- Die Grenze A
- Learning Objectives
- Scenarios
- Tools
- Vocabulary
- Grammar and Structures
- Cultural Knowledge
- Tasks
- Activity 1: Interpreting Information – Medien
- Activity 2: Presenting Information
- Activity 3: Exchanging Information
- Take-Aways
- Self-Reflection
- Digging Deeper: Follow-up Activities
- Die Grenze B
- Learning Objectives
- Scenarios
- Tools
- Vocabulary
- Grammar and Structures
- Cultural Knowledge
- Tasks
- Activity 1: Interpreting Information
- Activity 2: Presenting Information
- Activity 3: Exchanging Information
- Take-Aways
- Self-Reflection
- Digging Deeper: Follow-up Activities
- Die Grenze C
- Learning Objectives
- Scenarios
- Tools
- Vocabulary
- Grammar and Structures
- Cultural Knowledge
- Tasks
- Activity 1: Interpreting Information
- Activity 2: Presenting Information
- Activity 3: Exchanging Information - Rollenspiel
- Take-Aways
- Self-Reflection
- Digging Deeper: Follow-up Activities
- Die Grenze D
- Learning Objectives
- Scenarios
- Tools
- Vocabulary
- Grammar and Structures
- Cultural Knowledge
- Tasks
- Activity 1: Interpreting Information
- Activity 2: Presenting Information
- Activity 3: Exchanging Information
- Take-Aways
- Self-Reflection
- Digging Deeper: Follow-up Activities
Die Grenze A
Learning Objectives
In these activities, you show that you can:
- distinguish between the European countries and specifically which ones are part of the EU and which ones are variously affiliated
- describe historical, current, and future processes using the grammatical structures of the verb werden
- interpret short texts and videos and identify relevant information about life in Europe
- communicate with others in spoken conversation on topics related to education, using a variety of practiced or memorized words, phrases, simple sentences, and questions
Scenarios
You are making plans to visit Europe and lean on others to guide you.
- You introduce yourselves to each other by name, clarifying by spelling it, and ask how you are.
- You determine if you should ‘duzen’ (using the informal ‘du’) or ‘Siezen’ (using formal ‘Sie’); note: in German the person of higher rank or older age will determine.
- You share about your interests, likes/dislikes, habits and interests related to your travel goals using high-frequency words.
- You prepare by reviewing information on Europe and compare it with your own knowledge and interests - using German.
- Show interest and enthusiasm / empathy and exchange contact information asking about social media, phone number etc.
- You say goodbye depending on whether you’ll see each other again; note: “Bis später” only works if you really will see each other again. If you use it, the other person will likely say “Ach ja? Wann?”
Tools
Vocabulary
- aktuell – heutig – ständig – bewusst
- ändern – entsprechen – existieren – fest*stellen
- das Ergebnis – die Macht – der Lauf – die Weise –
- dadurch – daher –
der Zeitpunkt
halb – vorher – sonst
Grammar and Structures
These grammatical structures can help you in the upcoming tasks.
