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Advice for teachers –
German

Teaching and learning activities

Unit 4

Unit 4 – Area of Study 1: Interpersonal communication

Theme: The world around us
Topic: The influence of science and technology
Sub topic: Innovation and research in science and technology – robotics

Outcome 1

Share information, ideas and opinions in a spoken exchange in German.

Examples of learning activities

  • Watch a documentary about the manufacturing and use of robots in a German-speaking country. List all major fields of applications for robotics and list significant characteristics mentioned.
  • Research statistics about the manufacturing and use of robots and its economic contribution to a German-speaking country. Identify any negative aspects of the use of robots.
  • Listen to a discussion about the use of robots in specific fields in a German-speaking country. Note key information about it in terms of numbers, applications, production costs, workforce replacement, precision, work safety. Prepare a poster about the use of robots in a specific field.
  • Research the production and use of robots in Australia in comparison to a German-speaking country. Discuss findings as a class.
  • Debate, in small groups, the topic ‘Will robots make our lives better or worse?’ Use information gleaned about the use of robots in general and examples from the individual field studied.
  • Write a 250-word evaluative report on the above debate topic for a science magazine.
  • Present the report as a PowerPoint and a three-minute speech.
  • Read an article on the manufacturing of robots in a German-speaking country and discuss ways that culture influences peoples’ attitudes to the role of robots in society.
  • Listen to a news item about a company using robots and answer comprehension questions about it. Synthesise answers to produce a 100-word summary of the article and news item.
  • Example icon for advice for teachers
    Write a formal letter to the Head of Human Resources of a company in a German-speaking country to persuade them to allow Victorian students to do an internship in their company. The students are interested in studying robotics in the future. Explain how such an experience in the German-speaking country would be very beneficial to further deepen their cultural understanding of the German-speaking country.
Example icon for advice for teachers 

Detailed example

Formal letter to the Head of Human Resources of a company in a German-speaking country.

  1. Conduct research into companies from a German-speaking country that are selling robots to Australian companies. List them on a class poster.
  2. Individually or in pairs, choose a field and a company. Read and listen to at least three different pieces of information about it.
  3. Write notes about the type of companies that use robots and the reasons for using them. This might include: the company profile, where they are situated in the German-speaking country, their connection with Australia, any other significant information.
  4. Look at formal letters written in German. Annotate an example to highlight required features of this text type.
  5. Look at the website of a company to ascertain its current interests, structure and profile. Note points that could be used in your letter.
  6. Read two examples of persuasive writing pieces. Analyse the writing for specific vocabulary and/or grammar features used.
  7. Individually or in pairs, consider the points to incorporate in a personal profile to be added to the letter of application.
  8. In pairs, create an audio or visual segment of the personal profile.
  9. Draft a plan that incorporates all of the above to make your letter appropriate for the task.
  10. Write suggestions about how these elements could be best included in your letter.
  11. Write the formal letter incorporating all the prepared content and ideas and add the personal profile of the applicant.

Unit 4 – Area of Study 2: Interpretative communication

Theme: The German-speaking communities
Topic: Historical and contemporary perspectives
Sub topic: A famous contemporary person

Outcome 2

Analyse information from written, spoken and viewed texts for use in a written response in German.

Examples of lear​ning activities

  • Read a timeline of the modern history of a German-speaking country in order to situate the famous contemporary person in the context of time and events.
  • Read biographical extracts about the famous person and take notes about the major events of their life.
  • View a portrait of the famous person and answer a set of comprehension questions about it.
  • Watch a documentary or film about the famous person and their achievements. List their contribution to society in their German-speaking country.
  • Research information about their best-known achievements and how they were accomplished. Identify a particular aspect (for example, in the life of the famous person or their impact on the society of the German-speaking country and other countries).
  • Give a two-minute speech to the class about the identified area of interest.
  • Write a 300-word evaluative report about the chosen area of interest.
  • Write notes on how to describe the role of this person in the culture of the German-speaking country. Consider questions such as: Can they be considered a traditional representative of the country? What would people want to know about this person?
  • Search for information associated with the famous person. Is this person known predominantly in German-speaking countries or worldwide? Conduct a survey of other students in the class to find out their understanding of the chosen famous person and their achievements. Write up the findings as notes.
  • Watch a movie/documentary/video clip about the chosen famous person. Answer a series of questions about the movie/documentary/video clip seen.
  • Write a 300-word persuasive letter to a friend encouraging them to attend an event (for example, a discussion, exhibition, movie, etc.) about the famous person.
  • Example icon for advice for teachers
    Devise a role-play of an interview between the famous person and a talk show host about the person’s life and achievements.
Example icon for advice for teachers 

