SFT11809 German Literature, Culture and Oral Communication (Spring 2018)

The course is connected to the following study programs

Mandatory course in German One-Year Programme.

Included in the 60 ECTS module that can be part of the Bachelor's Programme in Society, Language, and Culture.

Prerequisites

The course builds on the course SFT11608 German Literature and Culture

Lecture Semester

German One-Year Programme: 2^nd semester (spring)

Bachelor in Society, Language, and Culture: 2^nd, 4^th or 6^th semester (spring)

The student's learning outcomes after completing the course

Knowledge

Literature:

The student

• is acquainted with central literary tendencies and authors from the German area in the period 1815 to 1945, and they know about important literary epochs and different methodological approaches to literary analysis and interpretation.

Culture:

The student

• knows some main features of the history, social life and culture in this period.

Oral communication:

The student

• knows how to prepare and give short presentations in German and how to converse about history, social life and culture. 
• is familiar with the use of ICT for presentations and teaching.

Skills

Literature:

The student has

• enhanced skills in analysing, interpreting and teaching literary texts using the terminology of literary science and reading the texts from a culture-historical perspective.
• improved his/her linguistic and intercultural skills in order to achieve good communicative competence in writing as well as orally.

Culture:

The student 

• has improved his/her skills in presenting and explaining a topic from a historical
  perspective.

Oral communication:

The student

• has enhanced skills in presenting and talking about a topic from the syllabus.

General competence

The student has

• acquired knowledge of historical approaches to literature
• further developed his/her ability to read, discuss and analyse literary texts by using various methodological approaches.

Content

The course comprises both literature and culture. The main emphasis is on the period from 1815 to 1945.

Literature:

The course introduces German literature written between approx. 1815 and 1945, including literature for children and adolescents.

Culture:

Literature and culture are coordinated, focusing on the period between 1815 and 1945. Topics from social sciences are also included, such as geography, political systems, economic and social structures, and education.

Oral communication:

With the reading in literature and culture as a basis the students are asked to present and discuss relevant topics in their group.

Forms of teaching and learning

Instruction is given in seminars and as webbased teaching. All course material is distributed digitally. Student-active learning is in focus, and both library and ICT resources are utilised.

Workload

Approx. 280 hours.

Coursework requirements - conditions for taking the exam

There are mandatory requirements related to the literature part:

Two individual assignments, not very extensive (approx. 1-2 pages of text) have to be submitted before being allowed to take the exam. The assignments are to be text documents (with 1 ½ line spacing) containing correct use of references and notes.

Examination

Individual written home assignment (counting 50%) and oral examination (counting 50%)

Part 1:

Individual written home assignment, literature:

An individually written home assignment, fairly extensive (5-6 pages of text). The assignment is to be in the form of a text document with 1 ½ line spacing, and with correct use of references and notes. The course instructor gives detailed information about the assignment. Assessment takes into account text comprehension, level of independence, level of knowledge, and ability to formulate.

Part 2:

Oral examination (culture, literature and oral communication)

The oral exam lasts 25-30 minutes and consists of two parts: a presentation and an examination. The candidates first give a presentation of approx. 10 minutes on a self-chosen topic (approved by the instructor). The topic must be related to the period the course deals with. The candidates' ability to present a topic in an independent manner is tested. Other assessment criteria are content, presentation technique and correct language use. After the presentation the candidates are examined in their course reading of culture and literature (approx. 15-20 minutes).

As a rule the oral examination is performed webbased via the learning platform. It is also possible to have the oral examination on campus.

Each of the parts (the written part and the oral part) counts 50 percent towards the final mark. Both parts must be passed. The grading scale A-F is used.

If candidates do not pass one of the partial exams, or if they wish to improve the result of a partial exam, only that exam has to be retaken.

Course evaluation

The course is evaluated by the students twice per semester.
The result of the evaluation is processed by the faculty committee for study quality.

Literature

The reading list was updated 12 May 2017.

If changes to the reading list are made, the course description will be updated before the beginning of the semester.

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: Der Prokurator (from 'Unterhaltungen deutscher Ausgewanderter'; Reclam UB Nr. 6558).

GRIMM, Jacob und Wilhelm: Dornröschen (K), Schneewittchen (K).

HAUPTMANN, Gerhart: 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).

TOLLER, ERNST: Eine Jugend in Deutschland (Reclam UB Nr. 18688).

KAFKA, Franz: Der Prozeß  (Reclam, UB Nr. 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 (to be accessed digitally or bought at the university college bookshop).

The short texts (K) are collected in a text collection that can be had together with the compendium.

Culture:

LeMO: Lebendiges Museum Online (Deutsches Historisches Museum, Berlin, Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn): http://www.dhm.de/lemo/home.html