| Structure | Usage |
|---|---|
To become/to reach: werden | Sie wird 21. Du wirst Ingenierin. Wir werden fertig.Ihr werdet in Deutsch immer besser. |
Past tense of werden: simple past,
present perfect tense, and
past perfect tense | Europa wurde im 5. Jahrhundert kleiner.Nach Brexit ist die EU kleiner geworden,Aber vorher war die EU ständig größer geworden. |
Future tense: without werden (i.e. present) and with werden | Im nächsten Sommer fahre ich nach Europa.Bald werden wir nach Europa reisen. |
Hypothetical forms w/ werden for likely tentative events in the future:
werden + infinitive + modal verb | Wir werden bald wieder reisen dürfen.Er wird seine Hausaufgaben machen müssen.Sie wird gut über die Reise schreiben können. |
Cultural Knowledge
Note the following information:
| Fact | Effect |
|---|---|
Europe and Germany | Despite or perhaps because of WWII, Germany has played a leading role in bringing Europe together. Starting in the 1950s with a focus on restoring Europe’s economies, the movement toward a united Europe has had its challenges and opportunities as nation states joined, were denied membership, or opted to leave the EU. |
Switzerland in Europe | While Switzerland is stereotyped as a neutral country, the Swiss are partners and allies to their European neighbors. They are part of the Schengen treaty, but have not joined the EU or Euro zone, seeking to retain their independence and negotiating treaties separately. |
Tasks
Activity 1: Interpreting Information – Medien
- Listening/viewing/reading
In preparation for the upcoming oral parts, please review the following websites. Please write down the names of countries in Europe and where they are. Consider that maps, like any texts or statistics or infographics, have to make choices as to what they present. So please pay also attention to what they don’t communicate about Europe and the member states in the EU:Next see these videos:
- Interpreting Information
Please respond to the following prompts:
- Based on the websites with the maps of Europe Europa-Karte and Europa: Covid-19 Karte, you are able to make the following suggestion to your friend: Your friend Sam is in Austria, and, as Europe opens up the borders, s/he wants to travel to as many countries as possible – but s/he has only 10 days. Based on the information provided, which countries can Sam visit without having to quarantine? Using high-frequency words and the informal imperative or the future/hypothetical forms with werden, give Sam your sound advice.
- Even though the EU has a long-standing history, there are doubters as to why Germany should be part of it now. In viewing the videos Die Geschichte der EU YouTube or Die Geschichte der EU ZDF and Europa und Deutschland, please jot down five arguments why Germans will want to stay in the EU, using high-frequency words and the future/hypothetical forms with werden.
- The video Europa und die Schweiz (2015) explains the special situation of Switzerland within the context of Europe. Please note the information provided for different viewpoints on why Switzerland should or should not consider joining the EU. Using high-frequency words and the future/hypothetical forms with werden, share your opinion.
Activity 2: Presenting Information
Present pertinent information about yourself.
Using your notes from the previous activities, please share what information you gleaned about Europe and the EU, addressing all three prompts. Please use high-frequency words, the imperative and the future/hypothetical forms with werden as you make recommendations. Please also share what pros and cons you identified and how the EU compares to the US in your opinion.
This activity should take you 3-5 minutes to prepare and your presentation should last about 1-2 minutes.
Activity 3: Exchanging Information
Practice with partner(s) (interpersonal activity).
Taking the previous activities as a guide, engage in a brief conversation with partners covering the following topics:
- Greet your partners and introduce yourselves, sharing information on name, origin, what you do, like /dislike etc.
- Decide if you should ‘duzen’ (using the informal ‘du’) or ‘Siezen’ (using formal ‘Sie’); note: in German the person of higher rank or older age will determine.
- Imagine that you are thinking about traveling to Europe, and imagine that you haven’t done a bit of research. What questions might you ask of your friends and family? What might an informed citizen from Europe answer? Based on your notes and observations, develop such questions and answers.
- Take turns sharing the roles of (un)informed partner.
These activities should take you 3-5 minutes to prepare and your presentation and conversation should last about 1-2 minutes.
Take-Aways
Self-Reflection
Ask yourself what went well, where you or your partner(s) struggled to communicate, and how you could improve next time. To help you keep speaking in German, try these strategies:
| Problem | Strategies |
|---|---|
I don’t know a word | Look it up, use its opposite with “nicht” or “kein-“ use gestures, Pantomime |
I don’t understand my partner | Repeat the word you don’t understand and inflect at the end to indicate it’s a question.
Ask for repetition with the phrase “Wie bitte? Entschuldigung – ich habe das nicht ganz verstanden. Kannst du das bitte nochmal sagen?” |
Digging Deeper: Follow-up Activities
- Research more about Europe: How many countries are currently applying to join the EU? How many are right now in the Euro-Zone? What is the difference between the Schengen area, the Euro-Zone, and the EU?
- Formulate your opinion about what you found out – do you like / dislike what the EU does for Europeans? To what extent is the EU similar or different from the US?
- What might Europe look like in the future? Watch this Easy German Video 180 to find out visions and wishes of participants, politicians, and experts at the German Dutch Forum in 2017.
