German Lessons Research Articles

Teaching and Learning German as a Foreign Language in Primary and Secondary School: A Case Study

The development of communicative and pragmatic competence is considered one of the main goals of modern foreign language teaching. The primary focus of this paper is to explore how German was taught in school. 35 learners in the first and second years of the Bachelor’s degree program in German studies in the 2021/2022 academic year at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Split were surveyed. An online questionnaire was used for the study, which included an overview of German lessons in primary and secondary school. The absolute majority of respondents agreed that formulaic sequences were taught in primary and secondary school. However, regarding the question of promoting fluency, there are divided opinions among the students. In addition, most respondents agree that the focus in both primary and secondary German lessons was on grammar and spelling rules and less on their active use in the spoken language. Also, from the received answers to the question posed about the method of teaching linguistic content, it is clear that the teaching of the content from the textbooks was, as a rule, taught according to the principle of reading, translating and memorizing, without repetitions in the form of dialogues and in some new communication situations. Thus, the present study can serve as a stimulus to think about more modern teaching methods, aiming at the development of communicative and pragmatic skills.

ФОРМУВАННЯ ТА РОЗВИТОК КОМУНІКАТИВНИХ ЗДІБНОСТЕЙ НА УРОКАХ НІМЕЦЬКОЇ МОВИ

The article examines the process of formation and development of students' communicative skills in German lessons. Special attention is paid to the creation of a personally oriented learning model that promotes the development of students through active communication and the implementation of interactive methods. Various methods and approaches are presented that contribute to the stimulation of speech activity, among them: the use of interactive techniques (pair and group work, role-playing games), dialogic speech as the main component of communicative competence, problem-solving tasks for the development of communication skills, creation of a favorable emotional atmosphere for lowering the barrier to speaking a foreign language. The article also emphasizes the importance of a communicative approach in learning, which allows students to learn the material through interest and active interaction.

Von der Nützlichkeit des Unnützen: Über den Sinn der Poesie im fremdsprachlichen Unterricht

The article discusses the role of literature in foreign language teaching, with a specific focus on the genre of poetry. It unequivocally answers the central question of whether incorporating literary texts into foreign language classrooms is meaningful and beneficial. The article challenges the widespread notion that students must have an advanced level of language proficiency to engage with literary texts. Through three very different examples of authentic poetry, it demonstrates how literary texts can be seamlessly integrated into foreign language teaching and which competencies can be developed through poetry. The analysis of the poem Der Apfel (The Apple) by Reinhard Döhl illustrates that literary texts can be meaningfully utilized from the very first lessons of language learning. Furthermore, the article focuses on one of the most prominent figures of contemporary German poetry, Jan Wagner. His linguistically simple haiku titled teebeutel (tea bag), which has also been translated into Slovenian, shows how inspiring, liberating, and creative German language teaching can be when one dares to include literary texts. Finally, the discussion turns to a canonical author, the giant of German literature, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The analysis of his poem Gefunden (The Found Flower) reveals various ways the text can be approached in German lessons: from traditional nature poetry to eco-critical perspectives, and interpretations related to the themes of love and gender discourse at the turn of the 18th century (and beyond). In conclusion, it can be stated that the use of poetry in German as a foreign language teaching is meaningful, not despite the fact but precisely because it confronts students with different, previously unknown, and unusual perspectives on language, society, interpersonal relationships, and aesthetics.

THE USE OF PHRASEOLOGY FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE LEXICAL COMPETENCE IN GERMAN LESSONS

The scientific article is devoted to the study of the use of phraseological units in the process of forming foreign language lexical competence in German lessons. The authors emphasize the importance of phraseological units as an integral part of the lexical structure of the language, reflecting the cultural and social characteristics of the native speaker. The article discusses various methods that can be effectively used by teachers to integrate phraseology into the learning process. The authors provide examples of exercises aimed at mastering phraseological units, as well as at developing speech skills and the ability to use these units in appropriate contexts. Particular attention is paid to the psychological aspects of teaching phrases. Studies have shown that students who actively use phraseology demonstrate a higher level of language proficiency and the ability to communicate naturally and spontaneously. In addition, the use of phraseological units in speech contributes to the development of intercultural communication skills, which is an important aspect in today's globalized world. In conclusion, we can conclude that the integration of phraseological units into the learning process is an important aspect of foreign language lexical competence development. It not only enriches students' vocabulary, but also contributes to a deeper understanding of the culture and mentality of native speakers. Thus, the use of phraseology in German language teaching can be a powerful tool for improving language proficiency.

