GER10100 German Beginners A

Academic Year 2021/2022

This language module is aimed at students with no or very little prior formal knowledge of German. The main focus lies on enabling students to communicate and exchange information in a simple way. The module will provide students with a basic foundation in the language across the four main competencies (speaking, writing, listening and reading), and will introduce them to some cultural aspects of the German speaking countries. At the end of the module, students will be able to introduce themselves in German, understand and talk about familiar topics such as their daily routine, hobbies and interests and their environment. They will be able to produce sentences and short texts in written German relating to these topics, employing acquired vocabulary. They will have mastered basic grammatical structures. Students will be expected to explore Technology Enhanced Learning (TEL) and engage in VLE activities outside the classroom on a regular basis. Students who achieve at least a B grade in this module are deemed to have a reasonable grasp of the key linguistic elements of the CEFR level A1.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completing the module students will be able to
- introduce themselves and produce simple sentences about familiar topics relating to everyday life, such as daily routine, hobbies and environment
- communicate in simple interactions on those topics
- extract and understand the main information from simple texts and aural sources relating to familiar topics
- demonstrate a knowledge of basic vocabulary relating to the topics relevant to this module
- identify and employ basic structures in simple main clauses and questions
- display familiarity with common adverbs and prepositions relating to time and place
- recognise and employ correctly present tense and present perfect forms of commonly used verbs
- convey simple and predictable information of familiar topics in different formats
- demonstrate the ability to manage their own learning through completion of specific learning activities

Indicative Module Content:

This module will cover familiar topics relating to everyday life, such as daily routine, hobbies, holidays, food and drink, professions, appointment and dates, giving directions and sightseeing. In terms of grammar, topics include articles, present and perfect forms, basic syntax in main clauses and questions and common adverbs relation to time and place.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Small Group

36
Specified Learning Activities

46
Autonomous Student Learning

28
Total

110
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
In this module students will be exposed to 33 contact hours in small groups. The teaching in this course is mainly based on a course book containing texts, grammar explanations, partner exercises and reading and listening comprehension. In addition to this, online material will be available. Students will also be directed to links providing extra grammar and vocabulary support. In order to reach A1 level on CEFR, students must attend classes, participate in all classroom activities and engage with homework exercises and online content in order to practise their language skills. A typical 5-credit module requires 100 hours in total. Contact hours will be conducted partly in the physical and partly in the virtual classroom and will be directed by the university timetable. Students who are unable to attend physical classes will be fully supported in their learning. All students are expected to engage fully with physical and/or online classes as scheduled in the timetable. 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations
Learning Requirements:

Minimum of a C in Leaving Certificate Higher Level in another Modern Language or equivalent.

Learning Exclusions:

Students who have engaged in prior formal study of the German language are not eligible to take this module.

Learning Recommendations:

Students who are unsure of their eligibility for this module should consult with the module coordinator who may facilitate transfer between Beginners and Non-Beginners modules in the early weeks of the semester.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Incompatibles:
GER10010 - German Language I a, LANG10100 - German Gen Purp 1, LANG10130 - German Gen Purp 2


 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Continuous Assessment: Test/Oral exam
(In case of assessment on campus: class test;
in case of online assessment: individual oral slot in the VC)		 Week 12 n/a Graded No

50
Continuous Assessment: Test/Oral exam
(In case of assessment on campus: class tests;
in case of online assessment: individual oral slots in the VC)		 Week 8 n/a Graded No

50

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring Yes - 2 Hour
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Feedback is given as soon as possible after the assessment and will normally be provided within 2 weeks of the assessment.