I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Beginning German I

2. Course Prefix & Number:
GERM 1401

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 4

Lecture Hours: 4

4. Course Description:

This course is an introduction to the German language, contemporary life, and culture. No previous foreign language study is required. All courses are sequential.

5. Placement Tests Required:

Accuplacer (specify test):

Reading College Level CLC or Reading College Level

Score:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

There are no prerequisites for this course.

8. Prerequisite (Entry) Skills:
This course is not appropriate for those who have already completed one or more years of German at the High School level or one or more semesters of German at the university level (or the equivalent) in the past 1-2 years.

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:

Normandale Community College - German 1100-Beginning German 1, 4 credits

Anoka Ramsey Community College - German 1101-Beginning German Language and Culture I, 5 credits

3. Prior Learning - the following prior learning methods are acceptable for this course:

• Advanced Placement (AP)
• Specialty Schools
• CLEP
• Oral
• Demonstration

III. Course Purpose

2. MN Transfer Curriculum (General Education) Courses - This course fulfills the following goal area(s) of the MN Transfer Curriculum:
Goal 8 – Global Perspective

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Demonstrate oral communication skills	Communicate in the target language demonstrating awareness of protocol.
Demonstrate reading and listening skills	Read and discuss level-appropriate, authentic materials, and understand the spoken language according to the student's level of proficiency.
Demonstrate interpersonal communication skills	Participate in paired and group activities to practice self-expression on personal, cultural and current topics within limits of linguistic ability.

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Present basic information about themselves and other familiar topics using language they have practiced, phrases and simple sentences. Familiar topics include family and friends, likes and dislikes or free-time activities, daily schedules, what people do on the weekend, etc.;
• Demonstrate an understanding of familiar words, phrases, and sentences within short and simple texts related to everyday life, such as school schedules, magazine ads, simple text messages, short informal e-mails and letters, etc.;
• Demonstrate an understanding of spoken words, phrases, and simple sentences related to everyday life, such as greetings, introductions, dates, common weather expressions, food items, etc.;
• Demonstrate an understanding of simple questions or statements on familiar topics, such as how old they are, where they live, what they do in their free times, who is in their family, etc.;
• Demonstrate an understanding of classroom directions with gestures and repetition; 
• Write short paragraphs on familiar topics;
• Compare and contrast cultural behaviors in everyday situations (MnTC Goal 8);
• Demonstrate an increased understanding of history, political science, art, and music of the target culture through the target language(MnTC Goal 8); and
• Use the language beyond the classroom setting in order to acquire skills to enhance lifelong learning and to participate in the global community (MnTC Goal 8).

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions

1. Listening
• Simple dialogues and
• Classroom instructions
• Small and large group exchanges
2. Speaking
• Discussion of self and own life
• Discussion of other basic cultural and contemporary issues
3. Reading
• Analysis of the content of basic written materials
• Cultural information
• Menus
• Schedules
• Advertisements
4. Writing
• Short compositions
• Letters
• Postcards
• Journal entries
• Notes
• Messages and
• Short descriptions
5. Grammatical topics
• Forms of address (Sie, du, ihr)
• Noun genders (der, die, das, die pl.)
• Definite and indefinite articles
• Plurals
• Verb tense and conjugation (present tense, future)
• Word order and position of the verb in statements
• Questions and dependent clauses
• Nominative and accusative cases
• Adjective endings in the nominative and accusative cases
• Negation
• Modal verbs and imperatives
• Separable prefix verbs
• Accusative prepositions
• Comparatives and superlatives (including adjectives)
• Regular and irregular verbs
• Personal pronouns (nominative and accusative)
• Simple past of haben, sein and modal verbs; der- and ein-words
• Verbs with stem-changes in the present tense
• Position of nicht in statements and questions
6. Vocabulary topics
• Greetings and expressions of courtesy
• The alphabet and cardinal numbers
• Classroom vocabulary
• Academic subjects
• Family and friendship vocabulary
• Adjectives (physical, personality and emotion description)
• Expressing likes, dislikes and preferences
• Clothing
• Colors
• Time expressions
• Months
• Days
• Dates
• Seasons and weather
• Free time activities
• Making requests and giving advice
• Comparing qualities and characteristics
• Talking about whom and what you know
• Events in the past
7. Culture. Students acquire cultural information for the purpose of understanding and appreciating the products, practices, and perspectives of other cultures. Topics include:
• Social implications of du, ihr and Sie
• Landscapes and climates in the German-speaking countries
• University life
• Why German and English are similar
• The Anglos and the Saxons
• The cuckoo clock
• Liechtenstein
• Ethnic diversity in Germany
• English words in German
• Austria
• Family life in the German-speaking countries
• Switzerland
• Railways in the German-speaking countries
• Soccer
• Munich
• Vacationing on a shoestring
• Paid vacations in North America and Europe
• South Tyrol