Measurement invariance between subjects: what can we learn about subject-related differences in teaching quality?

Recent publications emphasize the need to take greater account of differences in teaching quality between subjects. The empirical analysis of this topic requires a comparison of teaching quality in different subjects to distinguish generic aspects of teaching quality from subject-specific ones. In this paper, we compare teaching quality in mathematics and German lessons using observational data from primary schools in Switzerland (NMath = 319; NGerman = 237). Data were collected using an observation instrument reflecting the teaching dimensions of the MAIN-TEACH model, which was developed based on a synthesis of established observation frameworks. The dimensions of classroom management, motivational-emotional support, selection and implementation of content, cognitive activation, support for consolidation, assessment and feedback, and adaptation were tested for subject-related measurement invariance. With a two-fold measurement invariance approach, differences between the subjects were investigated at both a global and an indicator level. When applying alpha accumulation correction, no significant subject-related differences in factor loadings or intercepts were found. The factorial structure of our data was basically identical for the two subjects. The comparison of latent factor means revealed no mean differences between the subjects. We discuss the implications for both the MAIN-TEACH model and research into subject-related differences of teaching in general.

Phraseologisms on a German Lesson

Phraseologisms, i.e., fixed expressions whose meaning does not result solely from the sum of the meanings of individual words, constitute a significant challenge in language teaching. They are idiomatic, polylexical, and lexicalized word combinations, the understanding of which requires knowledge of cultural and historical contexts. They can be divided into two groups: those with a sharp background, where the lexemes retain their literal meaning, and those with a vague background, where the meaning is more complex and requires knowledge of their provenance. Effective teaching of phraseology requires a variety of methods, such as context analysis, role-playing, comparison of translations, and debates about cultural differences. Phraseologisms with a blurred background, having their roots in the Bible or mythology, are particularly difficult to master and require a careful didactic approach.

Hingeschaut – Picture Book Apps for Literary Learning in Inclusive German Lessons

Zwei Jahre Corona-Pandemie (als systemexterner Faktor) sowie die finanziellen Mittel aus dem DigitalPakt des Bundes (als systeminterner Faktor) haben die lange geforderte Digitalisierung an Bildungseinrichtungen stark vorangetrieben. In den Schulen zählen neben dem klassischen Stand-PC im Computerraum nunmehr zunehmend Tablets etc. zur technischen Grundausstattung. Damit geht die Möglichkeit einher, zahlreiche Anwendungen, die bisher v. a. ausserhalb der Schule genutzt werden konnten, nun auch in den Deutschunterricht einzubinden. Hierzu zählen u. a. auch digitale «Bild-Text-Erzählungen» (Ritter 2013, 4) in Form von Bilderbuch-Apps, die bei Lehrpersonen zunehmend auf Interesse stossen (Müller-Brauers et al. 2021, 1) und z. B. über diverse Plattformen als App bzw. Software zur Verfügung gestellt werden. Aufgrund der qualitativen Breite des Medienangebots sind Lehrpersonen und das weitere pädagogische Personal jedoch gut darin beraten, das aktuelle Angebot kritisch zu reflektieren, insbesondere wenn die Potenziale der zunehmenden Digitalisierung für die Gestaltung eines inklusiven Unterrichts genutzt werden sollen. Gegenstand dieses Beitrags ist daher ein empirisch validierter Kriterienkatalog (Cohenʼs Kappa ≥ .78), mit dessen Hilfe solch eine systematische Reflexion über die Eignung ausgewählter Bilderbuch-Apps für den Einsatz in heterogenen Klassen möglich werden soll. Aufbauend auf Überlegungen zur Ästhetik von Computerspielen (vgl. Hunicke, LeBlanc, und Zubek 2004) werden hierzu die Dimensionen: Ästhetik, Dynamisierung und Adaptivität in den Blick genommen.

