German 2313
German Language and Culture, Level Three
Summer Semester I 2008
The Department of Modern Languages (817.272.3161)
The University of Texas at Arlington
Instructor of Record
Klaus Driessen
- Office Hours:
8:30 to 9:30 MoTuWeTh
- Office: 210 Trimble Hall
- Telephone:
- Office: 817.272.5525
- MODL Office: 817.272.3161
- Home: 817.478.5134
- Cell: 817.988.4055
- E-mail: To driessen@uta.edu or Driessen48@yahoo.com
Course Information
Required Materials
- Kontakte (textbook, workbook) by Terrell, Tschierner, Nikolai
- Quia online workbook (explained in class) OR Kontakte paper workbook
- English-German and German-English dictionary at: http://dict.leo.org
Course Description
German 2313 is a 3-hour course in German language and culture.
Course Objectives
Every week students will practice listening, reading, speaking, and writing
both in and outside of class. The culture and geography of German-speaking
countries will also be explored. Grammatical functions will be analyzed and
used, and there will be a heavy emphasis on learning vocabulary. This course
will strive to engage students in the appreciation and acceptance of language,
diversity, and change in an increasingly global society.
German 2313 Intended Student Learning Outcomes
- Reading:
- With the aid of a dictionary, the student will read a text of several paragraphs.
The student will answer correctly at least 80% of comprehension questions
relating to the text. Without a dictionary, the student will read a simple
internet text on topics containing familiar vocabulary and content.
- Writing:
- The student will write grammatically correct simple sentences. The student
will write compound and complex sentences with teacher support. The student
will write an essay, job description, or post card that describes activities,
job activities, or personal life activities, and/or the student will write
a fairytale or write about an event in the past (journal, interesting evening
with someone, etc.). The writing will contain some errors, but will be comprehensible
to a native speaker of German.
- Listening:
- The student will listen to a familiar text without written support and
understand it. The student will understand blocks of speech of several sentences,
which are directed to him or her and relate to familiar topics. The student
will comprehend classroom discussions between the instructor and other students.
The student will comprehend simple descriptive texts about everyday life
or contemporary German culture.
- Speaking:
- The student will read aloud a familiar text fluently with fair to good
pronunciation, and respond correctly to simple verbal questions connected
with familiar subject matter. The student will use simple and compound sentences.
The student will be able to describe an indoor or outdoor picture and speculate
as to the activities that are taking place in the picture.
- Grammar:
- Students will use the conversational past to describe events in the past. They will use the dative case with specific prepositions. They will use the narrative past (simple past) to write stories and/or reports.
- Vocabulary:
- The student will demonstrate, through reading, speaking, and writing, an active and passive knowledge of vocabulary pertaining to geography, transportation, food, and subjects pertaining to youth.
- Culture:
- The student will demonstrate knowledge of the following: geography, transportation, food, and subjects pertaining to youth culture in German-speaking Europe.
Method of Evaluation
The grade will be based on
- 50%
Written Tests
- 15% Chapter 7
- 15% Chapter 8
- 20% Chapter 9
- 10% Oral Test
- 10% Project
- 30% Homework, Quizzes, Attendance/Effort
Grade Scale
A = 100-90
B = 89-90
C = 79-70
D = 69-60
F = 59-0
Methods of Presentation
The instructor may use lectures, debates, group/individual in-class oral or written work, group/individual projects, Internet projects, music or videos.
Make-up Exams and Quizzes
Make-up quizzes will not be given. Make-up exams are given only in the case of emergencies and require documentation. Any other considerations will be made on a case-by-case basis. When possible, please notify me in advance of absences on scheduled exam dates.
Attendance
Regular classroom attendance is expected of all students. All classes and exams are based upon that assumption. You are responsible for acquiring class notes if you have to miss. Ultimately you will find that regular attendance is essential for a satisfactory grade performance. In addition, borderline grades are adjusted based on class participation and performance. Students are allowed three "free" absences to use for emergencies. For every subsequent absence, .5 will be deducted from a student’s final grade. Students missing more than 10 minutes of class, at any time during class, will be declared absent. Three tardies will count as one absence.
Disruptive Behavior
Disruptive behavior, which keeps other students from learning, will not be tolerated. Students who engage in such behavior will be cautioned first, then more drastic measures will be taken.
