Course Orientation

Kapitels and Woches

This course is organized into five kapitels (chapters). Kapitel 1 is two woches (weeks) long and focuses on some basic skills, such as how to pronounce and type letters used in the German language. During this time, you will also join a small group, which will meet online throughout the semester, and you will become familiar with the course design and activities. Kapitels 2 through 5 are each three weeks long; each of these chapters focuses on a set of vocabulary, grammar, and culture topics.

Dialogs

Except for Kapitel 1, each chapter begins with a dialog. Each dialog presents the vocabulary and the grammatical structures for the chapter in the context of a fictional scenario. The dialogs follow a group of imaginary students--Anna, John, Ulrike, and others--who are living in Germany. Each dialog is the centerpiece of its respective chapter. You will repeatedly practice reading and reciting the dialogs, and they will serve as the basis for some of the graded activities.

Videos and Lessons

You will watch lecture videos and read lessons that analyze the vocabulary and grammar presented in each week’s topics. These videos and lessons also occasionally present information about the cultures of German-speaking peoples.

German Grammar Cruncher

To help you learn the grammar and complete writing tasks, you will use the German Grammar Cruncher, which is a online language learning tool developed by faculty at UF. The Grammar Cruncher has a drag-and-drop interface that allows you to compose German sentences positionally, using the vocabulary and grammar from each chapter. 

Quizzes (30% of final grade)

You will take quizzes in Canvas to measure your learning of the vocabulary and grammar presented in each week’s topics. You can take the practice version of each quiz as many times as you like. The graded version is identical to the practice version in content, but it will be timed and proctored by Honorlock.

Instructor Meetings (9%)

You will have biweekly Zoom meetings with the instructor and your group. These meetings will typically be organized around using the chapter dialogue to practice pronunciation and to ask/answer questions that elicit the vocabulary and grammar presented in each week’s topics.

Group Work (25%)

You will have weekly Zoom meetings with your group, in which you will practice speaking and writing German. Practicing live with your classmates is a great way to learn how to use the German language. In order for everyone to get the most benefit from the group work, you will need to be prepared for each meeting, participate in the activities, and provide feedback and support to your fellow group members. Your group will submit a recording of the meeting along with your group's written work.

Skits (10%)

At the end of each chapter, your group will write a short skit modeled on the chapter's dialog. Your group will then perform your skit during a Zoom meeting. Each group member will speak a few lines, using the vocabulary and grammar from the chapter. Your group will submit a recording of the performance along with your group's script.

Individual Writing Assessments (25%)

At end of each chapter, you will take a quiz in Canvas that is essentially an individualized version of the writing tasks that you will have been doing as part of the Group Work.

SONGS Initiative Extra Credit Opportunities (3%)

Optionally, you can choose to attend lectures, panel discussions, or webinars connected to the Sustainable Online Network for Global-Cultural Studies (SONGS) Initiative.

Because this course is mostly asynchronous, you are responsible for scheduling your own study time. You are more likely to be successful learning German if you study for a few hours each day of the normal work week, rather than cramming all your study time into one or two long sessions each week. Below is a recommended study routine for this course. Note that you may need to spend more than 10 hours each week studying, depending on the week's assignments and your own learning needs.