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Advice for teachers –
German

Teaching and learning activities

Unit 1

Unit 1 – Area of Study 1: Interpersonal communication

Theme: The individual
Topic: Aspirations, education and careers
Sub topic: School exchanges in a German-speaking country

Outcome 1

Exchange meaning in a spoken interaction in German.

Examples of lear​ning activities

  • Read a blog about a recent school exchange in a German-speaking country; take notes and highlight the differences observed between Australia and the German-speaking country.
  • Skype a student in a German-speaking country who has recently completed an exchange in Australia. Compare their answers to the blog.
  • View a video about secondary school education in a German-speaking country. Reflect on how it differs from a school in Victoria.
  • Listen to a conversation between an Australian student on exchange and their host family. Answer prepared questions about the conversation.
  • Write six to eight questions to ask someone who has been on exchange. Swap questions with a classmate and answer their questions based on research material.
  • Prepare a three-minute speech to give to the class about an exchange program (actual experience or researched via class materials), noting major similarities and differences between Australia and the German-speaking country. Create PowerPoint slides to support the speech. Respond to questions from other students about this topic.
  • Interview another student in the class using prepared questions. Discuss specific aspects of the school they attended during their exchange or one that they have researched. Concentrate on classrooms, subjects studied and school routines.​
  • Listen to a student from a German-speaking country talking about their exchange in Australia. Reflect on how this information correlates to other material on the topic by discussing it with a classmate.​
  • Summarise all the findings discovered on this topic in a graph or Venn diagram.​
  • Read source material about education from a German-speaking country's Bureau of Statistics. Extract information and make comparisons with information about Australian education sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).​
  • Note vocabulary used in any material viewed, heard or read relating to education. Discuss any words or phrases that are not readily translatable into English.​
  • Produce an article of 250 words outlining, for an Australian audience, some aspects of the German-speaking education system.​
  • Read journal entries written by students to gain an insight into the personal aspects of participating in an exchange in another country and staying with another family.​
  • Find a blog on the internet written by someone who has been on an exchange. Annotate it to identify key points that represent individual experiences.​
  • Listen to a guest speaker talk about their experience of an exchange in a German-speaking country.​
  • Watch a video or film about families in a German-speaking country. Take notes about their lives.
  • Listen to a recorded discussion or radio programs about exchanges. In pairs, make a list of the insights gained by the students on the exchanges. Categorise them as personal, educational, cultural, social, etc.
  • In pairs or small groups, discuss the following example topics and create draft plans to produce
    a piece of writing.
    1. a.  Imagine you have been on an exchange. Write an article about the experience for your school's website.
    1. b.  Imagine you have been on an exchange and write an email to your parents about your experience.
    With the class divided into two groups, debate the topic ‘Language and education exchanges are very worthwhile’. Both sides must use evidence and examples from the research gathered.
Example icon for advice for teachers 

Detailed example

Email about an exchange

  1. Create a workbook to record information, notes and bibliographic details gathered throughout the area of study. Develop a glossary of key terms and concepts.
  2. View a documentary about Australian students who participated in an exchange in a German-speaking country. Take notes under a series of headings, which could include: type of school, subjects studied, impressions, teaching styles.
  3. Compare the different experiences of the students in the documentary. How were they similar or different?
  4. Conduct research on aspects of the education system in the German-speaking country. Include school subjects (elective and compulsory subjects), English language education, and senior secondary examinations. Construct a table to summarise the information found. Make comparisons to the situation in Victorian schools.
  5. Listen to a speech given on the education system in the German-speaking country.
  6. Read emails from students who have been on exchange and make notes.
  7. Using the information gained, write an email to your parents describing an (imaginary) exchange that you have undertaken.

Unit 1 – Area of Study 2: Interpretative communication

Theme: The world around u​s
Topic: Communication and media
Sub topic: Social media and its influence

Outcome 2

Interpret information from two texts on the same sub topic presented in German, and respond in writing in German and in English.

