellectual sophistication. Language learning within and outside the classroom is based primarily on practice, analysis and discussion of a variety of topics and structures presented through a variety of materials (print, audio-visual, internet etc.). The processes of learning about "language" and about "culture" are considered largely indivisible, as are issues of "communication" and "grammar", although all courses include some formal discussion and/or revision of linguistic structures at appropriate junctures. Assessment tasks are integrated closely with classroom activities, and concentrate largely on communicative competence.

Students should note that regular attendance at classes, active participation in classes, conscientious completion of homework and careful evaluation of "feedback" (e.g. of work which is marked and returned) are essential to successful language learning.