German 312K
Third Semester German---Fall 2009
INSTRUCTOR:
CLASSROOM:
TIME:
OFFICE HOUR:
CONTACT INFORMATION:
DR. PER URLAUB
JES A303A
section 38355: MWF, 11-12; section 38360: 12-1in JES A303A
Tuesday 12-1 and by appointment and by chance
urlaub@mail.utexas.edu / 617.501.4738 (cell phone)
Welcome to German 312K! German 312K is a third semester course for students who have completed GER 507 at UT Austin
(with a grade C or better) or who have been advised to take it as a result of the UT German Placement Exam. This course
continues where GER 507 left off. The course will help you develop reading, writing, listening and speaking skills and
strategies with activities both inside and outside of class. It will also guide you further into learning about the cultures of
the German-speaking countries. German 312K is a three-credit course that meets Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
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Required text:
(1) Prisca Augustyn & Nikolaus Euba (2008). Stationen: Ein Kursbuch für die Mittelstufe. Thomson-Heinle.
(2) Prisca Augustyn & Nikolaus Euba (2008). Workbook/Lab Manual for Stationen: Ein Kursbuch für die Mittelstufe.
Thomson-Heinle.
Available through Amazon.com or at www.ichapters.com (Once at the site, simply enter the book title
"Stationen" into the Search box and the text as well as popular packages will pull up. Here are the prices for the
packages Text + workbook/lab manual = $141.49). You can also buy copies from Beat the Bookstore in Dobie.
Order today! Only the first chapter is a pdf on the Blackboard site associated to this course.
(3)Zsuzsanna Abrams (2008). Grimm Grammar. Texas Language Technology Center. http://tltc.la.utexas.edu/gg/index.html
We will not use this e-learning environment in the classroom, but you may want to use it to review grammatical
aspects of the German language.
Required materials:
You need two notebooks, one for your general notes and a second one exclusively for vocabulary. If you are not able to
attend the film screenings of “Sonnenallee”, you need to obtain a copy and view the film before our class meeting on
October 16th.
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Grading
All German 312K students are evaluated according to the same criteria:
A. 45% - 3 fifty-minute tests based on Stationen chapters and readings. Each test is 15% of the
final grade.
B. 20% - Quizzes. Regular quizzes will accompany the texts we read and the topics from Anders gedacht. Some of
these quizzes will be in-class, pencil & paper quizzes, while others may be posted in Blackboard and you must complete
them before coming to class on the day we discuss the materials.
C. 20% - Class participation & Homework. This grade will include participation and attendance, hand-in homework,
and other assignments. Be prepared to volunteer in class during every meeting. Homework is due on the day
indicated; no late homework will be accepted. DAILY PREVIEW AND REVIEW OF THE MATERIALS OF THE CURRENT
CHAPTER IS MANDATORY.
D. 15% - Text reactions. During the semester you have to write three text reaction papers in German, each 1-2 pages
long. In each reaction paper, summarize the materials we interacted with, incorporate what you learn during in-class
discussions and your homework assignments. Describe how the texts relate to your experiences; compare the main
arguments or themes in the stories to similar topics in the United States.
There is no final exam during the final exam period in GER 312K due to the cumulative nature of language learning. Each
written test is 50 minutes long. The tests start and end for all students at the same time. Even if you show up late for a
test, you have to finish it at the same time as the other students. If you fail to show up for an exam without prior
permission from your instructor, you will not receive credit for the test. Emergencies that can be substantiated to the
satisfaction of your instructor will be treated as exceptions. There are no Incompletes given in German 506.
The letter grades will be broken down according to the following scale:
A
AB+
B
BC+
93
90
87
83
80
77
- 100 %
- 92.9 %
– 89.9 %
– 86.9 %
– 82.9 %
– 79.9 %
C
CD+
D
DF
73 – 76.9 %
70 – 72.9 %
67 – 69.9 %
63 – 66.9 %
60 – 62.9 %
0 – 59.9 %
German 312K syllabus p. 1
Fall 2009
Attendance
Class participation, quizzes and homework are designed to help you practice and build new knowledge and skills in German
steadily and regularly. As such, daily preparation, attendance and active participation in class are essential. The quality of
your participation is measured in several ways: through homework, quizzes and class participation, for example. If you are
absent, not only will you miss important information but will also earn zeros on any assignments you miss since there is no
make-up for homework, quizzes and class participation grades.*
If you have to miss class, please let your instructor know as soon as possible. You must arrange with a peer to pick up
handouts from class and find out what was covered in the day's lesson. In order to ensure a high quality learning
environment for each level of German, if you miss more than 6 class periods you will earn a grade of F in the
course.