USING GAME TEHNOLOGIES IN THE PROCESS OF LEARNING FOREIGN LANGUAGES

Introduction. The article is focused on an actual topic, namely the use of game elements in German lessons. The attention is also drawn to the fact that in today’s conditions of the wide introduction of distance learning, the use of only traditional methods is not considered sufficient to improve student performance. Purpose. The aim of this experience is to provide a theoretical proof that game-based methods are an effective tool for teaching German at the elementary stage. Methods. It is important that the specifics of the foreign language subject require somewhat different forms of teaching than other theoretical disciplines, since the student’s goal in learning a foreign language is not just to know the subject material, but also to be able to apply it in a language situation. Results. Working with a game as a motivational tool in the classroom diversifies the type of activity in the process of learning German language and provides positive learning environment. Originality. The results of the study prove that game activities in German language lessons help to create a cognitive motive, increase efficiency, develop automaticity of action. Game activities also foster a serious attitude to the subject, implement the ideas of competition, and develop the responsibility of each student for learning and discipline. Conclusion. It is important for every teacher to improve his/ her teaching skills. Gamification is one of the ways to achieve better results. Using games for teaching helps students learn additional skills beyond the academic concept that is being taught. They will also build 21st-century social skills and problem-solving skills and build community all while learning core subject material.

Do changes in perceived teacher behaviour predict changes in intrinsic reading motivation? A five-wave analysis in German lower secondary school students

Although several longitudinal studies have confirmed that need-supportive teacher behaviour shapes intrinsic motivation in school, longitudinal studies on its role for intrinsic reading motivation are lacking. To fill in this gap, this study investigated whether changes in selected aspects of student-perceived teacher need-supportive behaviour in German lessons predicted changes in intrinsic reading motivation. We also investigated how student intrinsic reading motivation and perceived teacher need-supportive behaviour changed over the course of lower secondary school. To this end, we used data of 7634 German students gathered between Grades 5 and 9 as part of the German National Educational Panel Study, five measurement occasions in total. The analyses, which involved univariate latent change score and change–change models, revealed decreases in perceived teacher need-supportive behaviour and intrinsic motivation between Grades 5 and 9. Moreover, the decreases in perceived teacher need-supportive behaviour in German lessons predicted decreases in intrinsic reading motivation. The study provides first evidence of longitudinal relationships between perceived teacher behaviour and intrinsic reading motivation. It also suggests that adjusting the classroom learning environment to student needs may contribute to alleviating the decrease in intrinsic reading motivation observed in multiple studies.

German Lessons: Comparative Constitutionalism, States’ Rights, and Federalist Imaginaries in Interwar India

AbstractThis article reveals the hold that German history and constitutionalism had on Indian federalists in the interwar period. A range of federalists from Indian princely states and British provinces, eager to see India become a federation rather than a unitary state fashioned on the English model, looked to Imperial Germany for constitutional lessons. They saw in German history and constitutionalism a federal solution to the so-called “Indian problem,” wherein the rights of the states would be primary over those of individuals or groups. This German-inspired federal tradition, I argue, departed not only from political pluralism and association-based federalism, but also from the nationalist vision of placing individual rights over state rights. This article presents an alternative genealogy of comparative constitutional thought in India, and examines a post-national worldview that sidestepped the nation-states. By bringing a comparative approach to bear on political and constitutional histories, it escapes the national insularity that often characterizes such histories in colonial India, and places them in the comparative and global context of the interwar circulation of federalist ideas. German-inspired federal ideas of the period offer a counterpoint to corralling futuristic visions of India, and its founding, on the twin axes of anticolonial nationalism and popular sovereignty to the exclusion of state-centric ideas articulated by the princely states.

ZUR ROLLE DER FEHLERKORREKTUR IM PROZESS DER WEITERENTWICKLUNG DER SPRACHKOMPETENZ

As part of the practical language lessons, German language lessons mostly placed great value on speaking and oral communication. In the courses dedicated to the phenomenon of communicative competence and oral error correction, fluency in communication, expressiveness and correct grammatical or lexical-phraseological competence are primarily promoted. It is primarily about the description of the phenomenon of communicative competence, the diagnosis of errors and methods of verbal error correction. This article addresses the question of which foreign language skills should be promoted and developed in German lessons in order to bring the language skills of the learners to a higher level. In addition, it is primarily about the question of which main goals the German lessons should be pursued by teachers and how the corrections regarding mistakes should be made. In surveys and discussions with students, it has often been stated and our teaching experience proves that, in addition to language skills, students should also acquire basic knowledge of interculturality, media, politics, social sciences and others during their studies. These findings show that learners are interested in multidimensional German lessons. It is a primary task of teachers, in addition to expanding foreign language vocabulary, to develop all the necessary skills of their learners in the process of acquiring foreign languages. In addition to the areas mentioned, the article also focuses on an important didactic phenomenon - the language mistakes. The teachers should be able to recognize statements made by their students and to detect their mistakes.

