German
?Those who know nothing of foreign languages know nothing of their own.?
?Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
At Kendrick the importance of learning foreign languages is acknowledged and respected by all, including not only the challenges involved but also the benefits of these subjects. Students recognise from an early stage how learning German and the skills involved can be transferred to other areas of the curriculum and how valuable this is, from grasping the cases in Latin to understanding the origins of a high percentage of English words. Furthermore, with German as the most widely spoken language in Europe and Germany as the economic powerhouse of Europe and the third strongest economy worldwide, there are clear incentives for students to choose this subject.
German is taught in all Key Stages. From Years 7 to 9 it is compulsory, and it is an option at Key Stages 4 and 5. It is a popular choice and uptake is high in every year group throughout the school. We lay great emphasis on maximizing exposure to the target language at all levels and teach predominantly in German and use authentic resources in our lessons. Topic areas are explored in a cyclical way and are accessible to all at an appropriate level.
German lessons are fun, interactive and lively. Students are encouraged to join in from day one, so that they recognise for themselves how quickly they can learn to speak and understand how German sounds and works, by simply ‘having a go’. All four language skills are practised each lesson to enable students to develop their expertise in each area.
We place great emphasis on trips to Germany to both develop speaking skills and also extend cultural and historical knowledge. In Year 10 the entire cohort goes on a six-day trip to the country of the language that they have chosen for GCSE. This is on a homestay basis. There is also a great opportunity for Sixth Formers to go on a week’s work experience in Germany with Halsbury.
What is studied at KS3?
In Year 7, two forms will learn German and the other two forms will study French. During this first year, great emphasis is placed on how to learn a language, essential skills in language acquisition and familiarisation with key terminology, which proves very effective in future MFL lessons in Year 8 and beyond.
We take a lexicogrammar approach and work with EPI (Extensive Processing Instruction) methodology.
In Year 7 our areas of focus are:
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Term 1 |
Term 2 |
Term 3 |
Term 4 |
Term 5 |
Term 6 |
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Personal information
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Family and Pets |
School |
Hobbies |
House and Home |
Food and Drink |
In Year 8 the topics that we look are:
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Term 1 |
Term 2 |
Term 3 |
Term 4 |
Term 5 |
Term 6 |
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My Town and Region
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Fashion |
Holidays |
Appearances and Festivals |
Health and Fitness |
Revision and Film Study |
In Year 9 we learn about the following topics:
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Term 1 |
Term 2 |
Term 3 |
Term 4 |
Term 5 |
Term 6 |
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Media and Technology
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Unusual Hobbies |
Holidays |
Education and Work |
Environment |
Activity Week and Revision |
Those taking German as a second modern foreign language in Year 8 have a slightly different programme. For the first year they will follow a similar programme to Year 7 and then in the second year, they will follow a condensed, accelerated form of the Year 8 and 9 topics. On account of the emphasis in Year 7 on the skills required for acquisition of a foreign language, this works very well and students reach a very good standard in their mastery of the second language by the end of Year 9.
What is studied at KS4?
At Kendrick we follow the AQA specification. For further information please follow the link below:
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/gcse/german-8668
The AQA books provide a basis for our lessons .
In conjunction with this course we use our own materials and subscribe to the online Kerboodle resources.
Our schedules to explore key topics for Years 10 and 11 look as follows:
Year 10
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Term 1 |
Term 2 |
Term 3 |
Term 4 |
Term 5 |
Term 6 |
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Relationships with Family and Friends
Where I Live
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School and Teachers
Music, TV and Cinema |
Eating Out
Healthy Living |
School Day and Pressures at School
Festivals and German Traditions |
Holidays and Tourism
Revision and Exams |
Education- Post 16
Families and Marriage |
Year 11
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Term 1 |
Term 2 |
Term 3 |
Term 4 |
Term 5 |
Term 6 |
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Environment: What do you do to help?
Career Choices and Ambitions |
Technology in Everyday Life |
Mocks
Poverty and Homelessness
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Charity and Voluntary Work
Revision and Exam Technique |
Revision and Preparation for Orals and Final Papers |
GCSE examinations |
Assessments
GCSE German has a Foundation Tier (grades 1–5) and a Higher Tier (grades 4–9). Students must take all four question papers at the same tier. All question papers must be taken in the same series.
