MICHIGAN
TEST OBJECTIVES
FIELD 624: GERMAN
Reading and Vocabulary
Syntax and Usage
Cultural Understanding and Expression
Language Instruction
READING AND VOCABULARY
Apply literal comprehension skills in German.
Includes paraphrasing content; interpreting information; and drawing conclusions from arguments.
Apply skills of inference in German.
Includes drawing inferences from the context of sentences and passages; recognizing implied
steps in arguments; and drawing implied conclusions from arguments.
Apply interpretive comprehension skills in German.
Includes determining the author’s point of view and purpose; recognizing cause-and-effect
relationships; analyzing expository and persuasive techniques; and distinguishing fact from
opinion in a written German passage.
Understand everyday German prose (e.g., instructions, newspapers, reference works).
Includes following written instructions; interpreting reference materials; interpreting newspapers
and magazine articles; and interpreting popular technical language.
Understand the use of language in German literary prose.
Includes interpreting narrative elements; interpreting figures of speech; determining the author’s
point of view and purpose; and analyzing the effects of compositional devices in a written German
passage.
Understand the use of language in German poetry.
Includes interpreting literal and figurative meanings; interpreting figures of speech; identifying
compositional devices; and identifying main ideas or themes.
Apply word-level vocabulary skills in German.
Includes interpreting multiple-meaning and uncommon words by using context clues; interpreting
word formations from other words; differentiating ranges of meaning for commonly equated
English and German words; and distinguishing between German words and expressions
commonly confused by native English speakers.
Understand German idiomatic expressions.
Includes using idioms appropriately for various contexts; interpreting German idiomatic
expressions; and using prepositions idiomatically to govern infinitives and nouns.
Understand German proverbs and proverbial expressions.
Includes interpreting German proverbs; interpreting proverbial expressions; and using proverbial
expressions appropriately for various contexts.
Demonstrate breadth of German vocabulary in given contexts.
Includes using vocabulary appropriate to various and cultural contexts; using vocabulary
appropriate to various functional contexts; using numerical expressions; and recognizing informal
and humorous vocabulary.
Understand educational vocabulary in German.
Includes interpreting language appropriate for classroom management; and interpreting technical
language used for instruction.
SYNTAX AND USAGE
Use the present tense as appropriate for given contexts.
Includes using the present tense of weak verbs, strong verbs, and mixed verbs to express present
time in functional contexts.
Use the present perfect (conversational past) tense as appropriate for given contexts.
Includes using the present perfect (conversational past) tense of weak verbs, strong verbs, and
mixed verbs in functional contexts.
Use the simple (narrative) past tense as appropriate for given contexts.
Includes using the simple past tense of weak verbs, strong verbs, and mixed verbs in functional
contexts; and using the simple past and the present perfect in context.
Use the future, the future perfect, and the past perfect tenses as appropriate for given contexts.
Includes using the future tense, the future perfect tense, and the past perfect tense in various
functional contexts; and using the present tense to express future time in functional contexts.
Use infinitives and past participles as appropriate for given contexts.
Includes using infinitive constructions with or without the use of zu in functional contexts; and
using past participles with separable and inseparable prefixes.
Use modal auxiliaries as appropriate for given contexts.
Includes using modal auxiliaries in the present tense, the past tense, the perfect tense, the future
tense; and in the subjunctive mood in functional contexts.
Use the subjunctive mood (I & II) and the conditional as appropriate for given contexts.
Includes using the subjunctive II in present and past time in polite expressions, wishes, contraryto-fact statements, and hypothetical situations in context; and using the subjunctive I (indirect
discourse subjunctive) in functional contexts.
Express passive notions appropriately for given contexts.
Includes using the passive voice in various tenses in functional contexts; and using substitutes for
the passive voice in functional contexts.
Express commands appropriately for given contexts.
Includes expressing direct commands and negative commands by using various imperative
constructions in functional contexts.
Understand usage of nouns in German.
Includes using singular and plural nouns in various cases in functional contexts; and using
adjectival nouns in functional contexts.
Use em- words and adjectives that follow em- words as appropriate for given contexts.
Includes using em- words in various cases in functional contexts; and using adjectives that follow
em- words in various cases in functional contexts.
Use der- words and adjectives that follow der- words as appropriate for given contexts.
Includes using der- words in various cases in functional contexts; and using adjectives that follow
der- words in various cases in functional contexts.
Use adjectives that do not follow em- or der- words as appropriate for given contexts.
Includes using adjectives that follow the numerical adjectives; unpreceded and predicate
adjectives; present participles that function as adjectives; and past participles as expanded
modifiers in functional contexts.
Understand usage of coordinating, subordinating, and correlative conjunctions in German (including
word order).
Includes using coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, and correlative
conjunctions as appropriate for various contexts.
Understand usage of personal and possessive pronouns in German.
Includes using personal pronouns as subjects and objects in various cases and contexts; using
direct and indirect objects that include a personal pronoun in various contexts; and using
possessive pronouns appropriately in various contexts.
Understand usage of relative pronouns for definite and indefinite antecedents in German.
