If the content you are seeing is presented as unstyled HTML your browser is an older version that cannot support cascading style sheets. If you wish to upgrade your browser you may download Mozilla or Internet Explorer for Windows.

GERM 203 Course website

German (GERM) 203
Introductory German II (Revision 1)

Delivery mode: Individualized study. Computer access required. Audio/video/CD-ROM component*.
*Overseas students, please contact the University Library before registering in a course that has an audio/visual component.

Credits: 3 - Humanities

Prerequisite: GERM 202 or equivalent.

Precluded course: Students who have successfully completed GERM 201 may not take GERM 203 for credit.

Centre: Centre for Language and Literature

GERM 203 has a Challenge for Credit option.

Course website

Overview

Welcome to German 203: Introductory German II, a continuation of Athabasca University’s German 202. This course is intended for students who have completed German 202, one semester of university German, or the equivalent.

In this course you will reinforce and expand the speaking, listening, writing and reading skills you gained in German 202. On the cultural side, the Fokus section at the end of each chapter in the textbook Wie geht’s? features short literary texts to introduce you to important German authors.

Outline

Chapter 1: Phoning, postal services, travelling

  • genitive case
  • time expressions
  • types and sequence of adverbs
  • position of nicht

Chapter 2: Hobbies

  • endings of preceded adjectives
  • reflexive verbs
  • infinitive with zu

Chapter 3: Entertainment

  • verbs with prepositional objects
  • da- and wo- compounds
  • endings of unpreceded adjectives

Chapter 4: Relationships

  • simple past
  • conjunctions als, wann, wenn
  • past perfect

Chapter 5: Preparing for a career

  • comparison of adjectives and adverbs
  • future tense
  • predicate nouns
  • adjectival nouns

Chapter 6: University study

  • subjunctive mood

Chapter 7: Then and now

  • relative clauses
  • indirect speech

Chapter 8: German, Europe and the future

  • passive voice
  • review of the uses of werden
  • special subjunctive

General Course Objectives

German 203: Introductory German II presents students with the necessary skills to acquire a basic knowledge of the language and to communicate in German. The textbook, Wie geht's, along with the CD program, workbook / lab manual, and video component, are designed to achieve the following course objectives:

  • Writing: Students will learn how to express themselves in German in simple sentences.
  • Reading: After studying the Wie geht's? texts and learning the necessary vocabulary, students will understand texts at a similar level of difficulty.
  • Speaking: Students will communicate in German with German speakers using simple sentences modelled on dialogues and lab exercises.
  • Aural Comprehension: Students will understand the German of everyday situations spoken at moderate speed. The lab program and pronunciation sections of the lab manual will enhance students' listening skills.
Top

Evaluation

The final grade in GERM 203 will be based on the grades students achieve on the assignments and the oral and written exams. To receive credit for the course you must achieve an overall course grade of “D” (50 percent) or better and must achieve a minimum grade of 50 percent on the written examination.

The following indicates the assignments for credit and their weighting toward the final grade.

8 Written Assignments 4 Oral Assignments One Oral Exam One Written Exam Total
20% 10% 20% 50% 100%

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbooks and Electronic Materials

Sevin, Dieter and Ingrid Sevin. Wie geht's? An Introductory German Course. 7th ed. Boston: Thomson Heinle, 2003.

Wie geht's? Student Listening CD to accompany the “Hören Sie zu!” sections. (This CD is in the textbook.)

Wie geht's? Arbeitsbuch. Workbook/Lab Manual.

Wie geht's? Lab Audio CDs.

Wie geht's? DVD.

Wie geht's? Audioscript and Answer Key.

Optional: Horizon Wimba, an asynchronous voice discussion board and voice email program.

Other materials

In addition there is a Wie geht's? website, a course student manual and study guide.

Top