German Level 3

German fachwerkhaus buildings

A post-AS level or equivalent module in German language and culture

Module details

  • Offered to all undergraduates
  • Monday, Tuesday or Thursday 16.00-18.00 (depending on year of study)
  • Planned delivery: On campus (South Kensington)
  • Two-term module, worth 7.5 ECTS
  • Available to eligible students as part of I-Explore
  • Extra Credit, or Degree Credit where your department allows
Degree credit module options by departmentHow to enrol

A communicative module for students with an AS level in German or comparable standard of competency, in the language and culture of the German-speaking countries.

This module aims to:

  • Introduce more complex grammatical structures
  • Revise and consolidate basic grammar, as required by the class
  • Provide background knowledge and vocabulary on current issues in Germany and on scientific and technological topics
  • Improve students' oral and written communication skills

By the end of the module, students should have reached approximately the B1+ standard of the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR).

To be eligible for this module, you need to have done one of the following:

Please note: The information on this module description is indicative. The module may undergo minor modifications before the start of next academic year. 

Information blocks

On successful completion of this module, you will be able to:Reichstag Building Berlin

  • respond to and produce simple spoken language in familiar contexts;
  • respond to and produce simple written texts;
  • apply your knowledge and skills of grammar and vocabulary at B1-level (in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages);
  • demonstrate the relevant level of intercultural awareness in your handling of everyday social interactions in German and your use of language;
  • engage with a range of digital language learning tools to support your production.

 

 

In this module, you will cover the following linguistic structures:Black Forrest

  • passive voice (present tense and past tenses), past tense;
  • pluperfect;
  • present participle used as adjectives;
  • pronouns: reciprocal pronouns;
  • sentence structure: connectors, sub-ordinate clauses, subjunctive;
  • revision and consolidation of your knowledge and skills.

Topics include:

  • intercultural communication;
  • regions and cities in Germany;
  • research and science;
  • social issues: volunteering and online realities;
  • higher education in Germany and student experience;
  • transport and environmental issues;
  • visions of the future;
  • use of digital media;
  • urban planning.

In line with modern foreign languages communicative and active learning methodologies, the in-class activities you will complete will cover all four skills (reading, writing, listening and speaking). These will include pair work and groupwork (dialogue practice, information gap exercises, discussion), individual tasks, discovery and formulation of grammatical rules, work with texts, etc. Homework and coursework tasks will give you the opportunity to revise and consolidate your knowledge and skills and to develop your awareness of how to use language learning tools independently. Our approach not only ensures you engage with a wide range of tasks and activities, but also seeks to support different learning styles.

Your coursework will be marked and returned within two weeks. Rubrics and revision guidance (how-to guides) will be included as needed with each coursework. You will receive detailed feedback alongside suggestions for improvement and an overall percentage showing your provisional grade for that assessment.

  • Coursework (15%): Set mid-autumn term on the virtual learning environment consisting of reading comprehension (approx. 230 words) and grammar tasks. (Time limited, 1-hour).
  • Examination (15%): In-class test on the virtual learning environment (bring your own device). This 1-hour test will take place at the end of autumn term. It will include listening comprehension (approx. 2-min. track played three times), grammar and writing task (120-140 words).
  • Coursework (20%): Set towards the end of autumn term (submitted early in spring term) on the virtual learning environment and consists of creation of a video (2-3 min).
  • Examination (20%): In-class test on the virtual learning environment (bring your own device). This 1-hour test will take place at the end of spring term. It will include reading comprehension (approx 340 words) and writing task (180-200 words).
  • Practical (30%): 40-minute oral exam in groups of 3, taking place in the summer term, consisting of peer-to-peer question and answer session, group discussion based on a diagram and on debate questions.

Assessment information for students on a course with a year abroad

  • 7.5 ECTS points awarded on successful completion of the module.
  • Available to take for credit towards your degree where your department allows. Also available for extra-credit.
  • You must be prepared to attend all classes and and undertake approximately 3 hours of private study each week in addition to the assessment.

Coursebook: DaF Kompakt neu B1: Kurs- und Arbeitsbuch mit MP3-CD, Birgit Braun; Margit Doubek; Nadja Fügert et al.; Klett (Ernst) Verlag,Stuttgart; ISBN 978312-6763158.

Additional materials: Articles from contemporary German press; DVDs and online videos.

Further information for Year Abroad/Year in Europe Students
Further information for BSc Hons and MSc Language for Science Degrees

"Very happy with the course so far. I have been learning a lot and the lecturer makes it very interesting."
"I think the module is structured and taught well."
"This was an enjoyable course, with a wide range of grammatical structures being taught. These grammatical tools were self-contained and explained well in the textbook, which is much appreciated. The use of book, as discrepancies between it and the course content were confusing at times. This was especially the case when some concepts, e.g. the passive, were used differently (werden form in class, largely modal verbs in the book). The use of coursework was very good, as it spreads the workload throughout the course, and nurtures continuous understanding of the material."