German II for Teacher Education Students

The overall aim of the course is for students to deepen their knowledge of German and German-language literature and culture while they prepare for their future professional role as language teacher. A further overall aim is that students develop independence in their studies and the ability to reflect on their learning.

Modules

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

• explain complex grammatical structures in German
• contrast key differences between Swedish and German syntax
• reflect on grammar-didactic aspects of the language learning process.

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

• outline the main features of the history of the German language
• reflect on and theorise about the development of the German language and its dialectal variation
• explain the representation and function of German-language literature in different historical periods
• explain the relationship between linguistic, literary, and societal development
• apply literary analysis methods and describe literary-historical genres and concepts.

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

• problematise the function of rhetoric in different contexts and media discourses
• use a nuanced vocabulary, adapted to various society-related topics
• critically reflect on how culture and identity can be defined
• analyse current issues in the German-speaking countries based on relevant and reliable sources
• critically reflect, drawing on personal experience, on socio-ethical issues such as trans- and interculturality.

On successful completion of the module, students will be able to:

• explain the main features of children’s and young adult literature in the German-speaking countries and its history
• apply scholarly concepts and use literary analysis methods
• reflect on the messages and current meaning of texts in relation to time and space
• reflect on how children’s and young adult literature can be used in language teaching at different educational levels and for different age groups.

This module aims to give students an introduction to language didactics. The module provides a theoretical basis and complements the content of the other modules in preparation for students’ future professional role as language teacher.
On completion of the module, students will be able to:

• discuss how the position of foreign languages in school and society has developed historically and is debated in the present day
• explain central language-learning theories and discuss their importance for language teaching
• describe the school’s governing documents with a particular focus on the syllabuses and subject curricula for modern languages
• in Swedish, discuss and reflect on language didactic issues relating to the selection of teaching materials and working methods in relation to the target group and the school’s governing documents.

The aim of this module is for students to consolidate and deepen their language didactic knowledge and skills, and to develop familiarity with language teaching in primary and secondary school. The module also aims to increased awareness of pupils’ general and specific requirements for language learning. A further aim is for students to develop their ability to relate their other language studies to a professional perspective as language teacher.
On completion of the module, students will be able to:

• discuss content and working methods for teaching with regard to the target group, the school’s governing documents and relevant research based on pupils’ need for knowledge and individual conditions for learning
• discuss and decide on central language learning theories based on relevant and current research as well as their own experiences of language teaching
• discuss and explain relevant assessments of pupils’ oral and written performances based on different theories of assessment and the school’s governing documents
• discuss culture in language teaching, use different sources and critically decide on different interpretations of the concept of culture and intercultural competence.

On completion of the module, students will be able to:

• reflect on pupils’ views on and experiences of their language learning, and discuss how language teaching should be designed to benefit pupils’ language development based on theories and research on foreign language learning
• discuss assessment in language teaching based on the school’s governing documents and theories on assessment
• explain the background to the school’s governing document with a focus on European cooperation and the Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR)
• discuss and reflect on the interplay between internal and external factors that are linked to the student, the teacher, and the concrete teaching situation, and how these can be addressed by choosing content and relevant working methods in language teaching
• analyse and critically review teaching materials for teaching German as a foreign language from a language didactic perspective and in relation to the school’s governing documents
• describe different forms of digital tools and discuss how they can be used in teaching to develop the subject’s content and teaching methods as well as pupils’ learning, and also practically apply these in their own learning.

On completion of the module, students will be able to:

• independently choose relevant content and working methods in the planning of language teaching in relation to pupils’ different needs and backgrounds and in relation to the school’s governing documents and relevant research
• describe the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and make relevant assessments of pupils’ language skills in relation to CEFR and to the school’s governing documents
• explain how digital tools can be used in language teaching, explain the importance of digital development for the content and working methods of language teaching, and apply digital tools in teaching based on relevant language didactic research
• explain central language didactic research areas and research methods
• formulate a relevant research question within a defined problem area that is connected to language teaching in primary and secondary schools, and develop a method to investigate the question
• prepare, lead and evaluate a discussion that is about selected content.

The course consists of four obligatory modules:
Module 1. Grammar and Grammar Didactics 4.5 credits
Module 2. The History of German Language and Literature, 6 credits
Module 3. Oral Language Proficiency and Cultural Studies, 6 credits
Module 4. Children’s and Young Adult Literature in German, 6 credits

Students then choose one of the four modules that focus on language learning and teaching:
Module 5. Language Learning and Teaching 1A, 6 credits
Module 6. Language Learning and Teaching 1B, 6 credits
Module 7. Language Learning and Teaching 2A, 6 credits
Module 8. Language Learning and Teaching 2B, 6 credits

The modules Language Learning and Teaching 1 and Language Learning and Teaching 2 can be taken in any order. They are normally offered once a year. Students who have already taken Language Learning and Teaching 1 take Language Learning and Teaching 2 and vice versa.

