HIGHLANDS MIDDLE SCHOOL

World Language Grade 7 (German)

2014-2015 COURSE SYLLABUS

Instructor: Patricia Mullins

Phone: 815-2548

Grade: 7

Credit: 1

Description

The World Language Encore Classes are 9-week exploratory classes thatserve to introduce students to other languages and cultures other than their own and make students more informed members of the global community.The course will connect the material to the students in a personal and relatable manner. This course will cover the language and culture of Germany as well as other German speaking countries.

Course Standards

Students will:

  • Learn expressions and vocabulary to enable them to maintain an everyday conversation.
  • Study the culture and geography of Germany
  • Make comparisons and connections with other cultures to their own community.
  • Develop an appreciation for the use of world language learning.
  • Use authentic materials to study the language and culture.

Goals of the Novice Learner

  • Understand and use familiar common expressions and basic phrases in order to maintain typical conversations.
  • Develop an appreciation for German culture and the similarities and differences
  • Introduce self and others as well as ask and answer questions regarding personal information such as interests, where one lives, etc.
  • Communicate in simple and routine tasks that require a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.

Units:

Students will cover a wide variety of topics which includes but is not limited to: Introductions, the Classroom, World Citizenship, Occupations, Home and Family, Leisure Time, Travel, and Food and Drink in thematic units.

Course Content

All levels of World Language courses are structured around six global themes: Families and Communities, Personal and Public Identities, Contemporary Life, Science and Technology, Global Challenges, and Beauty and Aesthetics.

Grading

Grades will be determined according to the following criteria:

  • Tests and Quizzes

Students should expect to have one test at the midterm of the quarter and one at the end of the quarter and potential short quizzes throughout the quarter.

  • Projects
  • Homework
  • Participation

Cheating

Students found to be cheating will receive a ‘0’ on the assignment. The ability to make up any assignments with a ‘0’ due to cheating will be left to the teacher’s discretion. The use of online translators or otherwise is also cheating.

Plagiarism

Copying any person’s work word for word is considered plagiarism. (Translators included.) This will result in a 0 on the assignment.

Participation and Attendance

Being a present and active participant is crucial to the acquisition of any language. Students should be present and on time to class. Students who are absent must schedule a date to make up missed work with the teacher within the same number of days they were absent after returning to school. Students who do not see the teacher or who miss a make-up appointment will receive a ‘0’ on the assignment.

Communication Modes

Students will regularly demonstrate their competencies in the target language through the three modes of communication: Interpersonal, Interpretive, and Presentational. These are the Communication Modes that are a direct tie to the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning. They provide an enriched view of language that reflects real communication.

Interpersonal: This mode is characterized by the active negotiation of meaning among individuals. Participants observe and monitor one another to see how their meanings and intentions are being communicated. Adjustments and clarifications are made accordingly.

Interpretive: This mode focuses on the appropriate cultural interpretation of meanings that occur in written and spoken form where there is no recourse to the active negotiation of meaning with the writer or speaker.

Presentational: This mode refers to the creation of oral and written messages in a manner that facilitates interpretation by members of the other culture where no direct opportunity for the active negotiation of meaning between members of the two cultures exists.

The 5 C’s

All lessons and assessments inside and outside of the classroom revolve around The 5 C’s

These standards describe the “what” (content) of world languages learning and form the core of standards-based instruction in the world languages classroom.

Communication: The communication standard stresses the use of language for communication in “real life” situations. It emphasizes “what students can do with language” rather than “what they know about language.” Students are asked to communicate in oral and written forms, interpret oral and written messages, demonstrate cultural understanding when they communicate and present oral and written information to various audiences for various purposes.

Cultures: The cultures standard is an integral part of learning a foreign language. Through gaining an understanding of the culture, one is able to appreciate the similarities and differences of their native country to that of another.

Comparisons: Students are encouraged to compare and contrast languages and cultures. They discover patterns, make predictions, and analyze similarities and differences across languages and cultures. Students often understand their own language in the process of doing so.

Connections: World languages instruction must be connected to other subject areas. Content is integrated with world language instruction through lessons built around themes.

Communities: Extending learning experiences from the world language classroom to the home and multilingual and multicultural community emphasizes living in a global society. Activities may include clubs, cultural activities, and guest speakers.