The goals of this course are varied. In the course of the semester, the students will become familiar with current issues and events in Germany and be able to converse and write about them in German. The student will become acquainted with the system of mass media in Germany. Another objective of the course is to improve the students' language skills primarily reading, speaking, and listening through work with texts taken from the German mass media (newspapers, magazines, the internet, Deutsche Welle). 

Students will work with authentic, advanced-level texts from the media from a variety of sources on a variety of subjects. These texts will be the basis for discussion, role-playing, vocabulary and grammar practice, reports, and written assignments. 
 
 

• Deutsche Welle broadcasts of the German news (Internet & taped)
• Most major newspapers and magazines now have a web-site. Therefore, we will take readings from the WEB 
• Xeroxed materials provided by instructor
• Borders Bookstore has the best variety of German periodicals in Tallahassee. The store carries magazines and newspapers. Students are encouraged to visit the store. Students may be required to purchase a specific periodical for class.

Note: If you plan to use the Modern Languages' computer lab, you must provide one ream of the appropriate paper to get printing privileges.
 
 

The primary language of the class is German. Speaking English "without permission" will result in a lower class participation grade. However, creative grammar, fractured sentences, and frequent groping for words are expected.
 
 

1. Journal.
(First journal due September 10) The journal is a summary in English or German of 2 1/2 hours of reading or listening in German per week (1/2 hour per day, approximately 1500 words at the advanced level per week.) The journal entry must include the source, and length (estimation of word count or length of program) of your reading/listening for each text. It must also include the time you spent reading or listening. For example, you could listen to one broadcast of 30 minutes five times for a total of 2 1/2 hours. You will read more words from theBildzeitung in 30 min. than in Der Spiegel or Die Zeit. The readings may come from any German publication (nonfiction). You may use the readings for the press report. The journal is due once every two weeks. Tailor the readings to your own interests, anything from gossip to international economics to sports. Students should familiarize themselves with periodicals available in the library and through the internet. In the course of the semester the journal should reflect that you can understand more (quantity) or more difficult texts or with greater comprehension in the same amount of time. The first journal will be a Probejournal and cover only 2.5 hours of reading.

Include 5 vocabulary words.

For Undergraduates, the journal can include articles assigned for class (check with instructor). However, the press report must be based on material not covered in class.

• The first journal will be for only one week of outside reading/listening (2.5 hours), but include 5 vocabulary words. Thereafter, journals will be for two weeks (5 hours work) and 5 vocabulary words
• Each journal thereafter must also include five useful vocabulary words. 
• Vocabulary listings should give the original sentence, the English equivalent for the entire sentence and an original sentence in German using the German word. The dictionary portion of the journal must be corrected as needed and turned in with the next journal.

For graduate students, all readings/listening for the journal are in addition to specific class assignments.

• Graduate must include an abstract in German of articles/listening.

 

The final journal will be a 2-3 page (250-500 words) report in GERMAN of your reading/listening/viewing for the semester and your opinions/reactions about the events of the semester. 
 

2. Press Reports & Threaded Discussion.
(Begins September 10) Approximately every two weeks there will be a press conference about events reported in the German media. Several students hold a press conference in German on what they have done as outside work for their journals. The other students will play the role of reporters who are looking for stories or new angles on stories for the American media. The class will then determine a topic or question for the threaded discussion. Each student will enter his or her opinion to the question and respond to one opinion. Auf Deutsch, natürlich.

3. Classwork.
Classwork will be conducted primarily as a workshop. Students will be given instructions on how to prepare for class discussion. Preliminary work on reading assignments will be done in class whenever possible. For activities that are based on viewing of video tapes in class, attendance and class participation are of the utmost importance. Classwork also includes daily oral, written, or reading assignments. Homework based on listening or reading. Homework may also include mini-reports on background material for articles. Students should be able to summarize all texts discussed in class in both German and English.

4. Group project
Groups will be assigned by the instructor. The project will consist of an oral and written component. The oral project will be a radio or TV program (15-20 min.), and the written project will be a newspaper to accompany the oral project. The Zeitung may overlap with the broadcast by up to 50%. Students must write their own material. Each group must produce enough copies of the newspaper for everyone in the class to have one copy. The projects are due on December 3 (Monday). The projects will be discussed in class on December 5.

5. Test
(probably September 26). The test will cover the structure and history of the German media.

6. Attendance
Class participation in mandatory. Each student is allowed two unexcused absences. Thereafter, each excess unexcused absence will be deducted from the final grade at a rate of 1/3 grade per absence (e.g. B becomes B-).
 

FSU adheres to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. A student with a disability is encouraged to discuss special needs with the instructor. Self-evaluation reports are available from the Office of Disabled Students. Individuals are encouraged to voluntarily contact the Disabled Students Office to complete this form, indicating the nature of the disability and identify needed special assistance.
 
 

27.August-24.

September Einführung in die deutsche Medienlandschaft
Geschichte der Medien in der BRD
Tatsachen über Deutschland
Vorstellung von Zeitungen

10. 9

Pressekonferenz/Journal