In case of serious illness, hospitalization, death in the family, severe mental health problems, among other concerns, your
instructor and the supervisors of the lower-division language program (Dr. Zsuzsanna Abrams, zsabrams@mail.utexas.edu,
232-6374, BUR 358 or Dr. Per Urlaub, BUR 330, urlaub@mail.utexas.edu, 617-501-4738) will evaluate your situation on an
individual basis. In order to receive exemptions for extensive absences, you must bring documentation from a doctor’s office
on official stationery stating the date and time of your appointment explicitly, as well as the duration of your illness. No
documentation, no exemptions.
* make-up work will be allowed in exceptional situations, such as during medically documented illness, observance of
religious holidays, military service, family emergencies. Please notify your instructor in writing as soon as possible to arrange
for the make-up.
ATTENDENCE ≠ PARTICIPATION
Policy on Scholastic Integrity
Students who do not comply with University rules on scholastic integrity are subject to disciplinary penalties, including the
possibility of failure in the course and / or dismissal from the University. Since such dishonesty harms the individual, all
students and the integrity of the University, policies on scholastic dishonesty will be strictly enforced. For further
information, please visit the Student Judicial Services web site at http://deanofstudents.utexas.edu/sjs/acint_student.php
This site offers excellent resources on how to cite sources and how to paraphrase, among other suggestions. The
Undergraduate Library also has workshops and brochures that can help you develop skills on writing research papers.
Copying materials from other people and sources or using on-line translators, for example, constitutes fraudulent
submission, and will result in a grade of zero on the assignment (and can lead to more severe consequences). You must
turn in your own work for all assignments in this course. If you use the help of a proficient speaker of German outside the
official departmental tutoring service, you must submit two versions of the assignment: The version that you produced
before you met your editor, and the one that you produced after the meeting.
Special needs
The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for students with disabilities.
To determine whether you qualify, please contact the Dean of Students at 471-6259; 471-4641 TTY. If they certify your
needs, the Department of Germanic Studies will work with you to make appropriate arrangements. We have worked with
the Dean of Students Office extensively, and have successfully accommodated students with various special needs. Please
do not hesitate to talk to your instructor to get the necessary assistance. In order to make such arrangements, you must file
your paperwork by the third week of the semester.
Communication
Email and Blackboard are modes of correspondence in this class. Therefore, you are responsible for reading your email for
university and course-related information and announcements. You are responsible to keep the university informed about
changes to your e-mail address. You should check your e-mail regularly and frequently—I recommend daily, but at minimum
twice a week—to stay current with university-related communications, some of which may be time-critical. You can find UT
Austin’s policies and instructions for updating your e-mail address at http://www.utexas.edu/its/policies/emailnotify.php. You
can find support in using Blackboard at the ITS Help Desk at 475-9400, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., so plan
accordingly.
Mistakes
Everybody who learns a second language will make mistakes. This is an integral part of language learning. In many cases
mistakes can be important markers of linguistic development. In my classroom we will treat mistakes in a respectful way.
Your willingness to speak up in the classroom is very important in order to earn a high participation grade, and if there is
anything going on in the classroom that prevents you from participating proactively, please see me and we will discuss the
situation.
German 312K syllabus p. 2
Fall 2009
Feedback
The interaction between learner and instructor is a symbiotic relationship. If you have any questions or comments about the
material or instruction, please feel free to contact me and to discuss your concern. If you feel that you have a great idea for
a learning activity, please do not hesitate to see me after class and make a suggestion. If you like the class and think it is
effective, tell all your friends at UT to learn German!
Do you want or need help with your German?
If you need help you can seek assistance from your instructor during his or her office hours, or you can go to the German
Tutorial Study Hall, staffed by graduate students, for free tutorial assistance. It's located on the 3rd floor of Burdine Hall
(BUR 386) and is open every day for almost all hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (see schedule of hours on door). The
instructors can help you with written or oral work, vocabulary, reading, homework or any other questions you might have.
Placement exams
If you are new to UT and have taken German before, you should take the placement exam offered by the Measurement and
Evaluation Center to ensure that you are attending the appropriate course for you (see schedule at
http://www.utexas.edu/academic/mec/cbe/clepopen.html).
Your next course:
When you complete GER 312K with a grade of C or higher, you are eligible to take GER 312L or GER 312W (business
German).