Die Grenze B
Learning Objectives
In these activities, you show that you can:
- distinguish between the iron curtain, the innerdeutsche Grenze, and the Berlin wall.
- describe historical and current circumstances using high-frequency words and pronouns
- interpret short texts and videos and identify relevant information about life in Germany
- communicate with others in spoken conversation on topics related to Germany and Berlin, using a variety of practiced or memorized words, phrases, simple sentences, and questions
Scenarios
You are making plans to visit Germany and lean on others to guide you.
- You introduce yourselves to each other by name, clarifying by spelling it, and ask how you are.
- You determine if you should ‘duzen’ (using the informal ‘du’) or ‘Siezen’ (using formal ‘Sie’); note: in German the person of higher rank or older age will determine.
- You share about your interests, likes/dislikes, habits and interests related to your travel goals using high-frequency words.
- You prepare by reviewing information on Germany and the city of Berlin – and the major differences within Germany – and compare these with your own knowledge and interests - using German.
- Show interest and enthusiasm / empathy and exchange contact information asking about social media, phone number etc.
- You say goodbye depending on whether you’ll see each other again; note: “Bis später” only works if you really will see each other again. If you use it, the other person will likely say “Ach ja? Wann?”
Tools
Vocabulary
- breit – deutlich – direkt – zusätzlich
- ankündigen – ein*setzen – fallen – gelingen – schneiden – trennen
- die Erde – die Gefahr – das Gerät – die Kontrolle – der November – das Opfer – das Projekt – der Schutz – der Soldat/die Soldatin
- zumindest
Grammar and Structures
These grammatical structures can help you in the upcoming tasks.
| Structure | Usage |
|---|---|
Personal pronouns in the nominative
accusative and
dative cases | ich – du – er/sie/es – wir – ihr – sie/Siemich – dich – ihn/sie/es – uns – euch – sie/Siemir – dir – ihm/ihr/ihm – uns – euch – ihnen/Ihnen |
Verbs with direct and indirect objects | bringen – empfehlen – erklären – erzählen – geben – holen – kaufen – öffnen – sagen – zeigen |
Word order with both dat. + acc. nouns
Word order with 1 pronoun + 1 noun
Word order with both acc. + dat. pronoun | Ich zeige dem Studenten den Film.Ich zeige ihm den Film / ich zeige ihn dem Studenten.Ich zeige ihn ihm. |
Sentence structure with coordinating conjunction denn
and subordinating conjunction weil | Ich finde das Café gut, den es gibt dort leckeres Eis.Ich finde das Restaurant besser, weil es dort leckeres Essen gibt. |
Cultural Knowledge
Note the following information:
| Fact | Effect |
|---|---|
Berlin and Germany | During the Cold War (1945-1989), West-Berlin was one of the most affordable cities for West Germans. Additionally, students received financial incentives to study in West-Berlin! Today, life in Berlin is still rather affordable, but it has become a sought-after city since unification, and affordable housing is a challenge especially for students. |
The iron curtain, the innerdeutsche Grenze, and the Berlin Wall | From longest to shortest is the Iron Curtain the name for the post-WWII division between the “free” Western world and the soviet-controled “communist” Eastern Block nations. The innerdeutsche Grenze is the general term for the dividing line between Germany’s West and East, i.e. both the border that separated the BRD/FRG from the DDR/GDR as well as the Berlin Wall. The Berlin Wall is the shortest border as it is the name for the GDR-built construct that wraps around West-Berlin (so that East Germans couldn’t escape to it). |
Tasks
Activity 1: Interpreting Information
- Listening/viewing/reading
In preparation for the upcoming oral parts, you may want to start by reviewing these infographics in English: Berlin 1961-89 and Berlin 30yrs afterNext, please review the following videos. Please note at least five relevant details of interest to you, in response to the prompts below, and in regards to the city of Berlin over time:
- Interpreting Information
Please respond to the following prompts:Based on the websites with the infographics about Berlin Berlin 1961-89 and Berlin 30yrs after, you are able to make some plans for your visit of Germany and Berlin: Which three sites are of particular interest to you in and around Berlin? Using high-frequency words and pronouns when you repeat a word, give reasons for why a visit to these three places would likely be most rewarding.
