SFT11809 German Literature, Culture and Oral Communication (Spring 2011)

The course is connected to the following study programs

Mandatory course in the one-year German programme.
May be taken as part of the optional 60 ECTS module in the bachelor programme Society, Language and Culture.

Prerequisites

The course builds on SFT11608 German Literature and Culture.

Lecture Semester

Spring 2011

The student's learning outcomes after completing the course

At completion of the course

Knowledge

Literature: The students will have acquired knowledge about central literary tendencies and writers from the German-speaking countries in the period 1800-1945, as well as important literary epochs and various methodological approaches to literary analysis and interpretation.

Culture: The students will have knowledge about some main characteristics in history, social life and culture in the mentioned time span. The course comprises the entire German-speaking area.

Oral communication: The students will have knowledge about giving brief presentations in German with a view to future work tasks. The content of the presentations is to be related to the required reading in literature and culture. The students will also be familiar with presentation techniques and use of ICT.

Skills

Literature: The students will have enhanced their skills in analysing, interpreting and presenting literary texts using literary terminology and relating them to a culture-historical perspective. They have enhanced their communicative and intercultural skills both orally and in writing.

Culture: The students will have improved their ability to account for a topic from a historical perspective.

Oral communication: The students have improved their skills in presenting a topic both in writing and orally.

General competence

The students have acquired knowledge about historical approaches to literature and have an enhanced ability to read, discuss and analyse literary texts using different methodological approaches.

Content

The course comprises literature as well as culture. Main emphasis is on the time span 1800 to 1945.

Literature: Literature from ca. 1800 to 1945, including child and youth literature

Culture: Literature and culture are coordinated. The period dealt with is 1800 to 1945. Additionally, social studies are part of the course comprising geographical aspects, the political system, economic and social structures, and the educational system.

Oral communication: The point of departure is the course reading in literature and culture. Students present relevant topics in seminars.

Forms of teaching and learning

The course is taught as lectures, seminars and practices. Course material and other relevant information are distributed digitally. Active student learning is in focus and library as well as ICT resources are used.

Coursework requirements - conditions for taking the exam

Literature: Two individual papers of 1-2 pages (1 ½ spacing) including references and correct use of notes.

The coursework requirements must be fulfilled before signing up for the examination.

Examination

Individual written home exam (50%) and an oral examination (50%)

Part 1, literature: Individual written home exam

An individual written home assignment of 5-6 pages (text document with 1 ½ spacing) including references and correct notes. More information about the home exam will be given in class. Assessment is based on the candidates’ textual comprehension, independence, level of knowledge, and ability to formulate. The candidates may be summoned for a talk about the assignment. The conversation, lasting approx. 30 minutes, may adjust the written result by one step up or down on the grading scale.

Part 2, culture, literature and oral communication: Individual oral examination

An oral test of 25-30 minutes. The test has two parts: a presentation and an examination. First, the candidate gives a presentation of about 10 minutes. The topic is the candidate’s own choice in agreement with the course instructor. The candidate’s ability to present a topic in an independent way is tested through this oral presentation, and the assessment further emphasises content, presentation technique and linguistic correctness.

After the presentation the candidate is examined for 15-20 minutes about the culture and literature syllabus.

The final mark is given on the A-F grading scale, with each part of the exam counting 50%. Both parts have to be passed. If one of the parts is assessed as failed, or a candidate wishes to improve her/his result, only the actual part of the exam will have to be retaken.

Literature

• Brecht, Bertolt: Fragen eines lesenden Arbeiters (K).
• Brentano, Clemens: Wiegenlied (K), Abendständchen (K).
• Droste-Hülshoff, Annette von: Am Turme (K).
• Eichendorff, Joseph von: Mondnacht (K), Sehnsucht (K), Der frohe Wandersmann (K).
• Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von: Der Prokurator (in: Unterhaltungen deutscher Ausgewanderter, Reclam UB 6558).
• Grimm, Jacob & Wilhelm: Dornröschen (K), Schneewittchen (K).
• Hauptmann, Gerhard: Bahnwärter Thiel (Reclam UB Nr. 6617).
• Heine, Heinrich: Die schlesischen Weber (K), Loreley (K).
• Hoffmann, Heinrich: Der Struwwelpeter (Reclam UB Nr 18569).
• Busch, Wilhelm: Max und Moritz (Reclam UB 18218)
• Kästner, Erich: Drei Männer im Schnee. Eine Erzählung (dtv Belletristik 11008).
• Kafka, Franz: Der Proceß (Reclam, UB 9676).
• Lasker-Schüler, Else: Mein blaues Klavier (K).
• Vestli, Elin Nesje/Langemeyer, Peter: Deutschsprachige Literatur und Literaturgeschichte von Johann Wolfgang von Goethe bis Else Lasker-Schüler (compendium, local print, or digital).

The shorter texts (K) are printed in a text collection that can be bought with the compendium.

• Müller, Helmut M: Deutsche Geschichte in Schlaglichtern. Leipzig 2004 (only parts of the book is required reading)
• Schmid, Gerhard Friedrich: Kleine Deutschlandkunde. Ein erdkundlicher Überblick. Stuttgart 1996 or later ed.
• Vestli, Elin Nesje/Langemeyer, Peter: Deutschsprachige Literatur und Literaturgeschichte von Johann Wolfgang von Goethe bis Else Lasker-Schüler (digital, or local print)

A digital compendium is compiled by the students during the course and is placed on the learning platform. Other documents are also made available on Fronter.