Upper division German, majoring / minoring, special programs
If you would like information about majoring or minoring in German, see Professor Kit Belgum, Undergraduate Adviser for
German (BUR 324; 232-6375; belgum@mail.utexas.edu).
Opportunities to speak German
Ask your instructor for a schedule of times when the following groups meet for informal discussions IN GERMAN!!!
1) Deutschübende Gesellschaft (Wed evenings, 6:30 at Dog and Duck Pub; 406 W 17th Street)
2) Mahlzeit (meets Wed 12-2 on outside patio by Student Union, by Wendy’s – if it rains, it’s inside)
3) German Film Series (in BUR 337 – see departmental website for titles and semester schedule)
4) Form your own group of GER 312K speakers!
Internships and Study Abroad Opportunities:
If you have any questions about study abroad opportunities, summer study in Taos, NM or Germany, contact Professor
Peter Hess. His office is BUR 356; you can contact him by phone at 232-6362 or by E-mail at phess@mail.utexas.edu. To
get information about Internships available through our department, please contact Professor Kit Belgum at
belgum@mail.utexas.edu at 232-6375.
SUMMER STUDY ABROAD IN WÜRZBURG
Learn German and get to know Germany in the medieval city of Würzburg!
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Take an advanced conversation & composition course (GER 330C or 331L)
Earn 3-6 credits of 3rd year German
Day trips to Bamberg, Nürnberg and Rothenburg
5-Day trip to Berlin
Easy access to all European countries and cities
Small classes with German students at the University of Würzburg
Program cost: $2200 (scholarships are available for $500-$1500)
Accommodations in local dormitories
Applications due at Center for Global Educational Opportunities
Visit Würzburg online at: http://www.wuerzburg.de
Visit the University of Würzburg at: http://uni-wuerzburg.de
Deatailed information about the Würzburg summer study abroad program
http://www.utexas.edu/depts/german/exchange/wurz.html
at:
If you have any questions about study abroad opportunities - summer study in Taos, NM or Würzburg, Germany - please
contact Professor Peter Hess (BUR 356; 232-6362; phess@mail.utexas.edu).
German 312K syllabus p. 3
Fall 2009
312K Stundenplan
Mi 26. Aug
Einführung in den Kurs; Wiederholung
Fr 28. Aug
Wiederholung
Mo 31. Aug
Station 1: Berlin
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Herbst 2009
Mi 2. Sept
Fr 4. Sept
Mo 7. Sept
Workbook (1-3); Vocabulary (50)
Labor Day Holiday – no classes
Mi 9. Sept
Fr 11. Sept
Workbook (4-10); Vocabulary (100)
Mo 14. Sept
Mi 16. Sept
Station 2: München
Fr 18. Sept
Workbook (11-13); Vocabulary (150)
Mo 21. Sept
Text reaction paper #1 due
Mi 23. Sept
Workbook (14-19); Vocabulary (200)
Fr 25. Sept
Mo 28. Sept
Mi 30. Sept.
Review
Fr 2. Okt
Test 1 (Stationen 1 & 2)
Mo 5. Okt
Station 3: Heidelberg
Workbook (20-24); Vocabulary (250)
Mi 7. Okt
Fr 9. Okt
Workbook (25-31); Vocabulary (300)
Mo 12. Okt
Mi 14. Okt
Fr 16. Okt
Discussion of film: “Sonnenallee”
Mo 19. Okt
Station 4: Hamburg
Workbook (32-36); Vocabulary (350)
Text reaction paper #2 due
Mi 21. Okt
Fr 23. Okt
Workbook (37-44); Vocabulary (400)
Mo 26. Okt
Mi 28. Okt
Review
Fr 30. Okt
Test 2 (Stationen 3 & 4)
Mo 2. Nov
Station 5: Leipzig
Workbook (45-46); Vocabulary (450)
Mi 4. Nov
Fr 6. Nov
Workbook (47-52); Vocabulary (500)
Mo 9. Nov
Text reaction paper #3 due
Mi 11. Nov
Fr 13. Nov
Station 6: Frankfurt
Workbook (53-57); Vocabulary (550)
German 312K syllabus p. 4
Fall 2009
Mo 16. Nov
Mi 18. Nov
Fr 20. Nov
Workbook (59-65); Vocabulary (600)
Mo 23. Nov
Mi 25. Nov
Fr 27. Nov
Thanksgiving Holidays – no classes
Mo 30. Nov
Workbook (66-70); Vocabulary (650)
Mi 2. Dez
Review
Fr 4. Dez
Test 3 (Stationen 5 & 6)
German 312K syllabus p. 5
Fall 2009