Some sections may be full. If you have to, add yourself to the waiting list and we will almost certainly find a place for you. As enrollment allows, the people who are waiting to get in will be accepted. Instructors will take attendance particularly carefully during the first week of class. Anyone who is already registered for the course but does not attend at least one class during the first week can expect to be dropped from the course so that someone from the waiting list can be admitted. Where we think that someone in the course already has enough previous German (from classroom or from life) to be in a higher-level course, we will strongly encourage that person to visit the other courses. We will handle the re-registration later so that the person can return to our course if the other course is truly unsuitable.

All tests and assignments will be announced on the course WEBSITE, in CLASS, on the "Schedule & Assignments" pages (links at left), and by EMAIL. The "Schedule & Assignments" page give the general timing; within that framework, instructors will announce specific start and deadline days & times for their own classes.

If on the "Schedule & Assignments" page you do not see a live link to the new item, or the item is crossed out, the item is NOT YET READY and you are not yet responsible for it. Please don't contact your instructor about it, since that just takes time and can delay the update. We don't forget these things. We do not want people anxiously jumping the gun on the upcoming activities, there may also be (rare!) delays. If a link is live, but we have not reached its week in the calendar, please don't start the activity early.

The best ways to stay informed are to: 1) check this page several times a week (it comes up automatically when you enter the course website); 2) go to class (obviously!); 3) check your email frequently (be sure the account you use is the one whose address you have given to your instructor, that your mailbox is not full, and that your service will accept the attachments).

On the first day of class, your instructor will conduct some "get-acquainted" activities, deal with general bureaucratic matters, and of course soon get into the teaching and learning of German. Sometime during the first week Dr. Fischer will visit and will present the background of the course (goals, policies), describe and demonstrate course materials, and answer questions of general interest. (Please save matters that concern yourself only for discussion, phone call, email OUTSIDE of class!).You will receive or download a basic course handout that introduces materials, policies, schedules, and the first assignment, which will be to get in touch with your instructor by email and to make sure you can keyboard the special German characters (ä/ö/ü/Ä/Ö/Ü/ß).

On the first day of class you will also receive the course CD-ROM, Wie, bitte? - Introductory German for Proficiency. It is used both for in-class teaching and for learning outside of class. The CD-ROM is the equivalent of a textbook package except: 1) you get it for free; 2) it has far more media resources than any printed textbook can have, and access to the media is much more convenient than with a book and an audio program.

There is no pre-printed textbook, since we're now well into the 21st century. But you can print text versions of many of the materials; files are on your CD and also on the course website. Please care for trees - print only what you really need, and use a two-sided printer.

During the first two weeks of class, particularly, we will also be promoting language learning by: 1) explaining best current thought and practice in language pedagogy; 2) inventorying your learning styles and presenting a range of learning strategies; 3) helping you locate and explore the learning materials; 4) determining proper placement of anyone in the course who has had previous experience with the language, whether in school, in the family, or through life experiences. Since enrollment is very high this year, we will be particularly energetic about encouraging "false beginners" who have already acquired the proficiency equivalent to German 101/102/103 to move to a course at a higher level. For most sections of first-year German, there is a section of second-year German that meets on the same days and at the same time.

Bis nächste Woche in der Deutschstunde! See you next week in German class!