An Example Praxis for Teaching German as a Second Foreign Language with Augmented Reality Technology at Secondary Education Level

The developments in technology bring to mind the questions of how the acquisitions and contents of the curriculum in the foreign language teaching process can be transferred to the students in a more effective and permanent way and which methods and technological opportunities can be used in the education process, revealing that different perspectives and different methods should be used. In this context, the aim of this study is to create an exemplary digital instructional design to be used in teaching German as a second foreign language with augmented reality technology at secondary school level and to evaluate the effectiveness of this design through pre-test, post-test and in line with the opinions of the students participating in the application. In order to achieve this aim, one group pre-test-post-test design, which is one of the experimental designs, was preferred. Dependent groups t-test was used in the analysis of the data obtained in the single-group pre-test post-test design. The research group of the study consists of 20 9th grade students at Turgut Reis Anatolian High School in Muğla. In the study, semi-structured interview questions were prepared in order to determine the opinions of the students participating in the application on the use of technology in German lessons at secondary education level. Descriptive analysis was used to analyze the data obtained by the interview technique. As a result of the study, it was seen that there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test scores of the students. It has been concluded that the students in the course where digital content is used through VR glasses show more progress and are successful.

Perwatakan dan Nilai Moral Tokoh Utama dalam Kumpulan Dongeng Ludwig Bechstein

Abstract. This research purpose the value of character building in the drama Nathan der Weise, and its relevance to German lessons at SMA. The data analysus technique used is content analysis. This analysis technique consists of there stages. They are data reduction, data display and conclusion. Based on the result obtained from the Fed analysis that there are six values in the Drama Nathan der Weise that are relevant to the value of character building snd the German lesson Kurikulum 2013 at SMA. The six values are wisdom, tolerance, self-confidance, humalitiy, mutual help, and friendship. The relevance of these six values to German lessons using the role-playing method.Keywords: Nathan der Weise, Character buiding, Kurikulum 2013, Role-playing, Conten-Analysis.

Dramatic agency und moralische Dilemmata

It is a relatively new idea to include video game narratives in German lessons. The following article argues that this genuin digital media offers a specific potential for learning with literature. Because of dramatic agency the players can influence the story and experience kaleidoscopic storytelling. It is to be assumed that especially immersion, involvement and engagement are intensified. The focus is on finding identity and moral development and the example Detroit: Become Human (2018/19). The genre of the video game narrative is science fiction with the city Detroit in 2038 as the setting. Androids and AI are part of every day life and raise the question what it really means to be human.

ԲԱՅԻ ԱՐԺՈՒԹԱՅՆՈՒԹՅԱՆ ՅՈՒՐԱՑՄԱՆ ԴԺՎԱՐՈՒԹՅՈՒՆՆԵՐԸ ԳԵՐՄԱՆԵՐԵՆԻ՝ ՈՐՊԵՍ ՕՏԱՐ ԼԵԶՎԻ ԴԱՍԱՎԱՆԴՄԱՆ ԸՆԹԱՑՔՈՒՄ / DIFFIUILTIES OF STUDYING VERBAL VALENCY WHILE TEACHING GERMAN AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Understanding the topic “verbal valency” in German lessons is a complex and time-consuming task that requires two-sided persistent work both during the lesson and after it. The aricle is about the study of this problem and highlights both the features of verbal valency in German and the peculiarities of its teaching methods and strategies. The right lesson planning strategy and the choice of appropriate methods are critical to understanding and fully mastering this topic. Our study was conducted among 3rd year students of the State University after V.Brusov. The methodology used and the tested exercises make it possible to understand the intricacies of teaching methods and techniques, lead to the easiest and most productive mastering of the topic, which in turn contribute to the continuous improvement of teaching methods and techniques, significantly improve understanding of the language, promote free self-expression, effective and competent free communication in German.

