German

A Level 

WATCH THE VIDEO TO FIND OUT ABOUT GERMAN

QUALIFICATIONS NEEDED TO START THE COURSE

6 or above in German

Applicants must have taken higher papers at GCSE

IS THIS COURSE FOR YOU? 

You will be interested in different cultures and keen to use a different language to understand and to communicate your own ideas and opinions to others on different topics and issues. You will enjoy reading, speaking, writing and listening. You will need to acquire an increased knowledge and understanding of language structures in your chosen language and show that you can apply these effectively when speaking or writing in the language. You will also need to be interested in learning about other cultures.

This course is suitable for you if you:

• Enjoy language learning
• Enjoy learning about other cultures
• Want to communicate with speakers of a foreign language
• Want to use a language for further study (e.g. at university)
• Want to work and live abroad
• Want to work for companies with international links
• Want to develop opinions about current issues (e.g. climate change, immigration)
• Have a good memory and a logical mind

COURSE SPECIFICATION

GERMAN:

• Aspects of German speaking society
  The changing state of the family 
  The digital world 
  Youth culture: Fashion and trends, music & television
• Multiculturalism in German speaking society  
  Immigration 
  Integration 
  Racism
• Artistic culture in the German speaking world 
  Festivals and traditions 
  Art and architecture 
  Cultural life in Berlin, past and present
• Aspects of political life in German speaking world
  Germany and the European Union
  Politics and youth
  German re-unification and its consequences

LEARNING AND SKILLS

• To understand spoken language from a variety of sources and respond in writing or speaking.

• To understand and respond to written language in speech.

• To manipulate language accurately in spoken and written form.

• To show knowledge and understanding of German societies and to respond critically and analytically.

By the end you will:

• Be an effective communicator
• Speak and write the language in a range of different situations and for different purposes
• Use the language to express facts and ideas orally and in written form as well as be critical and analytical about them
• Understand more about the cultures/literatures/films where the language is spoken and be critical and analytical about them
• Develop presentation skills to show a point of view and argue against opposing ones. List of skills to be learnt/developed in the course

EXAMINATION AND ASSESSMENT

EXAM BOARD: AQA

A level linear – all exams are at the end of the 2 year course

A LEVEL

Paper 1: Listening, Reading and Writing

Listening: All questions are in the language; students have control over recording

Reading: All questions are in German

Translation 1: German to English

Translation 2: English to German

Paper 2: Writing

Pupils will need to study one text and one film or two texts and answer: 

• One question in German on a set text from a choice of two questions
• One question in German on a set film from a choice of two questions
• Or two questions on two different set texts from a choice of two questions

Paper 3: Speaking

• Individual research project
  Presentation (2 minutes) and discussion (9–10 minutes) of individual research project.

• One of four sub-themes
  Discussion of a sub-theme with the discussion based on a stimulus card (5–6 minutes). The student studies the card for 5 minutes at the start of the test.

AS ONLY

Please note that this does not carry any points for the A level

FUTURE PROSPECTS

Employers value the skills acquired in learning a foreign language and students who are considering careers in law, industry, commerce, medicine, business or government benefit from language qualification. Some may wish to specialise further and take up careers in interpreting, translation, journalism or teaching abroad. Research shows that a qualification in a modern language leads to an enhanced salary.  A language can easily be combined with other subjects at university for a joint honours degree.  This will give you the opportunity to study or work abroad for a year.  Many businesses now are international and as such many employers look for employees with language skills and the ability to understand and work with other cultures.