Rundblick: beginners' German
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| 6 Tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) | |
| End-of-course assessment | No residential school |
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This course is available for study in the countries shown.
Summary
Rundblick is the first course in the University’s Certificate in German, designed to develop the skills you need to speak and understand simple German in everyday situations. No previous knowledge of German is required. Using the theme of a journey, the course explores life in German-speaking countries and communities worldwide through topics relevant to adult learners – such as impressions of Germany, Austria and Switzerland; travelling; lifestyles; cultural events; and technology. Study resources include printed course books and audio CDs – which support independent learning – and there’s a dedicated website with additional online activities. Together, they’ll give you not just language skills but a real feel for German-speaking countries and communities too.
Course content
By the end of the course you will have gained many insights into the lives of people from German-speaking countries, as well as a sound basic knowledge of the language. All course materials are designed to support independent learning right from the start. Introductions and linking texts are in English and are carefully designed to guide you through the study sessions. There is a wide range of activities, with clear explanations and extensive feedback.
Rundblick will enable you to reach roughly GCSE level (grades A-C), or Scottish standard Grades 1 and 2, and is an ideal preparation for Auftakt: intermediate German (L130) (previously titled Auftakt: get ahead in German).
Entry
No prior knowledge of German is required.
Level 1 courses provide core subject knowledge and study skills needed for both higher education and distance learning. If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
The outcome of this course is of a level comparable to A2 as defined by the Council of Europe. See Common European Framework of Reference for Languages for further details.
If you have any doubt about the suitability of the course, please contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
Qualifications
L193 is a compulsory course in our
L193 is an optional course in our
- BA/BSc (Honours) European Studies (B10)
- BA (Honours) Humanities (B03)
- BA (Honours) Modern Language Studies (B30)
- Certificate of Higher Education in Humanities (C98)
It can also count towards most of our other degrees at bachelors level, where it is suitable for a BA. We advise you to refer to the relevant qualification descriptions for information on the circumstances in which this course can count towards these qualifications because from time to time the structure and requirements may change.
Excluded combinations
Sometimes you will not be able to count a course towards a qualification if you have already taken another course with similar content. To check any excluded combinations relating to this course, visit our excluded combination finder or check with our Student Registration & Enquiry Service before registering.
If you have a disability or additional requirement
Please note that this course makes substantial use of audio and visual materials. The written and spoken elements you will be asked to complete as part of your assessment use audio and possibly visual stimuli. Full transcripts of the audio materials are provided except for those used for assessment purposes. The course materials are available in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF). Some Adobe PDF components may not be available or fully accessible using a screen reader and foreign language materials may be particularly difficult to read in this way. Large print or comb-bound versions of the written course materials can also be provided on request. Our Services for disabled students website has the latest information about availability.
You will need to make extensive use of a personal computer and the internet. If you are a new student, or new to courses using a computer or the internet, you will need to inform us of your particular needs as soon as possible, as some of our support services may take several weeks to arrange. Details of how to do this and our range of support services are described in our booklet Meeting Your Needs which you can download or request from our Student Registration & Enquiry Service.
You can also find information about accessible course materials, financial support and the Disabled Students' Allowance, equipment and other services, on our Services for disabled students website. It also includes our contact details for advice and support both before you register and while you are studying.
Course materials
What's included
Course books, other printed materials, audio CDs, and a dedicated course website with additional online resources and activities. As a registered language student you have automatic access to an online forum, where you can talk to fellow-students over the internet.
You will need
A CD player
You will need internet access to use the course website, to attend online tutorials, to submit your assignments and to receive your tutor’s feedback.
Please also check the Assessment section.
Computing requirements
This course includes online computer activities – you can access these using a web browser that can play Flash and Shockwave. Some of your course software will be provided on disk.
You will need internet access and a computer. If you have purchased a new Windows computer since 2002 it should meet your course computing requirements. Check our Technical Requirements section if your computer is older than this or is otherwise unusual. Please note that you can use an Apple Mac or Linux computer if you can run Windows using Boot Camp or similar.
You will need a headset with a microphone and earphones to talk to your tutor and other students online during some of the course activities.
Materials to buy
Set books
- Hurd, S and Murphy, L (ed) Success with Languages, Routledge £15.99 - ISBN 9780415368377
- Collins German Dictionary & Grammar, Collins £12.99 - ISBN 9780007253425
Teaching and assessment
Support from your tutor
You will have a tutor who will help you with the course material and mark and comment on your written and spoken work. You can also ask your tutor for advice and guidance. If you are new to the OU, you will find that your tutor is particularly concerned to help you with your study methods. This course usually includes some face-to-face tutorials and a number of online tutorials. Please note that depending on where you live, the mix will vary and in some places face-to-face tuition may be replaced by telephone conferencing. We may also be able to offer day schools. All of these will provide you with plenty of opportunities to speak and listen to German. Where face-to-face tutorials or day schools are held will depend on the distribution of students taking the course. Contact our Student Registration & Enquiry Service if you want to know more about study with The Open University before you register.
Assessment
The assessment details for this course can be found in the facts box above.
You can choose whether to submit your tutor-marked assignments (TMAs) on paper or online through the eTMA system. You may want to use the eTMA system for some of your assignments but submit on paper for others. This is entirely your choice.
If you wish to submit your TMAs by post, please ensure you have an audio cassette recorder (full size, not mini format) with microphone and at least one blank cassette.
TMAs test your written and spoken skills. The listening input for these will be provided as downloadable sound files on the course website. There is also a compulsory assessment at the end of the course. The end-of-course assessment (ECA) has a written element and a spoken element. The spoken element of the end-of-course assessment (ECA2) will be carried out with your tutor. You will be given more detailed information when you begin the course.
Professional recognition
The Chartered Institute of Marketing now recognises this course under their Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme.
Students also studied
Students who studied this course also studied at some time:
Future availability
The details given here are for the course that starts in November 2009. We expect it to be available at the same time once a year.
How to register
To register a place on this course return to the top of the page and use the Click to register button. For more information and advice about registration see OU Study Explained.
About this page
An undergraduate course in Languages.
Study explained
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- Study explained
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Student Reviews
I had started and stopped learning German several times over the years but never progressed beyond the beginners stage. I ...
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This was a great course. I had always considered myself to be 'bad at languages' and had a terror of ...
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