Here at The Crossley Heath School, we really value languages and language learning. German is taught from Yr7 through to Yr13; however, it is compulsory for students to continue to learn at least one Modern Foreign Language at Key Stage 4 with German being one of those on offer. German is spoken by over 130 million speakers and, due to the size and importance of its economy, is one of the most commonly used languages in business. At a time of considerable political change in Europe and against the back-drop of a national decline in language learners, we give every single Crossley Heath student the chance to learn a foreign language and to recognise the wide-ranging benefits which learning a foreign language brings.
Language learning significantly enhances communication skills. We promote pair and group work and develop in our students the ability to express themselves clearly and listen to others. We aim to build the confidence in our students so that they feel happy to converse with native speakers when on foreign visits or holidays. Students are also encouraged to work independently and use their initiative to solve problems by making connections German and English. Therefore, through learning the German language, students also have an improved understanding of English.
Through our study of topics such as Festivals and Traditions, we foster an understanding of different cultures and an appreciation and tolerance of difference. We require students to take risks and to work outside of their comfort zone, for example by talking to our foreign intern students, by taking part in our foreign language talent show or by participating in our highly successful exchange programme.
These skills are valued by universities and employers. Languages are used and can be helpful in lots of different jobs not only translation, interpreting or teaching. In fact, many employers reward people with language skills with extra salary because they know they are essential in today’s international business world. Therefore, we aim to dispel the myth that English is enough.
Grammar is taught explicitly from the start of Year 7, as our objective is to ensure that students can use the language accurately but also manipulate it creatively. Lessons are engaging and are taught by highly-skilled and enthusiastic subject specialists who are passionate about languages. Teachers use a range of activities including games, songs and languages websites to suit different abilities and learning styles. Lessons are conducted in German and students are expected to communicate with each other and their teachers in the language. The four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing are practised as well as translation skills and, later, the ability to paraphrase and summarise. Students enjoy learning German at The Crossley Heath School, succeed highly in their exams and value the opportunities these subjects provide.
German at Key Stage 3
| Term 1 | Term 2 | Term 3 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 7 | Introduction to Germany and German Greetings and say name Alphabet Numbers and say age Countries and say where you live Classroom phrases Favourite things Your possessions Likes and dislikes Hobbies Pets Genders and articles Present tense verb endings (regular verbs) Present tense of verbs ‘sein’ and ‘haben’ Possessive adjectives Question words | Pets Family members Larger numbers Descriptions of family members Months and birthdates Sports Hobbies Online activities Pronouns Plurals of nouns Modal verb ‘können’ Adjective endings Adverbs ‘gern’ and ‘nicht gern’ Irregular verbs Word order – verb inversion | School in Germany School subjects Days of the week Telling the time Describing teachers Describing the classroom Give opinions Describe your school Say what you can eat in the canteen Verb second idea Possessive pronouns Prepositions and the dative case Modal verb ‘dürfen’ |
| Year 8 | Talk about what you did on holiday Ask questions relating to holidays Form the perfect tense with ‘haben’ and ‘sein’ Dative case with ‘mit’ Word order – ‘TMP’ | Give opinions on types of TV programmes, films, books. Ask questions about the past Qualifiers Modal verbs | Talk about breakfast and traditional German food Understand recipes Healthy lifestyles Describe dinner parties Understand rules in a youth hostel Daily routine Places in the town and directions Traditional festivals in German-speaking countries Dative and accusative Imperative Future Tense Adjectival endings Reflexive and separable verbs |
| Project 1 (Term 1) | Project 2 (Term 1 & 2) | Project 3 (Term 2) | Project 4 (Term 2 & 3) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year 9 | Role Models Create a presentation on a German-speaking role model. Present, Perfect and Future tenses | Create a time capsule of your ambitions. Conditional tense Um…zu clauses | Write a storybook for a child. Imperfect tense (+als) Superlative | Create a tourist brochure for a German-speaking country. Subordinating conjunctions Modal verbs Comparative and superlative Word order |
GCSE curriculum
Our objective for GCSE is to enable students of all abilities to develop their German language skills to their full potential, equipping them with the knowledge to communicate in a variety of contexts with confidence.
We firmly believe in the benefits that learning a language can bring; it is a skill for life and something students should enjoy and find rewarding.
The course covers three distinct themes. These themes apply to all four question papers.
Students are expected to understand and provide information and opinions about these themes relating to their own experiences and those of other people, including people in countries/communities where German is spoken. Students are also taught grammatical skills throughout the course to enable them to communicate clearly.
Theme 1: Identity and culture
Topic 1: Me, my family and friends
• Relationships with family and friends
• Marriage/partnership
Topic 2: Technology in everyday life
• Social media
• Mobile technology
Topic 3: Free-time activities
• Music
• Cinema and TV
• Food and eating out
• Sport
Topic 4: Customs and festivals in German-speaking countries/communities
Theme 2: Local, national, international and global areas of interest
Topic 1: Home, town, neighbourhood and region
Topic 2: Social issues
• Charity/voluntary work
• Healthy/unhealthy living
Topic 3: Global issues
• The environment
• Poverty/homelessness
Topic 4: Travel and tourism
Theme 3: Current and future study and employment
Topic 1: My studies
Topic 2: Life at school/college
Topic 3: Education post-16
Topic 4: Jobs, career choices and ambitions
Assessment
GCSE French/German has a Foundation Tier (grades 1–5) and a Higher Tier (grades 4–9). Students must take all four question papers at the same tier. All question papers must be taken in the same series.
