SFT11019 Oral German and German Phonetics (Autumn 2020)

The course is connected to the following study programs

• Mandatory course in German One-Year Programme
• May be taken in the optional 60 ECTS part of the Bachelor's Programme in Society, Language and Culture (this applies for students who started 2018 or earlier).
• Optional course in Bachelor's Programme in International Communication

Lecture Semester

• One-Year Programme in German: 1st semester (autumn)
• Bachelor in Society, Language, and Culture: 5th semester (autumn)
• Bachelor in International Communication: 5th semester (autumn)

The student's learning outcomes after completing the course

Knowledge

The student

• has basic knowledge of German phonetics (standard pronunciation) compared to Norwegian
• knows how to use digital tools to train oral proficiency, individually as well as in interaction with other learners, and how such tools can be used to maintain and further develop oral proficiency after the study period. 
• is acquainted with central features of German oral usage and how to use oral communication strategies depending on the situation.

Skills

The student

• has good active oral skills and are able to adapt them to selected communication contexts and needs and communicate with fairly genuine pronunciation and intonation.
• understands oral German in various media.

General competence

The student

• knows phonetic terminology and is able to teach the knowledge he/she has acquired
• knows how to use digital tools in various communicative contexts.

Content

Phonetics: This comprises an articulatory description of the individual German standard phonetic sounds and phenomena that are problematic for Norwegian users of German.

German oral proficiency is trained through interaction, text production and presentation, and text comprehension. Pronunciation, morphology, syntax and vocabulary are in focus and are studied in relation to different situations and genres.

Forms of teaching and learning

Teaching is given on the Canvas website.. Here practices and assignments are submitted. Students are expected to take an active part in discussions and other webbased activities related to phonetics and oral proficiency. Oral proficiency is trained through exercises using digital, mostly Internet-based tools. 

Workload

Approx. 280 hours

Examination

Exam part 1 (Phonetics): Individual home examination (50%). Duration: one week. Phonetic terminology, use of rules, contrastivity Norwegian-German and transcription are tested.  

Exam part 2: Portfolio assessment, individual (50%) Two assignments are submitted during the autumn semester, documenting the students' activities as mentioned under 'Course outline'. Both assignments have to be submitted in the same semester.

Both exam parts is assessed on the A-F scale.

Both exam parts must be passed to be given a grade (A-F). One final grade is given.

In the case of a complaint on exam part 2, both assignments will be reassessed.

Examiners

One external and one internal examiner or two internal examiners.

Conditions for resit/rescheduled exams

If the candidate does not pass or want to improve one part of the exam, he/she can retake the part he/she has failed.

Course evaluation

Feedback from our students is vital in order for us to be able to offer the best possible courses and study programmes. The course is evaluated every semester.

The results are considered by/in teacher groups, the head of studies and the local programme committee.

Literature

LUNDEMO, Frode: Deutsche Phonetik (available online)

Exercises made available during the semester

One German-language film (e.g. on DVD)