Course Syllabus

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Overview

This course will give an introduction of vocabulary, language structures, and cultural topics with an emphasis on the language skills of listening, speaking, reading, and writing of the German language.

Requirements

Prerequisites

No prerequisites

Required Resources

This course uses an open educational resource as the base for its content and practice activities. It is not necessary for you to purchase any textbooks. Every page that utilizes this resource is indicated as doing so at the bottom in a license statement. In the event you cannot access the built-in resources in this course, you may wish to access the content on the original publisher's page: Deutsch im Blick.

You will be required to record audio of yourself speaking in German for several activities and assessments in this course. Ensure that you have the proper hardware to do so, including a webcam and microphone.

Structure

Course Outcomes (CO)

  1. Speak at a Novice Mid level in the presentational and interpersonal modes for course topics.
  2. Demonstrate comprehension of Novice Mid level audio input for the course topics.
  3. Demonstrate comprehension of Novice Mid level texts for the course topics.
  4. Write short compositions at a Novice Mid level in the presentational and interpersonal modes for course topics.
  5. Interpret German culture in the context of the language.

Major Assignments

The table below is meant to help you see the relevance of each major assignment as it pertains to the course outcomes (CO).

Major Assignment Description CO#
W06 Midterm 1: Reading A timed test over an authentic German text or transcript. 3
W06 Midterm 1: Speaking A speaking test that requires students to submit recordings of themselves speaking German. 1
W06 Midterm 1: Listening A timed test over a German recording. 2
W06 Midterm 1: Writing A timed writing test completed in German. 4
W11 Midterm 2: Reading A timed test over an authentic German text or transcript. 3
W11 Midterm 2: Speaking A speaking test that requires students to submit recordings of themselves speaking German. 1
W11 Midterm 2: Listening A timed test over a German recording. 2
W11 Midterm 2: Writing A timed writing test completed in German. 4
W13 Final: Reading A timed test over an authentic German text or transcript. 3
W13 Final: Speaking A speaking test that requires students to submit recordings of themselves speaking German. 1
W13 Final: Listening A timed test over a German recording. 2
W13 Final: Writing A timed writing test completed in German. 4
W02-W14 Discussions Discussions on German culture. 5

Coursework Overview and Description

Study Activities

Vocabulary: These pages include lists of vocabulary you should study for the week's topics. This will give you a foundation for learning to communicate about those topics in German in all the other activities and assignments throughout the week.

Grammar: These pages include lists of grammar principles you should study for the week's topics. This will give you a foundation for learning to communicate about those topics in German in all the other activities and assignments throughout the week. Note that not every grammar principle found on the study page will have a grammar quiz associated with it.

Practice Activities

All activities and quizzes under the Practice Activities banner are open-book and open-note. They all have unlimited attempts. They are auto-graded without input from your instructor. They will have a weekly due date, but you can continue to take them without penalty until the end of Weeks 06, 11, and 13, respectively. For example, you may retake any practice activity from W01 with unlimited attempts until the end of W06, when you will complete a Midterm exam over the topics from Weeks 01–05. After this point, your grade for any Weeks 01–05 practice activities are locked.

You should complete these practice activities multiple times in order to both practice and ensure you receive the best grade possible on them. 

Practice: These activities focus on interpreting and communicating in German. Though they are formatted as quizzes, they are more like workbook pages. There will be 1–6 practice activities each week. 

Grammar Quizzes: These quizzes focus on demonstrating your understanding and mastery of individual grammar principles.

Assignments

Language Lab Sessions:

You are required to attend two 40-minute language lab sessions each week. These sessions are conducted by an instructor or TA and will focus on practicing communicating in German. If you attend your sessions without putting concerted effort into studying the weekly vocabulary and grammar, you will struggle.

