German

WHY SHOULD I STUDY A LEVEL GERMAN?

German is the most widely spoken language in Europe. More people speak German as their native language than any other language in Europe. Not only the residents of Germany; it is also an official language of Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein.

Germany has the third strongest economy and is the leading export nation in the world.

KNOWING GERMAN CREATES BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES.

Germany’s economic strength equals business opportunities. Multinational business opportunities exist throughout the European Union and in the Eastern European countries, where German is the second most spoken language after Russian. Companies like BMW, Daimler, Siemens, Lufthansa and Bosch offer many employment opportunities. Germans are innovators and as a nation committed to research and development and are on the frontline of new technologies.

GERMAN-SPEAKING COUNTRIES HAVE A RICH CULTURAL HERITAGE.

Germany is often referred to as the land of “Dichter und Denker” – of poets and thinkers. Knowing German allows you to access the works of these people in their original language and to more fully understand the culture that they grew out of.

Germany financially sponsors over 60,000 international exchanges each year.

German students and foreign students directly enrolled in German universities pay no tuition fees.

COURSE CONTENT

Students will usually be taught by two teachers and also include a session once a week with the German assistant. Students will learn to communicate confidently and clearly in German through the medium of the spoken and written word.

The first year of the AQA course consists of two themes: Social Issues and Trends and Artistic Culture. In practice, this means that students will be studying topics such as the changing nature of families and the place of information technology in society, as well as things that young German people really like such as music and films. In addition, students will study some different aspects of artistic culture, e.g. festivals, art and architecture and Berlin.

All students are issued with a vocabulary book and there are weekly vocabulary tests. Students have found that sites like Quizlet and Memrise have greatly helped them to memorise the volume of words required. There is a great emphasis on grammar and there will be regular tests on the major grammar points throughout the course. Dictionaries are available for reference in the Library and in teaching classrooms and we show students how to make the best use of sites like Wordreference. Students have access to our virtual learning environment (Moodle). Here they can see all sorts of useful information including course outlines, vocabulary lists, grammar explanations, and advice about the examinations. Students will be expected to complete 4 or 5 hours of homework a week.

 

PROGRESSION ONTO YEAR 2

Progression to the second year of this A Level course will be dependent on having made satisfactory progress in the first year of the course, including achieving at least an E grade in a formal late spring assessment, as well as the maintenance of a good level of attendance and commitment throughout the year.

In the second year of the A Level course, we revise basic grammar and introduce more complex grammatical structures. We ensure that students continue to widen their vocabulary and teach them to be even more accurate and idiomatic in their spoken and written work. In particular, we will help them to develop their powers of analysis when writing an essay. In the second year, all students must study a book and themes include topics such as cultural diversity, law and order and the right to vote there is also the opportunity for students to research a topic related to Germany or German - speaking communities that is particularly interesting to them.

FINAL ASSESSMENT AT END OF YEAR 2

You will sit 3 papers:

• Paper 1: Listening, Reading and Writing (translations) - 50% of the A Level.
• Paper 2: Writing on one book and one film. 20% of the A Level.
• Paper 3: Speaking (discussion of a subtheme and presentation of an individual research project) - 30% of the A Level.

MINIMUM ENTRY CRITERIA

Standard College entry requirements and a minimum of:

 

WHAT CAN I DO AFTER STUDYING A LEVEL GERMAN?

The A Level course forms a sound basis for studying German in higher education and many students continue with it either as a single subject degree or in combination with another subject such as European Studies, Business Studies, Marketing, Law, Politics, History, etc. Some German graduates use their language skills as translators, interpreters or teachers. Others embark on careers in areas ranging from banking to tourism.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students who need extra support are invited to attend support classes/offered a second-year mentor. More able students will be issued with extension reading packs, and there may be the opportunity to attend extension classes. There may be an opportunity to take part in a language trip to Germany during A Level studies.

The Modern Languages Department (MFL) also offers A Level courses in French, Italian and Spanish, one-year GCSE courses in Italian and Spanish, possibly leading to an A Level course in the second year, and Additional Studies in Italian, Japanese, Chinese and Latin. We also offer many other enrichment opportunities such as the European Day of Languages and Christmas Carols in all languages.