Examples of lear​ning activities

  • Read an article about ‘social media’ and extract vocabulary for a class glossary for the topic.
  • Listen to an interview and read an article about the use of social media in a German-speaking country. Answer questions about each one. Write a 100-word summary of all the views expressed in both texts.
  • Search the internet for stories in a German-speaking country on the topic of ‘The use of social media among adolescents and teenagers’.
  • View a series of illustrations that depict young people using social media in their daily lives and write captions for them.
  • View a video/vlog/YouTube clip where young people discuss how and when they are ‘on screen’.
  • View a documentary about the usefulness of being connected in modern life.
  • Example icon for advice for teachers
    Discuss the themes mentioned in an article on 'The use of social media and its impact on society'. Prepare a two- to three-minute presentation to the class about your personal use of social media.​
  • Discuss the positive aspects of 'being connected' with a classmate. List your combined positives on a poster for the classroom wall.
  • Compare the salient points from the documentary with the class posters. Discuss any differences in small groups. Using the lists and summaries, debate the issue ‘Social media is important to young people'.
  • List the positive and negative aspects that could be part of the topic ‘Social media is ruling our world today'. Write a 200-word letter to a friend in which you express your concerns about 'being on social media so much'.
  • Create a list of positives and negatives about the use of social media. Write a 100-word summary of the list.
  • Research statistics relating to screen use in Australia and in a German-speaking countrty. Tabulate the results.
  • Write an imaginative short story in which you project current social media usage into a utopian future.​
  • Write a 200-word article, based on two texts you have studied, for publication in a school magazine, on the topic 'The use of social media by young people'.​
Example icon for advice for teachers 

Detailed example

Two- to three-minute presentation to the class about your personal use of social media.

  1. Read an article about how people are using social media in a German-speaking country today.
  2. Identify the key points made in the article and create a matrix to find any overlap in positive and negative points.
  3. Conduct further research to discover any material that can be added to the matrix.
  4. Listen to an interview about this topic. Identify key vocabulary and expressions associated with the major concepts.
  5. In pairs, compare the number of hours spent ‘on screen’ each week.
  6. Rehearse the oral presentation with a partner.
  7. Present your oral presentation and gain feedback from the class.

Unit 1 – Area of Study 3: Presentational communication

Theme: The German-speaking communities
Topic: Cultural heritage
Sub topic: Legends and fairytales

Outcome 3

Present information, concepts and ideas in writing in German on the selected sub topic and for a specific audience and purpose.​

Examples of lear​ning activities

  • Watch a film of a legend or fairytale of a German-speaking country, and take notes under the headings: plot, main characters, actors, soundtrack, special effects, themes or ideas.
  • Read the legend or fairytale in German, identifying the vocabulary used.
  • Identify cultural aspects presented in the legend or fairytale.
  • Research legends or fairytales of the German-speaking country. Tabulate them into cultural aspects, main plot and message.
  • Read one or two articles about the positive impact and negative influence of legends and fairytales on children. Answer comprehension questions about them.
  • View a video of children in a German-speaking country speaking about their favourite legend or fairytale in order to answer a set of questions. In 50 to 100 words, write about one of the speakers and their chosen legend or fairytale as mentioned in the video.
  • Identify cultural elements from your reading, viewing and listening. Consider the questions: Are there any particular elements that could only come from a German-speaking country? How can you tell? What identifies them? Compare them to legends and fairytales in Australia.
  • Research notable actors or directors who were involved in films featuring legends and or fairytales of a German speaking country. Make a list of their films.
  • Listen to a director speak about the filming of a legend or fairytale. Identify their main concerns: artistic, economic, place, etc.
  • Write draft outlines for one of the following topics:
    • Journal entry about a favourite legend or fairytale
    • Script of a conversation between you and the lead actor in an imagined film that you would like to direct
    • Informative article about a legend or fairytale that interests you.
  • Write a letter to a film director from a German-speaking country about an idea you have for the filming of a legend or fairytale.
  • Example icon for advice for teachers
    Create a three- to four-minute video with another student about your favourite legend or fairytale from a German-speaking country.
Example icon for advice for teachers 

Detailed example

Three- to four-minute video about favourite legends or fairytales from a German-speaking country

  1. View the film of a legend or fairtytale from a German-speaking country.
  2. Take notes under headings: plot, main characters, actors, soundtrack, special effects, themes or ideas.
  3. Decide which elements will be included in the video you will make. Discuss the outline with the teacher.
  4. Plan the structure of the video to be filmed. Write it up as a series of dot points.
  5. Research the particular elements to be discussed.
  6. Write a script.
  7. Draw a storyboard.
  8. Film.
  9. Edit as necessary.
  10. Show video to class.
  11. Receive oral and/or written feedback from teacher and other students