go to week

Course goals, structure, materials, policies. Importance of classroom for learning the spoken language. Survey of learning styles, exploration of learning strategies. German from a wider perspective: Why are YOU learning German? Why do people learn German? What can German add to your studies, occupation, life? Course director visits to present "Big Picture" view of course.

Assignment #1: Get in touch! Is assigned on first day of class and due by next class meeting; but doing it even earlier gets you a better grade.

Assignment #2: Explore the course materials Is assigned on first day of class and due by the final class meeting of the FIRST week of classes; but doing it even earlier gets you a better grade.

Assignment #3: Take the online WebCAPE placement test for German and email your score to your instructor (or print the screen with your score and take it to your instructor. Note: Take the test even if you have never studied German. The test is “interactive-adaptive”: it ends after a few items if your responses to the items show that that you have little or no knowledge of the language. We will use the scores as base-line numbers for your later tests, and your test-taking behavior will help us counsel you about learning styles and strategies. Your score on the test does not affect your grade on the assignment; the only factor that does is when you take the test.

Course director visits with presentation about assessment, scoring guides, tests, and grading

Practice writing test (ungraded) and self-evaluation tutorial (graded), covering Kontext 1; will be conducted class; uses the course generic Scoring Guide

Assignment #4: Let's learn about your learning styles and strategies in relation to language study. Is assigned on the last day of classes the FIRST SECOND week of the course and due by the next class meeting (first meeting of second third week of classes); but doing it even earlier gets you a better grade.

Listening comprehension test #1 - conducted in class, late in Week 2

Project 1: "German all around me" - instructors will activate the assignment and announce due dates for their own sections

Talks & tutorials: how we learn; what it means to study and learn a language; course director visits with presentation about grammar: what it is, what it is not, how to learn it, how not to learn it

Assignment #5 Rate your own proficiency and your expectations for later proficiency - due 1 week after instructor activates the assignment

Practice oral test (ungraded) and self-evaluation tutorial (graded), covering through Kontext 2; will be conducted in class

Writing Test #1 - download and do outside of class; instructors will activate the test and announce due dates for their own sections

Oral Test #1 - conducted in class; instructors will announce dates for their own sections

Regular self-evaluations with writing samples begin (1 per Kontext)

Project 2: "Wir und unsere Familien • About Us and Our Families" - Instructors will activate the assignment and announce due dates for their own sections.

Resources for baseball in German-speaking countries (link to come)

Regular assignments about internet news and culture begin (1 per Kontext)

Postponed until next quarter: Assignment #4: Rate your proficiency - past, present, future; - Instructors will activate the assignment and announce due dates for their own sections.

Oral Test #2. Instructors will announce schedules for their own sections.

Project 3: "Meine Traumreise - My Dream Trip" - instructors will activate the project and announce due dates for their own sections.

Writing Test #2. Instructors will activate the test and announce due dates for their own sections.

Resources for Thanksgiving / Erntedankfest

Resources for Christmas and other winter holidays (link to come)

You may take your final with any section, but if you are not taking yours with your own section, please inform both instructors involved.