Even though Berlin has been Germany’s capital since 1991, family members and friends of yours might suggest you visit other parts of Germany, too. Based on the videos Eingemauert, Mauerfall erklärt and Wie es passierte, and using high-frequency words and pronouns when you repeat a word, give at least three reasons for why a visit to Berlin would likely be most rewarding.
Activity 2: Presenting Information
Present pertinent information about yourself.
Using your notes from the previous activity, please record yourself sharing what information you gleaned about Berlin today and its history, addressing both prompts. Please use high-frequency words and pronouns when you repeat a word.
This activity should take you 3-5 minutes to prepare and your presentation should last about 1-2 minutes.
Activity 3: Exchanging Information
Practice with partner(s) (interpersonal activity).
Taking the previous activities as a guide, engage in a brief conversation with partners covering the following topics:
- Greet your partners and introduce yourselves, sharing information on name, origin, what you do, like /dislike etc.
- Decide if you should ‘duzen’ (using the informal ‘du’) or ‘Siezen’ (using formal ‘Sie’); note: in German the person of higher rank or older age will determine.
- Imagine that you are thinking about traveling to Berlin, and imagine that you have friends and family who question your decision. Based on your notes and observations, develop your answers.
- Take turns sharing the roles of the questioning partner.
These activities should take you 3-5 minutes to prepare and your presentation and conversation should last about 1-2 minutes.
Take-Aways
Self-Reflection
Ask yourself what went well, where you or your partner(s) struggled to communicate, and how you could improve next time. To help you keep speaking in German, try these strategies:
| Problem | Strategies |
|---|---|
I don’t know a word | Look it up, use its opposite with “nicht” or “kein-“ use gestures, Pantomime |
I don’t understand my partner | Repeat the word you don’t understand and inflect at the end to indicate it’s a question.
Ask for repetition with the phrase “Wie bitte? Entschuldigung – ich habe das nicht ganz verstanden. Kannst du das bitte nochmal sagen?” |
Digging Deeper: Follow-up Activities
- Research more about Germany and Berlin: Which other parts of the country would you like to visit? Why?
- Research whether there are still differences between Germany’s East and West. Formulate your opinion about what you find out about Berlin and the former GDR and the differences to the former BRD.
- Berlin 2013: Please watch Easy German 35 to find out what people like and don’t like about today’s Berlin.
- Berlin 2020: Empty streets give a clear view of some of Berlin’s attractions. Please watch Easy German 344 and write down a list of what or whom you see – and what you don’t see in this episode from April 2020. How does this compare to your own memories of that time?
Die Grenze C
Learning Objectives
In these activities, you show that you can:
- distinguish between the terms Migrant, Ausländer, Asylbewerber, and Flüchtling.
- describe historical and current circumstances using high-frequency words and corelative conjunctions
- interpret short texts and videos and identify relevant information about Germans’ perspectives on migrants
- communicate with others in spoken conversation on topics related to migration, using a variety of practiced or memorized words, phrases, simple sentences, and questions
Scenarios
You are meeting someone from Germany who has a migration background.
- You introduce yourselves to each other by name, clarifying by spelling it, and ask how you are.
- You determine if you should ‘duzen’ (using the informal ‘du’) or ‘Siezen’ (using formal ‘Sie’); note: in German the person of higher rank or older age will determine.
- You share about your interests, likes/dislikes, and your real or imagined experiences of living in another culture, using high-frequency words and structures.
- You prepare by reviewing information on Germany’s response to the refugee crisis that began in 2014 as well as more recent data on migrants – and compare these with your own knowledge of and interests in migration issues, incl. in the US - using German.
- Show interest and enthusiasm / empathy and exchange contact information asking about social media, phone number etc.
- You say goodbye depending on whether you’ll see each other again; note: “Bis später” only works if you really will see each other again. If you use it, the other person will likely say “Ach ja? Wann?”