Students who are studying German as their first subject AND students who have studied a subject other than language as their first subject take module 5, Language Learning and Teaching 1A or module 7, Language Learning and Teaching 2A.
Students who have studied another language as their first subject take module 6, Language Learning and Teaching 1B or module 8, Language Learning and Teaching 2B.

Modules

This module comprises an in-depth study of German morphology and syntax, with a focus on contrastively significant differences between German and Swedish. The course also includes grammar-didactic components, with an emphasis on didactic strategies and tools aimed at making grammar relevant, comprehensible, and usable for learners.

This module focuses on the main features of language development from the Germanic languages to modern German, including its dialectal variations. Representative texts from each historical period are studied from a linguistic and cultural-historical perspective. A selection of literary works (poetry, prose, and drama) is read and analysed in relation to historical context, contemporary relevance, as well as literary representation and function.

In the segment Oral Language Proficiency, emphasis is placed on developing the students’ own linguistic competence, with a broad vocabulary and stylistic variation. This segment focuses on the function of rhetoric in different contexts, such as politics, advertising, and conversational culture.
In the segment Cultural Studies, the culture and social life of the German-speaking countries are discussed based on various media, such as podcasts, documentary films, graphic novels, and academic articles. Particular emphasis is placed on ensuring that diverse societal voices are represented. Personal experience serves as a point of departure for reflection and critical examination of concepts such as post-migration, identity, and ”Heimat”.
This module also raises awareness of and problematises issues of sustainable development.

This module examines both the historical development of children’s and young adult literature in German and a selection of texts from contemporary German-language children’s and young adult fiction. The module is based on a broad concept of literature, which also includes, for example, graphic novels, comics, and film adaptations. The works are analysed and contextualised in relation to various themes and are critically examined in light of current issues and topics such as gender perspectives, sustainability, diversity, everyday realism, (post-)migration, and how these themes are communicated to young readers. Students analyse the literature from both didactic and literary-studies perspectives.

This module constitutes an introduction to language didactics and to the central questions concerning the content and design of language teaching in relation to pupils’ different conditions for language learning and the school’s governing documents. The role and development of foreign languages in Swedish schools is treated in a historical retrospective. Central elements are a basic study of theories about language learning and discussions about language didactic issues. Through a study of current governing documents in the form of curricula and syllabuses for modern languages, the relationship between the theories and the content of the school subject is treated. In this way, the content of the other modules is linked to the future profession and the concrete teaching situation as well as to the demands placed on the language teacher at school.

This module involves an in-depth study of language didactic theories linked to various aspects of language learning and language teaching and a discussion of the relevance of these theories for language teaching. Students compare different theories on and models for language learning and gain insight into national and international research on multilingualism. Through practical exercises, students’ improve their scholarly approach and increase their ability to independently evaluate different theories. Students immerse themselves in the school’s governing documents and various theories about assessment and practices using different assessment models that are used in language teaching. Using practical exercises, students work on their ability to teach about cultural phenomena and to apply theoretical knowledge about the role of culture in language teaching.

This module contains studies of different aspects of language learning where discussion and reflection on didactic issues are central. Pupils’ linguistic awareness and how they perceive their situation as language learners is treated. The module invites reflection on and discussion about the awareness of students’ language learning and how this knowledge can be used in language teaching. Different aspects of assessment and grading in languages form another important feature of the module. The Common European Framwork of Reference (CEFR) is treated and put in relation to the Swedish school’s curricula for modern languages. The module also includes studies of how digital tools can be used in language teaching and also includes the review of other types of teaching materials. The content of the module connects with the other studies in the subject of German and to the students’ future professional role.

This module involves an in-depth study of language-didactic theories and research with a particular focus on the importance of new media for language teaching in terms of both the content of the subject and its teaching methods. The module provides tools to independently plan, implement, and evaluate language teaching as well as to use and critically decide on digital tools as a resource for pupils’ learning. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is studied from an assessment perspective, and students also get to practise how it can be used in the assessment of pupils’ knowledge and skills in relation to the school’s governing documents. The course introduces central research areas and research methods in language didactics, and students work on their ability to formulate a relevant research question within a defined area and to describe a relevant method to answer the question.

• Active participation in seminars
• Written assignments
• Oral presentations
• Oral examination

The grading scale used for the final course grade is U–VG.

For a final course grade of VG, students must achieve VG for a minimum of 18 credits.

Grades are reported as follows:

• Grammar and Grammar Didactics - 4.5 Credits | U–VG
• The History of German Language and Literature - 6 Credits | U–VG
• Oral Language Proficiency II - 3 Credits | U–VG
• Cultural Studies II - 3 Credits | U–VG
• Children’s and Young Adult Literature in German - 6 Credits | U–VG
• Language Learning and Teaching 1A - 7.5 Credits | U–VG
• Language Learning and Teaching 1B - 7.5 Credits | U–VG
• Language Learning and Teaching 2A - 7.5 Credits | U–VG
• Language Learning and Teaching 2B - 7.5 Credits | U–VG

This course overlaps previous course codes GTY3CU and GTY2GY.

The course includes two to three field days at a primary or secondary school.