Deutsch 1002, Frühling 2007

Welcome to German 1002.  This course is for students who have completed G1001 or who have had at least 2 years of high school German.  This is the second of a four-semester language sequence: German 1001 and 1002 are the elementary German courses, followed in the second year by the intermediate courses, G2001 and G2002.  We strongly advise that you take the four semesters of the language requirement consecutively.  Dropping out of a language for a semester or more will only make the next course in the sequence more difficult because when you are not using the vocabulary, grammatical structures, communicative skills on a regular basis, they atrophy.    

Course Description:

In this course, you will continue your acquisition of basic listening (cds, video, music, and lab), speaking (in class activities, orals, extra-curricular activities), reading (texts in book), and writing skills (portfolios, homework, exams) in German through active preparation for, and participation in, classroom activities.

Learning Outcomes[1]:

Ø      Students will demonstrate the better integration and development of the basic communicative skills begun in GRMN 1001 (listening, reading, writing, and speaking) by expanding their vocabulary to include topics such as the work place and university, living arrangements and architecture, geography and transport, eating and drinking at home and in a restaurant, and one’s past, childhood, youth, etc.  They will demonstrate familiarity with both the vocabulary and topics covered in GRMN 1001 and the new material in chapters 5-9.

Ø      Students will demonstrate knowledge of the German cultural specificities covered in GRMN 1001 as well as of the following newly introduced German cultural specificities: how professional training and university education works in Germany, Christmas and other Holiday customs, the work of a selection of German artists, architects, and poets, German eating habits, German geography and transportation methods, growing up in Germany. 

Ø      Students will demonstrate the ability to manipulate the grammatical concepts covered in GRMN 1001 as well as the following new grammatical concepts in a manner that makes for, assuming the good will of the interlocutor, possible comprehension on the part of native and near-native speakers: dative case, two way prepositions, dative and accusative prepositions, the verb “werden”, TMP word order, subordinating conjunctions, relative pronouns and clauses, verb last word order, adjectival constructions including comparative, superlative, and adjective endings, da- and wo-compounds, the future tense and the simple past. 

Textbook:

Tracy D. Terrel et al.  Kontakte.  A Communicative Approach. 5^th Edition.  (Textbook and online workbook – Quia). 

You will also need a notebook specifically for German and a paper folder for your essay assignments.

Method:

This class will be conducted primarily in German and demands regular participation on your part.  In class we will focus on interactive activities based on the material you have prepared at home.  Because of the collaborative nature of the in-class activities, your success and the success of your colleagues in this class depend at least as much on your preparation for the class as on mine (see contract below).  There are no shortcuts in learning a language.  It is a difficult task that requires consistent, committed, and hard work, but it can be enormously rewarding and fun.  You should strive to speak only German during our 50 minute classes even when asking a fellow student or the instructor what time it is or what page we're on.  In large part the amount that you understand in and contribute to class will depend directly on how much time you have devoted beforehand to preparing the material, learning the vocabulary, doing the assigned exercises.  Each study session outside of class should involve at least 4 of the following activities: (a) vocabulary learning, (b) practicing the vocabulary in written and spoken sentences, (c) reading about grammatical structures, (d) using those grammatical structures by doing assigned exercises and making your own written and oral sentences, (e) a listening exercise, (f) reading a German text, and (f) a short writing activity to sum up.  In G1002, we will review the present perfect tense (chapter 4) and complete chapters 5 through 9. On a practical level, your further advancement in the German language will demand a review of the material already covered in G1001, the memorization of new vocabulary and grammatical structures, and the desire/will/effort to creatively use them. Regular written assignments, listening comprehension exercises, online workbook activities, and attendance (attentive and active participation) play a role in both the acquisition of linguistic skills and their evaluation. In other words, homework, oral exams, lab visits, and exams are not merely hurdles to be jumped but important learning tools. You will benefit most from them if you can also see them as such.

Evaluation, i.e. methods for assessing how well individual students are achieving the learning outcomes:

Participation grades will be assigned on a chapter-by-chapter basis in accordance with the following scale:

A -- student arrives on time and is always prepared, volunteers answers but does not hog classroom time, answers the majority of questions correctly and without wasting much time, participates well in group-work, remains focused on class activities, does not have to be regularly reminded to concentrate and focus on the activities at hand, rarely uses English, is respectful to both the professor and fellow students. 

