What skills will the young people of today need to be successful, responsible citizens in the 21st century? The "Goals 2000: Educate America Act" states:
| "All students will leave grades 4, 8 and 12 having demonstrated competency over challenging subject matter including English, mathematics, science, foreign languages (emphasis added), civics and government, economics, the arts, history, and geography, and every school in America will ensure that all students learn to use their minds well, so they may be prepared for responsible citizenship, further learning, and productive employment in our Nation's modern economy." |
Effective communication skills are a must in demonstrating the Goals 2000 competencies. Effective communication, requires development of proficiency in the listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills and an understanding of the diversity and complexity of the cultural aspects of communities. We accept these skills and that understanding as "givens" in our native language. But what about the importance of developing these same skills in a foreign language?
We may hear the comment that since English has become a world language, the need to learn a second language is not as great. Actually, though, it is for this very reason that learning another language has become so important. We cannot allow ourselves to think that the languages and cultures of other peoples of the world can be translated into English. To do so would give them a very narrow and limited view of the world they live in. Learning another language gives our students a tool with which they can broaden their view of the world, nurture their appreciation of of the cultures, and expand their career horizons.
Learning German, in particular, gives students a key to open many doors of the present and future. Germany is located in the center of Europe with windows on the East and West. It has played a major role as a prime mover in European integration. Germany is one of the three leading export nations in the world. Germany has provided a rich literary and political legacy for the evolution of Western Civilization. It is the second most frequently used business language. One out of every ten books published in the world is in the German language. Because German is a sister language to English, it is not difficult to learn.
German study provides the key to other worlds of contemporary culture in which German speakers and products play a popular role. Sports fans will recognize, among others, the names of top tennis and soccer players. And, of course, the German-speaking countries have always been formidable competitors in the winter and summer Olympic Games. Young people in the German-speaking countries share an interest with young Americans in the world of music, both classical and contemporary. The German-speaking countries are also known for their expertise in the automotive, pharmaceutical, and technology industries, just to name a few. Names such as BASF, Bayer, DaimlerChrysler, and Volkswagen have become household names in our culture.
German study also provides a key for future careers. The Federal Republic of Germany is America's largest trading partner in Europe and its third largest in the world. Many American firms do business in German-speaking countries making a working knowledge of German as asset for employment opportunities. Studying German is necessary for scholarly research in the fields of math, science, history, music, international relations, philosophy, and art history. German is widely spoken throughout Eastern Europe. It is an official language in a total of seven countries. It is clear that knowing German is a valuable skill when making a career choice.
Knowing German is also a great way to add to personal growth through investigation and travel. Tourism is a major industry in all of the German-speaking countries, and each year many Americans visit these countries just for pleasure or to find out more about their cultural heritage. One out of every four to five Americans has German ancestors. Many students choose to study German because of an interest in their German heritage.
Other reasons for taking German are not mentioned here. But no matter what the motivation is, our goal is to provide each student with the basic skills necessary to communicate in a German-speaking culture and to foster a greater respect and appreciation of language and the diversity of culture in a larger sense.
Full Year:
Block Course:
The description above also applies to the Block Course with the following changes:
During this course, the students will:
In addition to reviewing the materials presented in German I, students will be expected to illustrate proficiency in the following functions, structures, and topics by the end of German II.
I. Communicative Objectives
Einführung - Introduction
Kapitel 13 - Chapter 13: Der Azubi (The trainee)
Kapitel 14 - Chapter 14: Der Trick (The trick)
Kapitel 15 - Chapter 15: Zu viel Salz (Too much salt)
Kapitel 16 - Chapter 16: Am Wochenende (On the weekend)
Kapitel 17 - Chapter 17: Nach Thüringen? (To Thuringia?)
Kapitel 18 - Chapter 18: Die Lösung (The solution)
Kapitel 19 - Chapter 19: Der Spaghetti-Professor (The spaghetti professor)
Kapitel 20 - Chapter 20: Der Umweltsünder (The litterbug)
* Kapitel 21 - Chapter 21: Die falschen Klamotten (The wrong clothes)
* Kapitel 22 - Chapter 22: Ein neues Gemälde (A new painting)
* Full Year Only
II. Language Structures
* Full Year Only
III. Topics
* Full Year Only
KET's German II course also addresses the five components of the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning.
Communication
| 1.1 | Students engage in conversations, provide and obtain information, express
feelings and emotions, and exchange opinions.
Each unit of the German II course sets communicative objectives. In other words, students learn the language needed in order to perform basic tasks of communication, such as expressing past and future action, making comparisons, providing descriptions, etc. Models of communication are introduced during the video lessons. During the regularly scheduled telephone lesson, students are asked to demonstrate their ability to perfom these tasks. |
| 1.2 | Students understand and interpret written and spoken
language on a variety of topics.
Listening and reading comprehension activities are assigned and assessed in each unit of study. Topics include authentic texts on geographical descriptions, career opportunities, literary works, historical and current events, etc. |
| 1.3 | Students present information, concepts, and ideas to an audience
of listeners or readers on a variety of topics.
Writing assignments require the students to express their ideas about themselves, compose business letters of introduction, draw comparisons of city and country life styles, and retell events. Longer range assignments require students to use multi-media in their presentations. |
Cultures
| 2.1 | Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between
the practices and perspectives of the culture studied.
Reading and web activities ask students to compare and analyze practices based on perspectives of the culture. Some examples: Erntedankfest (form of thanksgiving), dual system of training, recycling. |
| 2.2 | Students demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between the
products and the perspectives of the culture studied.
