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Undergraduate

Certificate in German - Learning Outcomes

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Educational aims

Through the study of German, the certificate will provide you with the opportunity to learn to read, write, speak in that language and understand people who speak it, while developing your cultural understanding and your knowledge of how the language is structured (for example by learning about its grammar or its vocabulary). Through the certificate, you will also learn to become an independent language learner, and to develop other transferable skills and attributes.

The outcome of this certificate is of a level comparable to level B1 as defined by the Council of Europe. Further information of the Council of Europe descriptors can be found on the website.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

When you have completed this certificate you will be able to:

  • communicate in German with competent or native speakers in familiar or everyday contexts including some job-related ones
  • show that you understand and know how to use many basic elements of the vocabulary and grammar in German
  • recognise basic terms used for analysing written or spoken productions in German
  • recognise and use some of the differences between formal and informal styles in German
  • recognise and reproduce the pronunciation of German sufficiently well that you avoid being misunderstood
  • show that you know about and understand some aspects of everyday life and issues in the cultures of the countries where German is spoken.

Cognitive skills

Cognitive skills (related to German)

Reading

  • show that you can identify specific information from texts such as newspaper articles, instruction manuals, brochures, etc.
  • show that you can understand general information on everyday topics, when it is conveyed in long continuous authentic texts, by using skills such as skimming, scanning and predicting.

Writing

  • write structured articles/letters/essays/reports (of up to about 300 words) on a range of everyday issues, apply different conventions (for example for letters, as well as emails).

Listening

  • show that you can understand the general meaning, and specific details, of spoken information on everyday or familiar matters (such as work, leisure activities and some social issues in German -speaking countries).

Speaking

  • with the help of brief notes give short presentations on, and talk with others about, everyday issues and familiar subjects, including by leaving answering machine messages
  • express belief, opinion, agreement and disagreement politely and use a basic repertoire of strategies to help keep a conversation/discussion going.

Cognitive skills (related to language in general)

  • use language to make arrangements, justifying and supporting them, and to express feelings, simple judgements and opinions, supporting these with relevant argument based on an understanding of requirements and circumstances
  • find out and summarise key information, and develop a simple argument, from texts and recordings about familiar or everyday topics and on some wider issues.

Practical and/or professional skills

On completion of this certificate you will be able to:

  • show that you can edit and correct your own work, in English and German
  • show that you are developing the skills of taking notes and summarising in German
  • show that you can use source materials, in English and German, for example by presenting them to others or using them to support an argument
  • show that you can work on your own towards your aims and objectives in a disciplined way
  • show that you can use learning aids successfully (for example bilingual dictionaries, grammar books, and communication tools such as recordings, telephone-conferencing and ICT-based facilities)
  • show that you can carry out certain job-relevant tasks, in English and German using letter, telephone or email.

Key skills

On completion of this certificate you will be able to:

  • communicate in everyday or familiar situations, using a variety of standard oral and written forms of communication, showing that you are aware of the purpose of your communication and of your intended audience
  • use some strategies to ensure that you communicate successfully (e.g. requesting repetition or clarification)
  • perform team work and develop your problem-solving abilities (through language activities that require this mode of working)
  • extract and use numeric and simple statistical information from texts and recordings
  • use self-assessment strategies to check your own progress and performance.

Teaching, learning and assessment methods

Teaching and learning are via study materials (including study guides, textbooks, set books, audio and, in some cases, audio-visual material), optional face-to-face or online tutorials and individualised tutor feedback.

Assessment is via written assignments of up to 350 words and oral recordings. There is no examination, but there is an end-of-module assessment comprising a one-to-one or group discussion, and (in the higher level module) an oral presentation, carried out face to face or in some cases online or on the telephone.