COURSE DESCRIPTION: An introduction to spoken and written German emphasizing cultural perspectives. Linguistic emphasis is on basic grammar, vocabulary, and the development of reading, conversation, and writing skills while learning about the culture of German-speaking countries. Four hours of class, one hour of drill or tutorial. Presupposes no previous study of German.

LEARNING GOALS:

TEXTBUCH: Terrell, Tschirner, & Nikolai, Kontakte: A Communicative Approach, 6th ed. NY: Mc Graw Hill.

Student Web site:

http://highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0073535338/student_view0/index.html

EXAMEN: We will cover chapters A -B and 1 to 5 during the semester. There will be two examinations during classes and a final examination as well as short quizzes on grammar and vocabulary as needed. The final examination will be comprehensive.

MÜNDLICHES REFERAT: Each student will give a five-minute oral report in German during the semester. The focus of this activity is communication and engaging fellow students in a discussion. Please think about a topic and be prepared to sign up by the fifth week of class. Each student is required to hand out a vocabulary list for the report on the day BEFORE his or her oral report.

GRUPPENARBEIT: Students will work together in groups of three or four and present a common project. The focus of this activity is collaborative learning and creativity. Past projects have included skits, web pages, videos, and games. Be prepared to sign up by the ninth week of class.

HAUSAUFGABEN UND ANWESENHEIT: Your homework and especially your class attendance are very important to your progress. LATE HOMEWORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED. Your active participation and careful preparation of the materials are essential to success. Students who miss more than 3 class hours will have their final grade lowered. Missing more than 9 classes means failure of course.

RASSIAS DRILL: One day a week you will meet with your Rassias driller to practice structures. The same attendance policy applies to class meetings and Rassias drills.

SPRACHLABOR: The Language Resource Center (Bolton 380-381) is there for you! Be sure to fill out an attendance form. Students who attend the Language Lab to either talk to or work with a German tutor there for one hour will receive 5 extra credit points per week. If you attend the lab one hour a week for 10 weeks, that is 50 extra credit points!