"Die Deutsche Märchenstraße" als erlebbare und diskursive Landeskunde im DaF-Unterricht

This article deals with the use of a 600 km long route through Germany, the "German Fairy Tale Route" in foreign language German lessons. In the context of the discursive approach, an attempt is made to create a didactic proposal on the topic of the "German Fairy Tale Route". In order to increase the interest and motivation of those learning German, an attempt is made to create didactic suggestions on the topic of "German Fairy Tale Route" with discursive regional studies using authentic and versatile materials.

Diskursive Landeskunde : Spracharbeit - recht(s) extrem

In a perception of our own or Foreign Cultures, we ascribe interpretations to specific situations that are shaped by our personal and selective experiences. Discourse-based cultural studies posit that these meanings are formed through conversation and discourse. Thus, cultural studies are intimately intertwined with language, arising and evolving through language usage and discourse. In this context, the following text presents a teaching example from a Finnish university German lesson to demonstrate how learners of German as a foreign language become active participants in the construction of meaning. They expand their opinions and question different positions in the discourse to comprehend and acknowledge them. Using the beginning of a coming-of-age novel as an authentic text on migration, learners engage in literary reception, enhancing oral and written communication skills while raising awareness of recognizing right-wing extremist language. Through discussions, learners explore social contexts and become conscious of symbols as linguistic tools.

Die Dekonstruktion von Stereotypen durch Irritation im Unterricht : eine empirische Untersuchung

This study intends to elucidate the process of culture-related learning by clarifying the possibilities of deconstructing anticipated stereotypical ideas GFL learners might have about the German, Austrian and Swiss target culture(s). The main hypothesis of the inquiry was the assumption, that the German speaking countries (DACH) are somehow being perceived as a positive model in Slovakia as far as garbage economy and waste disposal are concerned, although in reality, this image might be put into perspective. The problem of the empirical measurement of stereotypes was solved with two identical questionnaires of stereotype-related items, which were handed out to the students of a Slovak high school (gymnázium) before and after a 90-minute German lesson with the overall environmental issue "What to to with the garbage?". During the lesson, pedagogical interventions were carried out to disrupt the student's assumed positive image on the DACH-countries as a prerequisite for change towards a more realistic picture of the German speaking countries. To avoid response bias, the students weren't informed about the actual goal of the questionnaire, measuring possible stereotypical ideas, thinking, they would attend a lesson dealing with an environmental issue. The findings of the study and the problems that occurred are presented and discussed in the article.

Wir müssen reden

Abstract Whereas debating societies look back at a long tradition in Great Britain, in Germany rhetorical training was mostly absent from schools and universities until the early 2000 s. Over the last 20 years, however, a young debating scene has developed from this vacuum of rhetorical practice. In universities, the Verband der Debattierclubs an Hochschulen (VDCH) has been established as the umbrella organization for student debating societies, and a lively tournament scene has emerged. At school level, a format called Jugend debattiert was created, which provides a debating-curriculum for German lessons. Also, an all-German debating-competition among students is organized every year. Time to take stock after all those years: How has the German debate scene developed? What are the expectations of young people when they join debating clubs? And are their expectations met?

EDU-ESCAPE ROOM OR BRAIN TEASERS FOR STUDENTS IN GERMAN

How to make German lessons more interesting for students? How to motivate them to work more independently, to be creative and to think critically? What else is interesting for them when they use smartphones, social networks, etc. on a daily basis? The widespread use of ICT has not only changed the daily activities and lifestyles of individuals but has also had a profound impact on education at all levels. The joint foreign languages session of secondary school students and ninth graders had to be prepared in a way that was close to them. The COVID -19 pandemic and its associated quarantine have left many of us feeling trapped in a constant state of escape. Therefore, a virtual escape room entitled "Who Stole the Goldfish?" seemed appropriate for this workshop. Using their mobile phones, students entered a virtual world where they could communicate and collaborate without boundaries. The online escape room offered a series of clues, challenges, puzzles, and visual elements that led them to the solution - the discovery of the culprit. The goals of the session were to promote problem solving and team building, develop group problem solving and listening skills, and build better communication skills for collaboration. Keywords: German lessons, use of ICT, escape room, team problem solving, communication skills