Tools
Vocabulary
- sowohl… als auch – weder… noch – entweder… oder – je mehr… desto
- aus*schließen – ein*stellen – entdecken – erhalten – sich kümmern um – sich Sorgen machen um
- der Antrag – der Arbeitsplatz – die Erklärung – die Partei – die Politik – der Politiker/die Politikerin – das Recht – die Sorge
- allerdings – grundsätzlich – sofort
Grammar and Structures
These grammatical structures can help you in the upcoming tasks.
| Structure | Usage |
|---|---|
Corelative conjunctions | Deutschland war sowohl ein Einwanderer- als auch ein Auswandererland.
Die Deutschen sind weder besser noch schlechter als ihre Nachbarn.
Entweder ist man ein Gast in einem Land, oder man arbeitet dort.
Je mehr Flüchtlinge in Deutschland sind, desto wichtiger ist ihre Integration in die Gesellschaft. |
Verbs with prepositions and other elements: followed by dative | arbeiten an – aussehen nach – bestehen aus – halten von – handeln von – klingen nach – leiden an |
Verbs with prepositions and other elements: followed by accusative | bitten um – denken an – es geht um – lachen über – schreiben über – schreiben an – sorgen für – sich verlassen auf – warten auf |
Verbs with prepositions and other elements: followed by nominative | aussehen wie – klingen wie |
Nouns with prepositions + dative:Nouns with prepositions + accusative: | die Angst haben vor – die Arbeit an –
der Blick auf – die Erinnerung an – die Reaktion auf |
Nouns + verbs: | Eine Entscheidung treffen – eine Frage stellen –
Eine Rede halten – eine Reise machen – recht haben – sich Sorgen machen um – Urlaub machen – zur Verfügung stehen |
da-/wo-compounds for non-human items:add -r with um/aus/über/an | Sie denkt an den Film. Er denkt auch daran.
Woran denkt ihr?
Er handelt von Liebe. Viele Filme handeln davon.
Wovon handelt ein Krimi? |
Cultural Knowledge
Note the following information:
| Fact | Effect |
|---|---|
From Gastarbeiter to Asylbewerber | After WWII, individuals from Southern and Eastern Europe met Germany’s need for workers. They were called Gastarbeiter, which is an oxymoron because a guest is not expected to work. The term Asylbewerber identifies someone who seeks asylum because they are fleeing a dangerous situation at home. |
Die Flüchtlingskrise 2014 and after | With the civil war engulfing Syria, the human migration to Southern and Central Europe became so numerous that it presented a crisis for many countries, incl. Germany. But the countries most affected were Greece, Turkey, and Italy, as refugees reached these countries’ shores first.
Germany accepted well over 1.5 million asylum seekers, and it presented, especially initially, a significant challenge to serve these individuals. |
Tasks
Activity 1: Interpreting Information
- Listening/viewing/reading
In preparation for the upcoming oral parts, you may want to start by reviewing these infographics: Woher? Migranten Migrationshintergrund and videos: Migration erklärt Flüchtlingskrise 2015 Firas Vlog and 32 Grad.
- Interpreting Information
Please respond to the following prompts:Based on the websites with the infographics about migrants to Germany, you are able to note some interesting details about recent developments and trends over the past several years. Note at least five details of interest to you, using high-frequency words and structures.
Having watched the two explanatory videos Migration erklärt and Flüchtlingskrise 2015, compare the information to your notes from the infographics and jot down additional details about the refugee crisis that began in 2014.
After having viewed the videos Firas Vlog and 32 Grad (incl. its lyrics), you might agree that they are tongue-in-cheek / satirical commentaries from two very different perspectives. What do you (not) like about their approach? Why? Note some observations based on specific elements in the videos and texts.
Activity 2: Presenting Information
Present pertinent information about yourself.
Using your notes from the previous activity, please record yourself sharing what information you gleaned about the refugee crisis that began in 2014, its representation in the media you reviewed, and your opinions, addressing all prompts. Please use high-frequency words and structures.
This activity should take you 3-5 minutes to prepare and your presentation should last about 1-2 minutes.
Activity 3: Exchanging Information - Rollenspiel
Practice with partner(s) (interpersonal activity).
Taking the previous activities as a guide, engage in a brief conversation with partners covering the following topics:
- Greet your partners and introduce yourselves, sharing information on name, origin, what you do, like /dislike etc.