Paper 1: Listening (25% of GCSE)
Understanding and responding to different types of spoken language. Questions in English and French/German
35 minutes (Foundation Tier),
45 minutes (Higher Tier)
Paper 2: Speaking (25% of GCSE)
Communicating and interacting effectively in speech for a variety of purposes. The test comprises 3 tasks: Role-play, Photo card, General conversation
7–9 minutes (Foundation Tier) + preparation time
10–12 minutes (Higher Tier) + preparation time
Paper 3: Reading (25% of GCSE)
Understanding and responding to different types of written language. Questions in English, questions in French/German, a translation from French/German into English
45 minutes (Foundation Tier),
1 hour (Higher Tier)
Paper 4: Writing (25% of GCSE)
Communicating effectively in writing for a variety of purposes
1 hour (Foundation Tier),
1 hour 15 minutes (Higher Tier)
Foundation Tier
Question 1 – write a message in French/German
Question 2 – write a short passage in French/German
Question 3 – translation from English into French/German
Question 4 – structured 90 word writing task in French/German
Higher Tier
Question 1 – structured 90 word writing task in French/German
Question 2 – open-ended 150 word writing task in French/German
Question 3 – translation from English into French/German
A-level curriculum
Studying German at A-level enables students to develop their linguistic skills alongside their understanding of the culture and society of the countries where German is spoken. Students study technological and social change, looking at the multicultural nature of German-speaking society. They will study highlights of German-speaking artistic culture, including art and architecture and will learn how Germany’s political landscape was formed. Students will explore the influence of the past on present-day German-speaking communities. Throughout their studies, they will learn the language in the context of German-speaking countries and the issues and influences which have shaped them. Students will study texts and film and will have the opportunity to carry out independent research on an area of their choice.
Assessment tasks will be varied and cover listening, speaking, reading and writing skills.
The course consists of 2 main topic areas: Social issues and trends + Political and Artistic Culture.
A-level students will study the grammatical system and structures of the language during their course. They also study one novel and one film.
Topic Area 1: Social issues and trends
Aspects of German-speaking society
• The changing state of the family (Familie im Wandel)
• The digital world (Die digitale Welt)
• Youth culture: fashion and trends, music, television (Jugendkultur: Mode, Musik und Fernsehen)
Multiculturalism in German-speaking society
• Immigration (Einwanderung)
• Integration (Integration)
• Racism (Rassismus)
Topic Area 2: Political and artistic culture
Artistic culture in the German-speaking world
• Festivals and traditions (Feste und Traditionen)
• Art and architecture (Kunst und Architektur)
• Cultural life in Berlin, past and present (Das Berliner Kulturleben damals und heute)
Aspects of political life in the German-speaking world
• Germany and the European Union (Deutschland und die Europaïsche Union)
• Politics and youth (Die Politik und die Jugend)
• German re-unification and its consequences (Die Wiedervereinigung und ihre Folgen)
Literary texts and films
Students study one novel (Der Vorleser) and one film (Good Bye Lenin!)
Assessments
Paper 1
This examines the topic work (Social issues and trends + Political and Artistic Culture).
Listening exam, Reading exam, Translation into English, Translation into German
• Written exam: 2 hours 30 minutes
• 50 % of A-level
Paper 2
This examines the study of the novel and the film. Students write 2 essay of approximately 300 words each in German on the book and the film
• Written exam: 2 hours
• 20 % of A-level
Paper 3: Speaking
Speaking exam:
i) Discussion of a sub-theme with the discussion based on a stimulus card
ii) Presentation and discussion of individual research project
• 30 % of A-level (conducted by the teacher)
The enriched curriculum
Teaching and learning is underpinned by a range of extra-curricular activities and experiences for students across Years 7-11:
- Year 10 German exchange trip to Aachen.
- Year 12 Berlin trip.
- Y12/13 trip to Manchester Christmas markets.
- Study Days for German A-Level at universities.
- Speaking and listening practice with native speakers (intern students) from Paderborn University.
- Opportunity to volunteer to run The Language Café and demonstrate resources on Open Evening (11+ and sixth-form).
- Calderdale Linguafest – a talent competition for Years 7 and 8 launched in June 2019.
- Linguascope online resource for KS3-4 – a fun resource for practising and enhancing vocabulary and listening.
- Pearson Active Learn – online resource to accompany the KS3 text books to enable students to practise the skills, vocab and grammar in each topic.
- Kerboodle – digital text books and online resources for KS4 and KS5.
- Quizlet – online vocabulary learning
7 Year Curriculum Plan(s)
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