B -- student arrives on time and is almost always prepared, occasionally volunteers and answers when called on, usually answers correctly and quickly, participates well in group-work, usually works in a focused manner and only occasionally needs to be reminded to concentrate on class work, uses a bit more English that necessary but not every day, is respectful to both professor and fellow students. 

C -- student almost always arrives on time, is prepared about half of the time, doesn't generally volunteer answers but does answer when called on and answers are sometimes correct, needs regular reminders to focus and concentrate but heeds reminders when given them, lapses into English on a daily basis, is respectful to both professor and students.

D -- student averages one late per week, is rarely prepared, follows along in class and attempts to answer when called on but answers are rarely correct, needs daily reminders to focus and concentrate, uses English in every group-work activity, has a tendency to be a little disrespectful toward professor and/or fellow students.

F -- student is frequently late, often absent (5-9 times), rarely prepared, inattentive in class, asks time wasting questions about aspects of the course already covered in class during his/her absences, slows down class-room activities because of lack of preparation, hinders other students' progress in group work, is disrespectful and lacks understanding for the classroom environment. 

G1002 Schedule for Spring 2007

• You will be given a more detailed syllabus with homework assignments for each segment of the course.
• Final Exam: TBA

Plagiarism Policy:

The State University of West Georgia defines plagiarism as "the purchase and/or use of ghost-written papers and reports, or incorporating into a report, term theme, research paper, or project, ideas and information obtained from another person without giving credit to the person from whom such information was obtained" (Faculty Handbook, Section 207).  This definition applies equally to electronic, print, and verbal sources.  Plagiarism is grounds for failing this course.  Furthermore, using an on-line translation service or friends, family, and/or native speakers to correct and change your German before submitting papers, projects, homework are forms of plagiarism and are similarly grounds for failing this course.

Academic Honor:

The State University of West Georgia assumes that each student “pledges not to lie, cheat, steal or engage in plagiarism in the pursuit of his or her studies…” (Undergraduate Catalog, 2003, 97). 

In sum: If you plagiarize or cheat, you will fail.  There will be no second chance.  Hand in a portfolio item or homework assignment with which you have received help from a tutor, native speaker, class member, family member, etc, and you break the University’s Honor Code.  Your name will be submitted to the Vice President’s Office where a record of your academic dishonesty will be maintained for future reference.  I do not participate in the myth that you just don’t understand what you’re doing when you cheat in this manner.  I grant you far more intelligence than this myth suggests and I have now addressed the issues both orally and in writing and will therefore hold you responsible for any of your actions that infringe on the University’s Honor Code.

Contract (for your personal records):

1.      I will prepare for and participate in class in a manner that is productive for both myself and my classmates.  I will try to speak German at all times and understand that if I disrupt class in any way (talking English in group activities, demonstratively displaying bad moods, refusal to cooperate and participate, fiddling with cell phone, arriving late on a regular basis), I may be considered absent. 

2.      I understand that all the work I submit must be my own.  I will not use an on-line translation service nor friends and family to correct any of my work in advance.  I understand that such actions constitute academic dishonesty and will result in a failing grade and/or further disciplinary actions.  

3.      I understand that attendance is important and that I am responsible for everything I miss when I skip class.  I know that quizzes and homework assignments cannot be made up.  I understand that if I will miss or have missed an exam, I must contact my professor as soon as possible to negotiate a make-up.  If I have not contacted the professor before she returns the graded exams, I have relinquished the possibility of a make-up.

4.      I understand that written homework will be collected on a regular basis during the semester and that 2 will be dropped.

5.      I understand that coming to class late and/or leaving class at any point during the 50 minute period affects my participation grade.  I understand that if I come late and/or leave during class on a regular basis, I may be dropped from the class because it infringes on the rights of other students to learn in an undisrupted environment.  If I must leave on occasion due to extreme circumstances, I understand that I should not ask for permission as that further disrupts the class.  I understand that two lates/incomplete class sessions are equivalent to an absence and will be counted as such.  I also understand that I may not have cell phones or beepers turned on during class – under no circumstances.   I understand that if my cell phone rings during an exam, I will receive a zero for that exam.  I understand that if I take my cell phone out during an exam and fiddle with it, I will receive a zero for that exam.   