- Decide if you should ‘duzen’ (using the informal ‘du’) or ‘Siezen’ (using formal ‘Sie’); note: in German the person of higher rank or older age will determine.
- Imagine that you are meeting someone with a migration background in Germany, ask them about their decision to come to Germany and their experience. Based on your notes and observations, develop your questions and answers.
- Take turns sharing the roles of the questioning and answering partner.
These activities should take you 3-5 minutes to prepare and your presentation and conversation should last about 1-2 minutes.
Take-Aways
Self-Reflection
Ask yourself what went well, where you or your partner(s) struggled to communicate, and how you could improve next time. To help you keep speaking in German, try these strategies:
| Problem | Strategies |
|---|---|
I don’t know a word | Look it up, use its opposite with “nicht” or “kein-“ use gestures, Pantomime |
I don’t understand my partner | Repeat the word you don’t understand and inflect at the end to indicate it’s a question.
Ask for repetition with the phrase “Wie bitte? Entschuldigung – ich habe das nicht ganz verstanden. Kannst du das bitte nochmal sagen?” |
Digging Deeper: Follow-up Activities
- Research more about migrants in Germany and in the US: Which other details are interesting to you? Do you know someone in your circle of friends who is from another country?
- Research whether there are still refugee crises in the world. Formulate your opinion about what could be done to address these crises.
- You have encountered several reasons for the migration of people. With people, the language also migrates. Wikipedia has a list of so-called Lehnwörter in German which are words adopted from a foreign language with little or no modification. Please take a look at the list at the bottom of the page. Which foreign languages contribute a lot to the German vocabulary? Which influences surprise you? And which words do you recognize in your native language? Write down some Lehnwörter that you use daily. How would your world look differently if you did not have these Lehnwörter in your language?
Die Grenze D
Learning Objectives
In these activities, you show that you can:
- describe and locate regional dialects in the German-speaking regions.
- interpret short texts and maps to identify relevant information about German dialects and their differences
- communicate with others in spoken conversation on topics related to language and dialects, using a variety of practiced or memorized words, phrases, simple sentences, and questions
Scenarios
You are meeting someone from a German-speaking region who is very proud of the dialect(s) s/he speaks.
- You introduce yourselves to each other by name, clarifying by spelling it, and ask how you are.
- You determine if you should ‘duzen’ (using the informal ‘du’) or ‘Siezen’ (using formal ‘Sie’); note: in German the person of higher rank or older age will determine.
- You share about your interests, likes/dislikes, and your real or imagined experiences of living in a region with a dialect, using high-frequency words and structures.
- You prepare by reviewing information on German-based dialects – and compare with findings from your peers’ research - using German.
- Show interest and enthusiasm / empathy and exchange contact information asking about social media, phone number etc.
- You say goodbye depending on whether you’ll see each other again; note: “Bis später” only works if you really will see each other again. If you use it, the other person will likely say “Ach ja? Wann?”
Tools
Vocabulary
- gering – gesetzlich – mehrere – staatlich – üblich – zahlreich
- befinden – bestimmen – folgen – merken – prägen – stammen
- die Chance – der Eindruck – die Fähigkeit – der Gegensatz – das Maß
- bislang – dabei – sicherlich – wobei
Grammar and Structures
These grammatical structures can help you in the upcoming tasks.
| Structure | Usage |
|---|---|
Present participles | Das wunderschön klingende Lied.
Der defensiv spielende Fußballer.
Die langsam sprechende Professorin.
Die schnell wachsenden Blumen. |
selbst/selber vs.selbst/sogar | Du musst selbst/selber entscheiden, was du willst.