Includes using the correct form of the relative pronouns der, die, das in various contexts; using the
relative pronoun or adverb that corresponds to an antecedent in context; using correct word order
in relative clauses; and using interrogative pronouns appropriately in various contexts.
Understand usage of demonstrative, indefinite, and interrogative pronouns in German.
Includes using demonstrative and indefinite pronouns appropriately in various contexts; and using
interrogative pronouns appropriately in all four cases.
Understand usage of prepositions in German.
Includes using the correct preposition in functional contexts; using the correct case following a
preposition in functional contexts; using contractions of prepositions correctly; and using wo- and
da- compounds correctly in context.
Use conventions of spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and format as appropriate for given
contexts.
Includes spelling words correctly in various contexts; using capitalization and punctuation
appropriately for various contexts; and using conventions appropriate for various contexts.
Construct sentences from specified elements in German (e.g., phrases, clauses).
Includes forming sentences by combining words, phrases, and clauses; forming complex sentences
by subordinating one of two independent clauses; and forming sentences using correct order of
time, manner, and place.
Transform sentences or passages in German according to given instructions.
Includes transforming sentences and passages from the active voice to the passive voice (or vice
versa) and from the declarative to the interrogative (or vice versa); transforming sentences and
passages from direct to indirect discourse (or vice versa); and transforming the mood, tense, or
number of sentences and passages.
Understand usage of reflexive constructions in German.
Includes using accusative and dative reflexive pronouns correctly in various contexts; using
reflexive verbs correctly in various contexts; and using reflexive and nonreflexive verbs to express
various meanings in functional contexts.
Use positive, comparative, and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs in German.
Includes using positive forms of adjectives and adverbs in context; and using comparative and
superlative adjectives and adverbs appropriately for various contexts.
Use negation in German in context.
Includes forming negative statements using nicht; using forms of kein to express negation; and
using niemand, niemals, weder. . . noch, nie, and other expressions of negation.
CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING AND EXPRESSION
Understand historical and geographical features of the culture of German-speaking nations and
regions.
Includes German-speaking regions of Europe; historical figures and events in German-speaking
nations and regions, and their cultural significance; geographical features in German-speaking
nations and regions, and their cultural significance; and the relationship of historical events and
figures in German-speaking nations and regions to other events and figures in the world.
Understand economic features of the culture of German-speaking nations and regions.
Includes developments in the economic history of German-speaking nations and regions; major
industries in German-speaking nations and regions with their regions; and features of today’s
economies in German-speaking nations and regions.
Understand political features of the culture of German-speaking nations and regions.
Includes major developments in the political history of German-speaking nations and regions;
features of recent national politics in German-speaking nations and regions; and the role of
German-speaking nations and regions in international politics.
Understand the arts as features of the culture of German-speaking nations and regions.
Includes major writers of German-speaking nations and regions, and their works; major artists and
architects of German-speaking nations and regions, and their works; major musicians and
composers of German-speaking nations and regions, and their works; and the artistic contributions
of German-speaking nations and regions to world and U.S. culture.
Understand scientific and technological features of the culture of German-speaking nations and
regions.
Includes scientific and technological achievements of German-speaking nations and regions; and
scientists and inventors of German-speaking nations and regions.
Understand governmental and social institutions in German-speaking nations and regions.
Includes features of governmental and social institutions in German speaking nations and regions.
Understand aspects of daily life and leisure activities in German-speaking nations and regions.
Includes aspects of family life in German-speaking nations and regions; leisure activities in
German-speaking nations and regions; and features of daily life in German-speaking nations and
regions.
Understand influences of German culture on the United States.
Includes features of U.S. culture and their origins in the culture of German-speaking nations and
regions; the cultural contributions of persons and events of German-speaking nations and regions;
and the cultural contributions of immigrants from German-speaking nations and regions.
Understand cultural behavior and communication patterns in German-speaking nations and regions.
Includes nonverbal elements of communication appropriate for various contexts; and basic
differences in the German spoken by natives of different German-speaking nations and regions.
Use language in a German cultural context.
Includes language appropriate for travel situations, various social environments, and
communicative purposes.
LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION
Understand theories and principles of foreign language instruction.
Includes methodologies for foreign language instruction; techniques, materials, and equipment
used for foreign language instruction; and methods and approaches for foreign language
instruction appropriate for various learning situations.
Understand classroom techniques and activities appropriate for the development of the four
communicative skills (i.e., listening, speaking, reading, and writing).
Includes teacher activities appropriate for the development of the four communicative skills;
appropriate student goals for the development of the four communicative skills; and student
activities appropriate for the four communicative skills.
Understand techniques for foreign language assessment and evaluation.
Includes appropriate evaluative techniques for assessing students’ listening skills, reading skills,
writing skills, and speaking skills.
Use language appropriate for classroom management in German.
Includes appropriate language for adjusting climate in the classroom and for controlling learning
processes in the classroom.
Use technical language appropriate for foreign language instruction.
Includes grammatical terminology, language appropriate for literary and cultural analyses, and
appropriate terminology for teaching equipment and materials.