Final Review Week
A period of five class days prior to the first day of final exams is designated as Final Review Week. The purpose of this week is to allow students sufficient time to prepare for final exams. During this week, no instructor shall assign any themes, research problems or exercises of similar scope that have a completion date during or following this week unless specified in the class syllabus. During Final Review Week, an instructor shall not give any exams constituting 10% or more of the final grade, except make-up tests, and no instructor shall give any portion of the final exam.
Language Lab
The Language Acquisition Center (LAC), located on the third floor of Trimble
Hall, offers audio, video, and computer services. Your instructor will guide
you in your use of the "Lab" and its holdings. LAC Hours: Monday–Friday 9:00 a.m. to 2:00
p.m.
The German Language Society (German Club)
The German Language Society is open for membership to all students interested
in the German language and culture who wish to meet with others of similar
interests. Activities include meetings, Kaffeeklatsch, outings, and
parties. Meeting times will be announced in class.
Library
Ann Kelley is the Foreign Languages Librarian. She can be reached at 817.272.3000,
ext. 4994, and by e-mail at kelley@library.uta.edu.
Furthermore, you will find some useful research information at http://www.uta.edu/library/research/rt-foreign.html.
Withdrawls
Please note that the last day to withdraw from class with a "W" is
June 17, 2008. Be aware that after this date you will receive an academic grade
in the course. Initiating the drop procedure is the student's responsibility.
If you have any questions about withdrawals, please see me after class.
Achieving Academic Success
The University of Texas at Arlington supports a variety of student success programs to help you connect with the University and achieve academic success. They include learning assistance, developmental education, advising and mentoring, admission and transition, and federally funded programs. Students requiring assistance academically, personally, or socially should contact the Office of Student Success Programs at 817.272.6107 for more information and appropriate referrals. For this class specifically, I will offer tutoring and review sessions on an as-needed basis.
Certificate of Proficiency
A certificate of proficiency in German will be awarded to students who place at or above the 80% mark on both written and oral exams in German 2314 (Level 4).
Americans With Disabilities Act
The University of Texas at Arlington is on record as being committed to both the spirit and letter of federal equal opportunity legislation; reference Public Law 93112--The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended. With the passage of new federal legislation entitled Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), pursuant to Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act, there is renewed focus on providing this population with the same opportunities enjoyed by all citizens.
As an instructor, I am required by law to provide reasonable accommodation
to students with disabilities, so as not to discriminate on the basis of that
disability. It is the student’s responsibility to inform faculty at the beginning of the semester and to provide authorized documentation through designated administrative channels.
Academic Dishonesty
It is the philosophy of The University of Texas at Arlington that academic dishonesty is a completely unacceptable mode of conduct and will not be tolerated in any form. All persons involved in academic dishonesty will be disciplined in accordance with University regulations and procedures. Discipline may include suspension or expulsion from the University.
Scholastic dishonesty includes but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism,
collusion, the submission for credit of any work or materials that are
attributable in whole or in part to another person, taking an examination
for another person, any act designed to give unfair advantage to a student
or the attempt to commit such acts. (Regents' Rules and Regulations, Part
One, Chapter VI, Section 3.2, Subdivision 3.22)
More specifically for this class, please remember that translating someone
else's work into another language without attribution falls under the rubric
of plagiarism. Also, please keep in mind that information freely available
or otherwise on the Internet is to be treated like all other source material
and must be fully documented. Please cite, attribute, and document carefully.
If in doubt, check with your instructor. A style manual such as the one issued
by the Modern Language Association is an invaluable resource for citation guidelines.
Finally, bear in mind that translation programs normally do a poor job of translating.
Dates of Importance
May 27: First Day of Classes
May 27-May 28: Late
registration
June 2 : Census
Date
June 11 : Mid-Session
June 17 : Last
day to drop courses
June 26: Last day of Classes
June 30: Final Exam
Course Schedule
- May 27: First Day, Review and/or Introduction
to Chapter 7
- May 28
- May 29
- June 2
- June 3
- June 4
- June 5: exam and, if time allows, begin Chapter
8
- June 9
- June 10
- June 11
- June 12
- June 16
- June 17: exam and, it time allows, begin Chapter
9
- June 18
- June 19
- June 23
- June 24
- June 25
- June 26: Oral Exams
- June 30: Final written exam