Selbst/sogar du solltest das tun können. |
Reflective verbs with accusative | sich entscheiden – sich fühlen – sich setzen – sich verhalten |
Reflective verbs with dative and accusative | sich etwas leisten – sich etwas überlegen – sich etwas vorstellen – sich etwas wünschen |
Reflective verbs with prepositions+ accusative: | sich einstellen auf – sich erinnern an –
sich freuen auf/über – sich interessieren für – sich kümmern um – sich verlassen auf – sich vorbereiten auf |
Cultural Knowledge
Note the following information:
| Fact | Effect |
|---|---|
die Sprachgrenze, die Sprachgrenzen | All languages offer varieties termed dialects when they are geographically identifiable. They typically present themselves in a continuum, in which there is mutual intelligiblity in adjoining regions and less mutual intelligiblity in regions that are further apart (the dialects of Hamburg and Zürich have less in common than the dialects of Hessen and Rheinland-Pfalz). |
Mapping Sprachgrenzen | Linguists look at words incl. their articles, plurals, and pronunciation, but also at sentence structure and map linguistic borders where change is verified. Think of some of the US-based variations, e.g. some people call a carbonated drink a soda, a Coke, a Pop, or a Pepsi. |
Tasks
Activity 1: Interpreting Information
- Listening/viewing/reading
In preparation for the upcoming oral parts, you may want to start by reviewing these texts and infographics: Kulinarisches Eierkuchen Überlick deutsche Dialekte.Please see the prompts for your consideration below.
- Interpreting Information
Please respond to the following prompts:Based on the website Kulinarisches with diverse names for high-frequency food items in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, please look up and note the names for the German
Brötchen
Kartoffel
Kohl
Mais
Sahne
Having reviewed the map Eierkuchen, please identify the names for pancakes per country:
Germany
Austria
Switzerland
adding additional names from the readers’ posts.
Please see the map Überlick and the and website deutsche Dialekte, and count how many dialects are listed in each. Next pick three of the dialects featured in deutsche Dialekte that interest you. Locate their regions on a German map and note three details about each dialect by clicking on the title above the photo for further information. Also note why you decided on these three dialects and what you learned. Was there something particularly surprising in the information?
Activity 2: Presenting Information
Present pertinent information about yourself.
Using your notes from the previous activity, please record yourself sharing what information you gleaned about dialects in German-speaking cultures, addressing all prompts. Do you have a favorite dialect now? Why (not)? Please use high-frequency words and structures.
This activity should take you 3-5 minutes to prepare and your presentation should last about 1-2 minutes.
Activity 3: Exchanging Information
Practice with partner(s) (interpersonal activity).
Taking the previous activities as a guide, engage in a brief debate with partners covering the following topics:
- Greet your partners and introduce yourselves, sharing information on name, origin, what you do, like /dislike etc.
- Decide if you should ‘duzen’ (using the informal ‘du’) or ‘Siezen’ (using formal ‘Sie’); note: in German the person of higher rank or older age will determine.
- Imagine that you are meeting someone from a particular region in Germany, and they are very proud of their dialect. You, however, have also a (real or imagined) favorite dialect/region. Please ask each other about your sentiments and argue your points based on your notes and observations. Complete the roleplay by acknowledging viewpoints, but by also (respectfully) agreeing to disagree.
These activities should take you 3-5 minutes to prepare and your presentation and conversation should last about 2-5 minutes.
Take-Aways
Self-Reflection
Ask yourself what went well, where you or your partner(s) struggled to communicate, and how you could improve next time. To help you keep speaking in German, try these strategies:
| Problem | Strategies |
|---|---|
I don’t know a word | Look it up, use its opposite with “nicht” or “kein-“ use gestures, Pantomime |
I don’t understand my partner | Repeat the word you don’t understand and inflect at the end to indicate it’s a question.
Ask for repetition with the phrase “Wie bitte? Entschuldigung – ich habe das nicht ganz verstanden. Kannst du das bitte nochmal sagen?” |
Digging Deeper: Follow-up Activities
- Research more about languages in the DACHL countries and the German-based dialects: Which other details are interesting to you? Are you (or do you know someone in your circle of friends who is) from a region in which a dialect is spoken? What is your opinion about speaking in dialect and why?
- Research whether the number of dialects and speakers is increasing or decreasing. Formulate your opinion about whether this is good or bad and what one could do about it.
- Watch this Easy German video introducing five different Swiss dialects. Can you distinguish between them?
- Some fun to finish the chapter: Please watch this Easy German video and feel free to repeat after Cari. Have fun!