Learners are called upon to identify the patterns of the fairy tale, identify literary genres of poetry and short story, appreciate the music and dance of the waltz, and identify German contributions to art and architecture. |
Connections
| 3.1 | Students reinforce and further their knowledge of other disciplines
through the foreign language.
Students study the connection between geographical location and industry. Studying the lives and works of composer Johann Strauss, painter Gabriele Münter, and architect Friedensreich Hundertwasser reinforces the connection with arts and humanities. Students also take a look at the effects of the post WWII Cold War through the reorganization and eventual reunification of Germany. |
| 3.2 | Students acquire information and recognize the distinctive
viewpoints that are only available through the foreign language and its cultures.
Students are required to extract information from German web sites for activities and projects. Student read and extract information from authentic texts found in newspapers and magazines of the target culture. The video segments from Fokus Deutsch show human interaction in authentic surroundings. |
Comparisons
| 4.1 | Students demonstrate understanding of the nature of language
through comparisons of the language studied and their own.
Students make comparisons while learning common idiomatic expressions in German. There is specific focus on the patterns of verb forms in different tenses, similarities and differences in word order, and the nature of dialects. Students continue work with cognates. |
| 4.2 | Students demonstrate understanding of the concept of culture through
comparisons of the cultures studied and their own.
Activities and projects focus on the comparison of holidays, comparison of outstanding historical events, and comparison of heroes/heroines of the culture. Students take a close look at the process of applying for employment. |
Communities
| 5.1 | Students use the language both within and beyond the school setting.
Telephone instructors conduct assigned conversations with their students on a regular basis. Students are encouraged to participate in regional and national programs that highlight the use and understanding of the German language and/or culture. Sites are encouraged to make displays such as bulletin boards and exhibits to inform other students of what they have accomplished in their German class. Many classes invite local persons with a German connection to come and speak in their classes. |
| 5.2 | Students show evidence of becoming lifelong learners by using the
language for personal enjoyment and enrichment.
The course web site provides students with links of interest in the German-speaking countries and provides an opportunity to establish e-mail exchanges with young people in the German-speaking world. |
Thomas Sauer, Teacher
Education:
P-12 German Certification, Georgetown College; M.A. (Germanic Languages and Literatures), University of Kentucky; B.A. (Foreign Languages and International Economics), University of Kentucky
Work Experience:
KET, German Teaching Team (2002-present); Georgetown College, Adjunct Faculty (2002-present); Kentucky Foreign Language Teacher Academy, Technology Advisor (2001-present); University of Kentucky, German instructor (2001-2002); KET, German Tutor Coordinator (1999-2002); University of Kentucky, Teaching Assistant (1999-2001); KET, German Teaching Assistant (1997-1999)
Awards and Honors:
"Best of Kentucky" award at 2001 Fall Conference of the Kentucky Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages
Memberships:
Kentucky Chapter of American Association of Teachers of German, Kentucky Council on Teaching of Foreign Languages, Goethe Institut - Inter Nationes Midwest Trainer Network
Activities:
Presented for Central States Conference on the Teaching of Foreign Languages; served as judge for the regional and state Kentucky Foreign Language Festival; presented at the annual conference of the Kentucky Council on Teaching Foreign Languages; organizer for sessions at the Kentucky Foreign Language Conference; organizer of high school immersion weekends for the Kentucky Chapter of American Association of Teachers of German; past director of the University of Kentucky German Film Series
Ruth Styles, Video Instructor
Education:
M.A. (secondary education in German), University of Kentucky; B.A. (German and English), University of Kentucky; additional studies at Northern Kentucky University, Murray State University, Purdue University, and University of Arizona
Work Experience:
KET, German course designer and distance learning teacher, 1993-2003; Facilitator, Kentucky Foreign Language Teacher Academy, June 2000; Highlands High School, Fort Thomas, KY, 1971-1993; "German for Travelers," Continuing Education Department, Northern Kentucky University, 1983-1985; summer enrichment course for elementary students, Northern Kentucky University, summer 1984; graduate teaching assistant, University of Kentucky, 1970-1971
Foreign Experience:
Chaperone, DaimlerChrysler Award of Excellence, 1999; Instructor for Kentucky Institute of International Studies, 1996, 1993; Fulbright Exchange Teacher, Bremerhaven, Federal Republic of Germany, 1980-1981; participant in Goethe Institute seminars for teachers in Hamburg, Göttingen, and Berlin, 1978 and 1987; independent study, Kentucky Institute of European Studies, Bregenz, Austria, 1983; teacher-chaperon on a number of student tours throughout the German-speaking countries
Awards and Honors:
AATG, Outstanding German Educator Award, 1999; Christa McAuliffe Fellow, 1991; Certificate of Merit for Contributions to Teaching of German, American Association of Teachers of German, 1988; Duden Award, Kentucky chapter of AATG, 1990; AATG grant, 1989; National Endowment for the Humanities grant, 1984; Goethe Institute grants, 1978, 1987; Golden Apple Award, The Kentucky Post, 1986
Memberships:
American Association of Teachers of German, American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Kentucky Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, Kentucky Education Association, National Education Association and CALICO
Activities:
Vice Chairman, Distance Learning SIG for American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages; past president and professional concerns officer, Kentucky Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages; past president and past treasurer, Kentucky Chapter of American Association of Teachers of German; past director, Northern Kentucky Foreign Language Festival; served as team member on state accreditation and North Central Association evaluation teams; presenter at conventions of ACTFL, CSC, KCTFL, and Goethe Institute
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