German - Fall 1998

This is the initial course in the intermediate German language and culture series (German 4, 5, 6) at UCSC. The prerequisite is the successful completion of German 3 or its equivalent- three quarters or two semesters of college-level German, or the equivalent level of high-school German, usually three years of study of more. Students without this formal background may also be admitted to the course with the consent of the instructor.

The goals of this course are to help students develop the four language skills- reading, listening, speaking, and writing- at the intermediate level. In this course, students

1. Review and strengthen their grasp of some basic areas of grammar (verb tenses, word order, case endings, prepositions, etc.)
2. Build their active and passive vocabulary through class activities and readings
3. Improve their listening comprehension by working with taped conversations in the language lab and in class
4. Improve their speaking ability by regular participation in small-group work in class
5. Improve their writing by completing regular homework assignments and bi-weekly essays
6. Continue to make the transition from reading the largely prepared texts of first-year German to reading authentic texts of various types (including short stories and one longer work, Der Besuch der alten Dame by Friedrich Duerrenmatt)
7. Work with video materials appropriate to the cultural themes of the material covered in class

1. Duerrenmatt, Friedrich. Der Besuch der alten Dame.
2. Moeller, Jack et al. Kaleidoskop. 5th ed. 1998. Chapts. 1-5.
3. Rankin, Janine and E. Pauline Hubbell. Arbeitsheft-Handbuch zur deutschen Grammatik. 2nd ed. 1997.
4. Wells, Larry D. Handbuch zur deutschen Grammatik. 1997. Chapts. 1-12

1. Regular participation in all class activities
2. Completion of occasional language lab assignments
3. Regular completion of written grammar and vocabulary exercises
4. Four two-to-three page essays in German
5. Four chapter tests
6. One interview with the instructor
7. A comprehensive final exam

For questions regarding the content or conduct of the course, feel free to contact the instructor: W. Campbell.
E-Mail: walterc@cats.ucsc.edu

This is a German language and culture course at the advanced level. The prerequisite for admission to the course is the successful completion of German 5, its equivalent, or the consent of the instructor. The course is conducted in German.

Using regular readings from the German newspaper, Die Zeit, other newspapers and magazines, and on-line publications on the World Wide Web, this course is constructed as a true seminar. Students read articles of interest for each class session, write a brief summary of the main points, and then present the articles in class. Through questions and the ensuing discussion, the instructor attempts to amplify the particular topic and provide the relevant social, cultural, and political background appropriate to it. Over the course of the ten weeks, students are encouraged to read articles in a variety of topic areas, including politics, social issues, economics, philosophy, religion, the arts, and the sciences. By so doing, and keeping an individual vocabulary list, students greatly expand their reading comprehension and working German vocabulary in a variety of fields.

In addition to the regular readings and discussions, news broadcasts, other video material, and the resources of the World Wide Web are used to present topics of current interest.

Among the topics certain to be addressed in the press and in the course are: The national German elections (to be held Fall 1998), a continuing assessment of life in western and eastern Germany following German unification- with particular attention paid to the economic and social conditions in the former East Germany, Germany's role in the European Union, the move toward monetary union in Europe and the introduction of the Euro, Germany's domestic and international economic policy, the attitudes of Germany's major political parties toward the issues of the day, the current status of various social groups in the Bundesrepublik (i.e. youth, women, East Germans, foreigners etc.) and German views on major events in the USA and other foreign countries.

1. Students will read regularly in Die Zeit and other publications
2. Selected articles from Der Spiegel: Aktuelle Themen aus der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, ed. by Helene Zimmer-Loew and Anne Moss, 1993.
3. Additional articles supplied by the instructor or suggested by the students.

1. Regular presentation of articles in class
2. Brief written summaries of the articles presented
3. Creation of an individual vocabulary list hroughout the quarter
4. Occasional vocabulary quizzes based on the individual lists (ca. 3-4 in the quarter)
5. A midterm and final oral presentation to the instructor
6. A term paper of ca. 6-10 pages on a topic or topics of interest

For questions regarding the content or conduct of the course, feel free to contact the instructor.

E-Mail: walterc@ucsc.edu

Revised 7/19/04.