In order to accommodate students' busy schedules, the instructor will provide several different sessions for you to choose from; however, once you have signed up for a session, we ask that you attempt to attend the same day and time every week to help build relationships and connections.
Cultural Discussions: These discussions will introduce you to topics regarding Germany's culture. Your initial post will be submitted by the midweek due date, and you should respond to your classmates by the end of the week.
Vocabulary Quizzes: These quizzes occur in every week except Weeks 01, 06, 11, 13, and 14.
Assignments: Every week where you do not have an exam will include two assignments. They will always be paired as reading and listening, or writing and speaking. You will only have one attempt to complete these assignments. All assignments are closed book.
Midterm Exams: These exams follow a similar format to your weekly assignments, except you will complete one for reading, listening, writing, and speaking all in one week. All midterm exams are closed book.

Weekly Patterns

The table below displays typical weekly activities, due dates, and activity descriptions.

Due Date* Learning Model Activity Title Description
Midweek Prepare Study: Vocabulary These weekly pages give you a list of vocabulary to study for the week.
Midweek Prepare Study: Grammar These weekly pages give you a list of grammar materials to study for the week.
Midweek Teach One Another Discussion These weekly discussions allow you to study aspects of German culture and how it affects the language.
End of Week Teach One Another Language Lab Students are required to attend two 40-minute language lab sessions per week via video conference.
End of Week Prove Vocabulary Quiz This quiz allows you to demonstrate your effort to learn the weekly vocabulary.
End of Week Ponder Practice These short quizzes allow you to test your understanding of the communication topics and goals you study each week.
End of Week Ponder Grammar These short quizzes allow you to test your understanding of the grammar principles you study each week.
End of Week Prove Reading or Listening Assignment This assignment is the culminating activity for each week where you will prove your understanding and mastery level of the weekly topics.
End of Week Prove Writing or Speaking Assignment This assignment is the culminating activity for each week where you will prove your understanding and mastery level of the weekly topics.

*Set your time zone within user preferences so the dates and times for course activities will display correctly for your time zone.

Learning Model

This course employs all stages of the BYU-Idaho Learning Model. Students prepare by studying vocabulary and grammar principles. They teach one another in the weekly cultural discussions and instructor-led language lab sessions. They ponder by completing the practice activities and grammar quizzes. They prove their acquired language proficiency by completing listening and speaking or reading and writing assignments each week.

Expectations

Workload

This is a four-credit-hour class with a commensurate weekly workload. Each week, you should expect the following time ranges for each type of activity:

Study Activities 1–3 hours
Practice Activities 5–8 hours
Discussions 1–2 hours
Lab Session Attendance 1–2 hours
Assignments and Vocabulary Quizzes 2–3 hours

Group Work

This course does not require assigned group work.

Late Work

As a sign of professionalism and respect, you should complete your work on time. However, your instructor has the discretion to accept late work or extend due dates as appropriate.

Retries

There are no retries or make-up points available for discussions, vocabulary quizzes, lab sessions, assignments, or exams. Please note that practice activities and grammar quizzes can be taken unlimited times without penalty until the end of the midterm exams with which they are associated.

Extra Credit

This course allows for 1% extra credit in the class for completing course and instructor surveys in Weeks 05, 11, and 13.

Grading Scale

Letter Grade Percent
A 100% – 93%
A- 92% – 90%
B+ 89% – 87%
B 86% – 83%
B- 82% – 80%
C+ 79% – 77%
C 76% – 73%
C- 72% – 70%
D+ 69% – 67%
D 66% – 63%
D- 62% – 60%
F 59% and lower

University Policies

Students with Disabilities

BYU-Idaho is committed to providing a working and learning atmosphere that reasonably accommodates qualified persons with disabilities. Reasonable academic accommodations are reviewed for all students who have qualified documented disabilities. Services are coordinated with the student and instructor by BYU-Idaho Accessibility Services. If you need assistance or feel you have been unlawfully discriminated against on the basis of disability, you may seek resolution through established policy and procedures.

If you have any disability that may impair your ability to complete this course successfully, please contact Accessibility Services as soon as possible, preferably before the beginning of the semester, in order to insure that you receive appropriate accommodations.

Accessibility Services Contact Information:

Other University Policies

Go to the Student Resources module to review the university policies regarding honesty, online etiquette, communication expectations, and so on.

Course Summary:

Date Details Due