6.      I understand that all absences affect my performance and my grade both directly and indirectly.  I understand that if I accumulate ten absences before April 23, 2007, I will receive an F for the course. 

7.      I understand that parking difficulties, work schedules, my finances, my job, and my Hope Scholarship are my own personal business and that I should therefore not invoke them in professional discussions with my professor about the course and or my performance in the course. I understand that my grade must be based on what I do and how well I do it in this course and cannot be altered on the basis of personal circumstances.  I understand that if I do, however, encounter extreme personal circumstances, I can attempt to get a hardship withdrawal from all my courses through the Dean’s office. 

8.      I understand that I may not submit papers / assignments submitted for credit in other courses for credit in this course.  All work must be specific to this course.

9.      I have read and understood the syllabus and how I will be evaluated in this course.  

10.  I have read and understood this contract or have asked questions about those aspects that I did not understand.  I hereby declare my commitment to following these guidelines and agree to contact my professor if I believe I can no longer fulfill this commitment.

______________________________                                                __________________________________

Date                                                                                                     Signature

Contract (for your personal records):

1.      I will prepare for and participate in class in a manner that is productive for both myself and my classmates.  I will try to speak German at all times and understand that if I disrupt class in any way (talking English in group activities, demonstratively displaying bad moods, refusal to cooperate and participate, fiddling with cell phone, arriving late on a regular basis), I may be considered absent. 

2.      I understand that all the work I submit must be my own.  I will not use an on-line translation service nor friends and family to correct any of my work in advance.  I understand that such actions constitute academic dishonesty and will result in a failing grade and/or further disciplinary actions.  

3.      I understand that attendance is important and that I am responsible for everything I miss when I skip class.  I know that quizzes and homework assignments cannot be made up.  I understand that if I will miss or have missed an exam, I must contact my professor as soon as possible to negotiate a make-up.  If I have not contacted the professor before she returns the graded exams, I have relinquished the possibility of a make-up.

4.      I understand that written homework will be collected on a regular basis during the semester and that 2 will be dropped.

5.      I understand that coming to class late and/or leaving class at any point during the 50 minute period affects my participation grade.  I understand that if I come late and/or leave during class on a regular basis, I may be dropped from the class because it infringes on the rights of other students to learn in an undisrupted environment.  If I must leave on occasion due to extreme circumstances, I understand that I should not ask for permission as that further disrupts the class.  I understand that two lates/incomplete class sessions are equivalent to an absence and will be counted as such.  I also understand that I may not have cell phones or beepers turned on during class – under no circumstances.   I understand that if my cell phone rings during an exam, I will receive a zero for that exam.  I understand that if I take my cell phone out during an exam and fiddle with it, I will receive a zero for that exam.   

6.      I understand that all absences affect my performance and my grade both directly and indirectly.  I understand that if I accumulate ten absences before April 23, 2007, I will receive an F for the course. 

7.      I understand that parking difficulties, work schedules, my finances, my job, and my Hope Scholarship are my own personal business and that I should therefore not invoke them in professional discussions with my professor about the course and or my performance in the course. I understand that my grade must be based on what I do and how well I do it in this course and cannot be altered on the basis of personal circumstances.  I understand that if I do, however, encounter extreme personal circumstances, I can attempt to get a hardship withdrawal from all my courses through the Dean’s office. 

8.      I understand that I may not submit papers / assignments submitted for credit in other courses for credit in this course.  All work must be specific to this course.

9.      I have read and understood the syllabus and how I will be evaluated in this course.  

10.  I have read and understood this contract or have asked questions about those aspects that I did not understand.  I hereby declare my commitment to following these guidelines and agree to contact my professor if I believe I can no longer fulfill this commitment.

______________________________                                                __________________________________

Date                                                                                                     Print Name

                                                                                                            __________________________________

                                                                                                            Signature

[2][1] These outcomes are in line with the National Standards for Foreign Language Learning, particularly N.S. 1.1, 1.2, 1.3, 2.2, 3.2 and 4.1.