Chabot College
Fall 2009
Replaced Fall 2010
Course Outline for German 1B
ELEMENTARY GERMAN
Catalog Description:
1B - Elementary German
5 units
Further study of German-speaking cultures of the world featuring the acquisition of the four language
skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing) of German begun in German 1A. Prerequisite:
German 1A (completed with a grade of “C” or higher). 5 hours lecture, 1 hour laboratory.
[Typical contact hours: lecture 87.5, laboratory 17.5]
Prerequisite Skills:
Before entering the course the student should be able to:
1. compare and contrast American and German-speaking cultural practices in relation to speech,
social attitudes, and values;
2. demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the culture of German-speaking people,
including formative historical events and relevant geographical information;
3. demonstrate proficiency in understanding and using, orally and in writing, the grammatical
structures presented and vocabulary assigned;
4. correctly spell "active" vocabulary items, write basic autobiographical information, and take
dictation based on assigned vocabulary;
5. demonstrate the ability to comprehend a short conversation composed chiefly of the vocabulary
and grammar studied;
6. apply the sentence patterns and grammar structures presented in the course to create new
sentences in culturally appropriate ways both orally and in writing;
7. conduct a simple, culturally sensitive conversation in German on topics studied, using words and
expressions in structurally correct sentences;
8. write a coherent and culturally appropriate paragraph of sixty words or more on a topic studied
and/or discussed in class;
9. make simple descriptions in German related to size, shape, and color orally and in writing;
10. demonstrate functional competency in German pronunciation.
Expected Outcomes for Students:
Upon completion of the course the student should be able to:
1. demonstrate well-informed awareness of the similarities and differences in American and
German-speaking cultural practices in relation to speech, social attitudes, and values;
2. demonstrate a detailed understanding and appreciation of the culture of German-speaking
people, including the most formative historical events and the most important geographical features;
3. demonstrate the ability to comprehend an authentic conversation of native speakers composed
chiefly of the vocabulary and grammar studied;
4. show proficiency in applying the sentence patterns and grammar structures presented in the
course to create new sentences in culturally appropriate ways both orally and in writing
5. converse on topics studied with some degree of fluency and with accurate pronunciation and intonation;
6. apply the principles of syntax and grammar introduced at this level in both speech and writing;
7. write a well-constructed and culturally appropriate paragraph of one hundred words or more on a
topic studied and/or discussed in class.
8. demonstrate proficiency in German pronunciation
Course Content (Lecture):
1. Review, “recycling,” and extension of content of German 1A
2. Comparative analysis of German and American cultures.
Chabot College
Course Outline for German 1B, Page 2
Fall 2009
3. Further study of German customs, values, attitudes, relationships, civil institutions, families,
geography, and history.
4. Functional vocabulary and grammar to allow students to:
a. extend, accept, or refuse invitations in culturally appropriate ways orally and in writing
b. gather and/or request information with a variety of interrogative strategies orally and in writing
c. gather information by reading schedules, advertisements, announcements of cultural events,
etc., and transmit that information orally
d. use culturally authentic maps and timetables
e. make purchases in stores and perform transactions in culturally appropriate ways
f. function successfully in basic cultural interactions that involve buying tickets
g. discuss in simple terms their likes and dislikes and inquire in culturally sensitive terms into the
likes and dislikes of others orally and in writing
h. describe, orally and in writing, simple physical ailments to pharmacists and doctors
i. narrate simple events in past, present, and future orally and in writing
j. make physical descriptions of people and things orally and in writing
5. The following aspects of German grammar:
a. infinitives with zu
b. reflexive verbs
c. verb-preposition combinations
d. da-compounds; wo-compounds
e. past perfect, simple past and future tenses of verbs
f. subjunctive and conditional moods of verbs
g. superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs
h. passive voice
i. relative pronouns and relative clauses
j. past participles of regular weak verbs and strong verbs
k. auxiliary haben with past participles
l. separable-prefix verbs in the present perfect tense
m. past participles without the ge-prefix
n. auxiliary sein with past participles
o. dependent clauses in the present perfect tense
p. hin and her
q. the verbs legen/liegen; stellen/stehen; setzen/sitzen; hängen; stetzen
r. prepositional contractions
s. the prepositions an and auf (on); an, auf, and in (to)
t. special meanings of prepositions
u. time expressions in the dative and accusative
v. indirect questions
w. genitive case, including genitive of time and prepositions with the genitive
x. reflexive constructions, including forms of reflexive pronouns and reflexive verbs in German vs. English
y. comparison of adjectives and adverbs
z. the simple past (including modals, sein, and haben, irregular weak verbs, strong verbs, and
separable-prefix verbs) vs. the present perfect tense
1) preceded and unpreceded adjectives
2) uses of als, wenn, and wann
3) the würde construction and its uses
4) present-time subjunctive of the main verb vs. the würde construction, of sein and haben,
of modals, of strong, weak, and irregular weak verbs
6. Introduction to elements of German phonetics for good pronunciation
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Chabot College
Course Outline for German 1B, Page 3
Fall 2009
Course Content (Laboratory):
1. Activate lecture content using interactive audio and audiovisual programs on CDs, DVDs, CD
ROMS, target language websites, etc., featuring culturally authentic and contextual guided
speaking, reading, and writing activities such as cued repetition of native speech, dictations, cued
oral responses, listening comprehension, and interactive realia (culturally authentic texts).
2. Organized laboratory activities including conversation groups.
3. Fundamentals of German pronunciation
a. Stress and intonation in words, phrases, and sentences.
b. Vowels with and without off-glide.
c. Spelling as a reminder of vowel length
d. Review of pronunciation of vowels (long, short, dipththongs, and umlauts)
e. Review an extension of proficiency with German consonants:
1) The letters b, d, and g
2) The letter j
3) The letter l
4) The letter r
5) The letters s, ss, ß
6) The letter v
7) The letter w
8) The letter z
9) The consonant clusters gn, kn, pf, and qu
10) The combination ng
11) The combinations sch, sp, and st
12) The combination ch
13) The combination chs
14) The suffix –ig
15) The glottal stop
Methods of Presentation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Lecture/discussion in target language
Choral/individual repetition of model speech
Re-creation of dialogues and improvisation
Small group activities leading to skits, dialogues, etc.
Assignments and Methods of Evaluating Student Progress:
1. Typical Assignments
a. Prepare a skit in which one person accepts an invitation and the other declines an invitation;
both use culturally appropriate expressions
b. Laboratory assignment: Demonstrate proficiency of German pronunciation by making a
recording of one of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Lieder.
c. Prepare a travel itinerary to five different German-speaking cities to demonstrate proper use
of prepositions with numerous geographical names
d. Write a composition comparing and contrasting two actors, musicians, athletes or celebrities.
2. Methods of Evaluating Student Progress
a. Tests, quizzes, and interviews to evaluate the four language skills in relation to material presented
b. Student participation in class activities
c. Oral reports (without notes) on German geography, holidays, art, films or an aspect of
German popular culture
d. Homework assignments
e. Recordings from the language laboratory to evaluate pronunciation skills.
f. Final examination
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Chabot College
Course Outline for German 1B, Page 4
Fall 2009
Textbook(s) Typical:
Vorsprung: A Communicative Introduction to German Language and Culture, 2nd Edition, Thomas A. Lovik,
J. Douglas Guy, and Monika Chavez, Houghton Mifflin Company (Boston and New York) 2007.
Vorsprung: Student Activities Manual Second Edition, Thomas A. Lovik, J. Douglas Guy, and Monika
Chavez, Houghton Mifflin Company (Boston and New York) 2007.
Special Student Materials:
None
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