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Paper 1: Listening |
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What's assessed: Understanding and responding to different types of spoken language |
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How it's assessed: • Written exam: 35 minutes (Foundation Tier), 45 minutes (Higher Tier) • 40 marks (Foundation Tier), 50 marks (Higher Tier) • 25% of GCSE (Each exam includes 5 minutes’ reading time of the question paper before the listening stimulus is played.) |
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Questions Foundation Tier and Higher Tier • Section A – questions in English, to be answered in English or non-verbally • Section B – questions in German, to be answered in German or non-verbally |
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Paper 2: Speaking |
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What's assessed: Communicating and interacting effectively in speech for a variety of purposes |
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How it's assessed • Non-exam assessment • 7–9 minutes (Foundation Tier) + preparation time • 10–12 minutes (Higher Tier) + preparation time • 60 marks (for each of Foundation Tier and Higher Tier) • 25% of GCSE |
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Questions Foundation Tier and Higher Tier The format is the same at Foundation Tier and Higher Tier, but with different stimulus questions for the Photo card and different stimulus materials for the Role-play. The timings are different too: • Role-play – 15 marks (2 minutes at Foundation Tier; 2 minutes at Higher Tier) • Photo card – 15 marks (2 minutes at Foundation Tier; 3 minutes at Higher Tier) • General conversation – 30 marks (3–5 minutes at Foundation Tier; 5–7 minutes at Higher Tier) |
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Paper 3: Reading |
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What's assessed: Understanding and responding to different types of written language |
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How it's assessed: • Written exam: 45 minutes (Foundation Tier), 1 hour (Higher Tier) • 60 marks (for each of Foundation Tier and Higher Tier) • 25% of GCSE |
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Questions Foundation Tier and Higher Tier • Section A – questions in English, to be answered in English or non-verbally • Section B – questions in German, to be answered in German or non-verbally • Section C – translation from German into English (a minimum of 35 words at Foundation Tier and 50 words at Higher Tier) |
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Paper 4: Writing |
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What's assessed: Communicating effectively in writing for a variety of purposes |
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How it's assessed: • Written exam: 1 hour (Foundation Tier), 1 hour 15 minutes (Higher Tier) • 50 marks at Foundation Tier and 60 marks at Higher Tier • 25% of GCSE |
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Questions Foundation Tier • Question 1 – message (student produces four sentences in response to a photo) – 8 marks • Question 2 – short passage (student writes a piece of continuous text in response to four brief bullet points, approximately 40 words in total) – 16 marks • Question 3 – translation from English into German (minimum 35 words) – 10 marks • Question 4 – structured writing task (student responds to four compulsory detailed bullet points, producing approximately 90 words in total) – there is a choice from two questions – 16 marks Higher Tier • Question 1 – structured writing task (student responds to four compulsory detailed bullet points, producing approximately 90 words in total) – there is a choice from two questions – 16 marks • Question 2 – open-ended writing task (student responds to two compulsory detailed bullet points, producing approximately 150 words in total) – there is a choice from two questions – 32 marks • Question 3 – translation from English into German (minimum 50 words) – 12 marks |
What is studied at KS5?
At Kendrick we follow the AQA specification. For further information please follow the link below:
http://www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/languages/as-and-a-level/german-7661
The AQA books provide a basis for our teaching.
In conjunction with this course we use our own materials and subscribe to the online Kerboodle resources.
Our schedules for Years 12 and 13 look as follows:
Year 12
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Teacher 1 |
Teacher 2 |
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Familie im Wandel
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Die digitale Welt |
Jugendkultur: Mode, Musik und Fernsehen |
Feste und Traditionen |
Kunst und Architektur |
Das Berliner Kulturleben – damals und heute |
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Film: ‘Das Leben der Anderen’ |
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Year 13
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Teacher 1 |
Teacher 2 |
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Einwanderung
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Integration |
Rassismus |
Die EU und Deutschland |
Die Politik und die Jugend |
Die Wiedervereinigung und ihre Folgen |
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Film: ‘Das Leben der Anderen’ (Revision) |
Play: ‘Der Besuch der alten Dame’ |
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Assessments (A Level)
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Paper 1: Listening, reading and writing |
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What's assessed: • Aspects of German-speaking society • Artistic culture in the German-speaking world • Multiculturalism in German-speaking society • Aspects of political life in German-speaking society • Grammar |
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How it's assessed: • Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes • 100 marks • 50 % of A-level |
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Questions • Listening and responding to spoken passages from a range of contexts and sources covering different registers and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail. Studio recordings will be used and students will have individual control of the recording. All questions are in German, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in German (30 marks) • Reading and responding to a variety of texts written for different purposes, drawn from a range of authentic sources and adapted as necessary. Material will include complex factual and abstract content and questions will target main points, gist and detail. All questions are in German, to be answered with non-verbal responses or in German (50 marks) • Translation into English; a passage of minimum 100 words (10 marks). • Translation into German; a passage of minimum 100 words (10 marks). No access to a dictionary during the assessment. |
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Paper 2: Writing |
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What's assessed: • One text and one film or two texts from the list set in the specification • Grammar |
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How it's assessed • Written exam: 2 hours • 80 marks in total • 20 % of A-level |
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Questions • Either one question in German on a set text from a choice of two questions and one question in German on a set film from a choice of two questions or two questions in German on set texts from a choice of two questions on each text. • All questions will require a critical appreciation of the concepts and issues covered in the work and a critical and analytical response to features such as the form and the technique of presentation, as appropriate to the work studied (eg the effect of narrative voice in a prose text or camera work in a film). No access to texts or films during the assessment. No access to a dictionary during the assessment. Students are advised to write approximately 300 words per essay. |
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Paper 3: Speaking |
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What's assessed: • Individual research project • One of four sub-themes ie Aspects of German-speaking society or Artistic culture in the German-speaking world or Multiculturalism in German-speaking society or Aspects of political life in German speaking society |
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How it's assessed: • Oral exam: 21 – 23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation time) • 60 marks in total • 30 % of A-level |
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Questions • Discussion of a sub-theme with the discussion based on a stimulus card (5 – 6 minutes). The student studies the card for 5 minutes at the start of the test (25 marks). • Presentation (2 minutes) and discussion (9 – 10 minutes) of individual research project (35 marks). No access to a dictionary during the assessment (including 5 minutes preparation). Students may take the assessment only once before certification. Assessments will be conducted by either the centre or a visiting examiner and marked by an AQA examiner. |
Staff
Frau Wiebke Mueller - Subject Leader
Frau Birte Hellwig
Herr Paul Scales