German Conversation: Basic Course 4

Academic unit or major

Second foreign language courses

Instructor(s)

Astrid Sato

Class Format

Exercise (Face-to-face)

Media-enhanced courses

-

Day of week/Period
(Classrooms)

5-6 Wed

Class

-

Course Code

LAL.G234

Number of credits

010

Course offered

2024

Offered quarter

4Q

Syllabus updated

Mar 17, 2025

Language

Japanese

Syllabus

Course overview and goals

This seminar is for students who want to develop the ability to actively use the German language. It provides a training in simple, basic communication skills, correct pronunciation, listening, reading short texts, writing sentences, and basic grammar skills. It also gives some introductory information about Germany as a country. The details of the course content are subject to change as the level will be adjusted to match the abilities of the students.

Course description and aims

At the end of this course, students will be able to introduce themselves, ask others about themselves, have simple conversations at university and at work, acquire basic skills for daily life in Germany like buying and ordering food, booking hotel rooms, checking in, shopping and sightseeing, and speaking about their hobbies and interests. Based on the above, students will be able to make friends using German, and acquire communication skills for daily conversations and, for those who want to study abroad for daily life in Germany.
If students who join the class have some previous knowledge in conversation already, the teaching can be moved to a higher level to teach them more skills.

Keywords

German language, German culture and society, German grammar, communication, study abroad.

Competencies

• Specialist skills
• Intercultural skills
• Communication skills
• Critical thinking skills
• Practical and/or problem-solving skills

Class flow

Through simple sentences students train in basic communication skills, correct pronunciation, listening, reading and writing sentences, and basic grammar skills.

Course schedule/Objectives

Study advice (preparation and review)

To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 40 minutes preparing for class and another 60 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to textbooks and other course material.

Textbook(s)

Spektrum Deutsch A1+ by Anne Buscha and Szilvia Szita, Schubert Verlag, (ISBN 978-3-941323-29-2)(purchasing it is not obligatory)
All texts are given in classes by the instructor as photo copies.

Reference books, course materials, etc.

Dictionary (electronic, smartphone or book form).

Evaluation methods and criteria

The students will be assessed depending on their oral performance during class, written assignments and by one written test at the end of the semester.

Related courses

• LAL.G201 ： German: Basic Course 1
• LAL.G202 ： German: Basic Course 2
• LAL.G203 ： German: Basic Course 3
• LAL.G204 ： German: Basic Course 4
• LAL.G233 ： German Conversation: Basic Course 3
• LAL.G331 ： German: Intermediate Course 1
• LAL.G341 ： German: Advanced Course 1
• LAL.G361 ： German Conversation: Advanced Course 1
• LAL.G431 ： German Seminar: Culture and Society 1

Prerequisites

Students should preferably have some elementary knowledge of German grammar. The completed or at least simultaneous enrollment in the "German: Basic Course 1-4" is desirable, but not absolutely necessary.