Ger 201 - Intermediate German I
 
 

Stundenplan - Herbst 2006

KURSZIELE + INSTRUCTOR EXPECTATIONS + PARTICIPATION AND PREPARATION + HOMEWORK + KAPITELPRÜFUNGEN + GROUP INTERVIEWS + ESSAYS + FINAL EXAM +
COMPUTER LABS + GRADING SYSTEM + PLAGIARISM POLICY +
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES + A FINAL NOTE

KURSZIELE

Welcome to German 201! This course focuses on the development of your intermediate proficiency in the German language by addressing skills in speaking, listening, reading and writing. The text addresses a variety of cultural topics dealing with life in German speaking countries. If you remain dedicated, by the time you leave this course, your abilities in German should allow you expand your vocabulary and grammar knowledge in addition to reinforcing the skills you learned in the first year.

Ideally class dynamics should function as a learning community, a safe haven for you and your peers to make mistakes (except on tests and essays!!) and learn through them and from each other. You will become a more competent and proficient speaker and writer of German in the process.

INSTRUCTOR EXPECTATIONS

I expect each of you to attend class (attendance includes participation), and complete all of the assigned homework, discussion or reading by the date due. If you are unable to complete any of the assignments or cannot come to class on any given day, you must notify me ahead of time. Make-up work will only be allowed in the case of illness, family emergency, or university-excused absences. I expect you to arrange this with me in advance when possible. You may be required to provide proof of your reason of absence. You are responsible for coordinating with me to make up any such work, including exams, which you have missed.

Central to your success in this course will be regular attendance, preparation, and participation. Classroom and on-line activities give you the chance to speak, write and read German, to listen to spoken German, and to understand and apply cultural knowledge and grammatical structures. Your visible, audible, collegial and constructive contribution to the class as a whole guarantees that you will receive participation credit, will not miss in-class or on-line activities, and, more importantly, improves your language learning.

I also expect you to respect the unique background, skills, strengths and weaknesses of each student in the class and help to create a respectful atmosphere where all students feel comfortable contributing to and sharing with the group. If you feel that you have effectively contributed to the class that day, make sure that you encourage others to participate as well. Respect for diversity is important in creating a successful classroom, and in learning about a foreign culture.

PARTICIPATION AND PREPARATION

Your grade for oral expression depends on your class participation as well as your any outside oral interviews or the final project. Since you need practice listening and speaking to improve these skills, I will expect you to participate actively in partner, small-group and class discussions. This will happen constantly, as I run a student-centered classroom rather than a teacher-centered one. This means that I do not typically stand in front of class and dictate the language to you. Language learning is hands-on, so I come to class with a variety of prepared activities designed to give you the opportunity to practice and build skills that will enable you to learn German. You can expect to help others students and receive help in return. I try to make the purpose of my activities explicit and we may spend some class time during the semester discussing strategies for accomplishing the tasks required by the activities. Please note that simply attending class will not earn you Participation-Preparation credit. Participation means being actively and cooperatively INVOLVED in the classroom sessions.

HOMEWORK

You will have a variety of tasks to complete in this course--each targets one or more language skill areas. Assignments listed on the syllabus are to be prepared for the day they are listed. We may not always get to every exercise on that particular day, but be prepared to have it ready when it is due anyway. When pages are assigned from Kaleidoskop, you are to do the exercises specified on the calendar. (You must write out the answers to all questions. Write them in a notebook or on a separate sheet of paper that can be easily collected). Exercises done in the Übungsbuch can be written in the workbook or done by hand on a separate piece of paper. There are no written answers to the oral exercises in the workbook. Regularly doing your homework will also boost your participation grade as you will be adequately prepared for class.

Homework Policy

I will not always collect the homework, but will quite often in order to give it to the tutor to correct for personal feedback on exercises. Read through the mistakes you make so that you do not make them on an exam. Feel free to come to me to ask about specific questions or ask the tutors. Out of those that are collected, you will receive points for completing your homework.

Tutor appointments
Each student is required to visit a German tutor with their discussion partner at a scheduled time each week. At the beginning of the class, students will set up a schedule that will continue throughout the entire semester. This scheduled time is for conversation practice as well as any other questions that the student might have, including questions on the homework. Attendance at this appointment is part of the overall participation grade.

KAPITELPRÜFUNGEN

There will be two chapter tests and a final in German 201. These tests will deal with material covered in the designated Kaleidoskop primary chapter, grammar chapters, and other material covered in class. Each test may vary slightly, but all will contain a Listening/Aural Comprehension activity, a Reading Comprehension activity, Structure (Grammar) questions, and a Vocabulary/Writing section. In order to prepare for these tests, please work through the grammar and reading assignments carefully. Bring all questions to class for discussion or in my office hours.

GROUP INTERVIEWS

Two times during the semester you will be asked to come prepared to class with a prepared conversation on an assigned topic. You will work in groups and can use 1 3x5 notecard with keywords (no complete sentences). These mündliche Prüfungen will also have a section where you will be expected to be able to talk freely without notes.

Schlussprojekte: During the last week of classes you will prepare a seven to ten minute project in a group, which integrates elements from the materials covered in the course. These will be performed or screened in class on the last day.

ESSAYS

Two times during the semester you will write an essay in German. Each essay will go through a peer review and two drafts on the due dates indicated on the syllabus. Each essay will be in 12 point font with 1 inch margins, and will have the number of words indicated on the page. A topic will be handed out approximately one week before the peer review.

FINAL EXAM

The final exam will have a format identical to that of each test, but is exactly twice the length of a regular test. It is cumulative and will include a focus on the last chapter of instruction, which will not have a separate test associated with it.

COMPUTER LABS

The class meets to do computer work each Friday in the Buck Mac lab as indicated on the class schedule. Please do not be late or absent on computer days. Computer work is an integral part of the German 201 curriculum.

GRADING SYSTEM

Chapter tests: 30%

Participation-preparation (incl. homework and tutor visits): 25%

Group interviews/Mündliche Prüfungen = 15%

Essays = 10%

Final Project = 5%

Final exam: = 15%

GRAND TOTAL = 100%

A-F Grading

A= Exceptional performance, far above expected performance average.

B= Very good, still above expected performance average (which meets basic course requirements)

C= Good, performance meets basic course requirements

D= Acceptable but below performance average, some basic course requirements are not met.

F= Not acceptable, minimal basic course requirements are not met.

I= Only given in exceptional cases

S= (S/N) grading, given when student attains at least a C on the A-F scale.

PLAGIARISM POLICY

Be aware that your work for this course should conform to University policies concerning scholastic honesty. Scholastic dishonesty will result in an "F" for the assignment and/or an "F" for the course. Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, cheating on assignments or examinations, plagiarizing (misrepresenting as one's own anything done by another), submitting the same or substantially similar papers (or creative work) for more than one course without prior consent of all instructors concerned, sabotaging another's work, and unauthorized collaboration on assignments or exams.

STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES

All students both able-bodied and disabled are welcome in this course. If you have a disability that is recognized by the Illinois Wesleyan University Office of Disability Services, please feel free to contact me with their letter of introduction as early as possible. We can then agree on reasonable accommodations in accordance with those requirements outlined with your advisor and Disability Services to enable your success in this course.

A FINAL NOTE

If you do not understand something related to the course content, purpose or organization, now or anytime during the semester, PLEASE ASK! It is far better to clarify a point beforehand. I am here as a resource - if you have problems with any aspect of the course, please come to my office hour or talk to me after class. You can also get help from the tutors on call in the Language Center in Buck Hall. See the schedule. There will be an opportunity for extra credit announced later in the semester.