German I

Course Description
In this course students will learn the basics of German. The focus of the course is the establishment of conversational skills; by learning a simplified structure of German grammar in a clear and concise format, students will be encouraged to use the new language as often as possible. The first steps into the four language skills (listening, speaking, reading, writing) will be accompanied by an introduction to contemporary life and culture in
German-speaking countries. At the end of the course students should be able to handle some essential structures of the (real-life functional) language and achieve a rough idea about the way how the German language works.

Course Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Comprehend and have a clear understanding of essential grammar structures (Present Tense, Present Perfect Tense; Nominative, Accusative, Dative Case; etc.);
• Make use of a basic vocabulary to satisfy needs of various everyday situations (e.g. in the restaurant, at the station, in the shop, etc.);
• Talk about some everyday topics (e.g. interests, hobbies, family, weather, studies, etc.);
• Relate personal experiences that happened in the recent past (e.g. travels, celebrations, cultural activities, etc.);
• Create short texts that are parts of modern communication (e.g. emails, letters, invitations, etc.);
• React and interact by applying simplified language tools (e.g. telling time, giving directions, etc.).