German 1

This is an introductory subject for students with little or no knowledge of German. Its goal is to generate a firm grounding in the basics of German grammar and language structure in conjunction with the development of cultural literacy (including a sensitivity to the social contexts of communication). Students acquire a basic vocabulary, learn to discern and employ the structures, patterns and grammatical features of a foreign language, and develop the ability to engage with simple texts. Students reach a level of simple text production (eg. letters, emails, personal résumés or family backgrounds). Students will learn how to converse in a number of different informal communicative situations and begin to use language in limited formal settings. The study of key aspects of German, Austrian and Swiss culture is integrated into language acquisition through the engagement with a variety of authentic texts and media.