Detailed example

Role-play an interview between a famous person and a talk show host about their life and achievements

  1. Write a 200-word summary of the life of the famous person and their achievements.
  2. Give a two-minute talk to a small group about the importance and significance of this person in the German-speaking country.
  3. Review the range of questions, their particular vocabulary and grammatical features to use in a role-play.
  4. Listen to, or watch, examples of people discussing their lives and achievements. Note the linguistic and culturally appropriate ways in which the speakers relate to each other.
  5. With a classmate, practise using some of their expressions and ways of delivering a message.
  6. Write a script to incorporate things learned so far.
  7. Practise the role-play aloud with the classmate in order to hone pronunciation and delivery, and to ensure ideas are conveyed clearly.
  8. Perform role-plays to the class.

Unit 4 – Area of Study 3: Presentational communication

Theme: The world around us
Topic: Communication and media
Sub topic: Advertising and its impact

Outcome 3

Present information, concepts and ideas in evaluative or persuasive writing on an issue in German.

Examples of lear​ning activities

  • Conduct research into advertising in newspapers and magazines from a German-speaking country. Make a list of the different types of products advertised.
  • Research online statistics about the most effective form of current advertising in a German-speaking country.
  • Read an article about the use of traditional and digital marketing in a German-speaking country. Answer questions about the article.
  • Listen to people discussing which types of advertising have the biggest impact on consumers in a German-speaking country. Write a list of their opinions.
  • Watch TV advertisements from a German-speaking country and discuss as a class their impact on the target audience.
  • With a classmate, select an advertisement from a German-speaking country. Answer a series of questions on the advertisement such as: What are the features of the advertisement? How does it target consumers in the German-speaking country? How does it differ from advertising in Australia?
  • Example icon for advice for teachers
    Complete activities based on listening and reading texts in order to answer a series of questions about the most effective advertising techniques used in a German-speaking country.
  • Discuss an Australian advertisement and write a 100-word informative summary. Finish it with a statement of why you think this advertisement is successful or not.
  • Read two blogs by different people, on how advertising influences people’s habits in positive and negative ways. Write a list of arguments for and against advertising.
  • Discuss as a class if and how advertising plays a role in today’s society.
  • Give a two-minute speech persuading the class that advertising is necessary in our life today.
  • Debate in groups the topic ‘Advertising leads to unnecessary consumption in our society’. Write a 200-word summary of the debate stating whether or not you agree with the winner’s stance.
Example icon for advice for teachers 

Detailed example

Listening and reading activities

  1. Visit the website of a company in a German-speaking country and note the way it advertises its services. Create a diagram about the advertising, including vocabulary, expressions and grammar used.
  2. In a class discussion, comment on comprehension exercises previously completed. Analyse the texts, questions and required answers for general clues and/or specific ideas for how to study for comprehension tests.
  3. Read and annotate an article for homework. Discuss in class how each class member tackles reading comprehension. For example: Do you read it through once to get the gist? Do you read it and highlight unknown words? Do you look up every word in a dictionary? Do you translate the whole text? When do you read the questions? Do you read them first and then only look for clues to them in the text? Which of these would work best when there is a time limit?
  4. Do the same with a listening text. Discuss how different class members take notes while listening. For example: Do you try to write every word? Do you write how some words sound so you can look for them in a dictionary later? Do you just listen and take no notes the first time you hear the text and then write some notes the second time?
  5. Create a class poster with everyone’s comments about how they read and listen most effectively.
  6. Each student finds a 200-word article, three-minute talk/conversation or three-minute video on the topic of advertising to share with classmates for study and/or practice.
  7. Re-answer a previous comprehension exercise to practise successful responses.
  8. Complete a practice test individually and in the following lesson, discuss the answers as a group. Correct your own work and note areas that need attention.