German

German as a Foreign Language in the ESD

Given the importance of German at GSIS and the relatively high exposure to the language our students have in comparison to students in the UK or at other international schools operating the British National Curriculum, it is natural that our aims and expectations for performance in the language should go beyond those of the National Curriculum.

The emphasis is on the balanced exercising of listening, speaking, reading and writing, which are the four important necessary skills, to learn and master a foreign language. The intercultural contrasts between other countries and Germany are always an interesting recurring theme during the lessons.

Some of our students join the ESD having begun learning German at various stages of GSIS primary school, others join during Year 7 to Year 10, having no prior exposure to the language. It is also a fact of life that some students pick up a language more quickly than others. It is our aim to bring students on as quickly as possible in their learning whilst helping them to achieve according to their ability and experience in the language. A flexible, modern teaching approach takes into consideration the student’s particular linguistic background, needs and motivations.

To this end there are various possible pathways through a student’s career in the ESD. More on this later.

PATHWAYS

YEAR 7 – YEAR 9
Our Year 7 intake consists generally of three fifths from GSIS Primary Department and two fifths from other primary schools. Students from our own primary school have varying levels of German, depending on their aptitude and/or the length of time they have learned the language. Based on the primary teachers’ recommendations they are placed into three groups of intermediate and upper intermediate level.

The actual capabilities of these individual groups vary from Year to Year and this affects the choice of starting point in Year 7 and the speed of progress. Students’ progress is measured relative to the group they are in and movement between groups is possible, with transfers taking place as and when necessary. Naturally movement to a faster group entails some extra catch up work, whilst movement in the other direction gives students a chance to revisit work already covered and to improve their performance within the group. The goal is always to place students in an environment where they can be motivated and progress according to their own situation.

As a general rule, students joining GSIS in Year 7 are absolute beginners and are taught separately until the end of Year 8, at which point they are integrated into the mainstream. Some students at this point will be selected to take the IGCSE German exams in Year 9, as described above. It is usual for us to admit new beginners in Years Year 8 to 10, and although they are integrated into the mainstream after one Year, it is rare for them to be considered for an early IGCSE.

Year 7 to 9 follow a textbook-led course using the textbook Ping Ping neu from the Hueber Verlag, books 1 to 3 and following the thematic and grammatical progression laid down in those books. Click here to view schemes of work Year 7 to Year 9

In Year 9 this is supplemented by specific topics and I/GCSE practice materials. Those groups who are not yet ready to take IGCSE in Year 9 begin to follow a more IGCSE oriented textbook designed to revise language in an accessible and usable manner. Currently these books are Edexcel GCSE German, published by Pearson Education Limited and Logo!4 Rot, published by Heinemann Educational Publishers.

YEAR 10 – YEAR 13
For some students this is the start of the IGCSE course, when work from previous Years is consolidated and exams skills practiced according to the specification requirements from the Edexcel examining board.

Those students who have already successfully taken IGCSE in Year 9 and achieved A or A*, begin preparation for the AS Level in Year 10, following the specification requirements from the Edexcel examining board.

Currently the textbooks used for this course are Zeitgeist 1 and 2, published by Oxford University Press and Edexcel German for A Level, published by Hodder Education. These texbooks are recommended by Edexcel as conforming to their specification requirements. Click here to view schemes of work Y10 to Y13

EXAMINATIONS
There are various examinations offered in German at GSIS, both from the UK and Germany and the curriculum taught to a given group largely mirrors the expectations of these examinations.

As a brief overview:

Sprachdiplom
At the apex of our range of expectations is the Sprachdiplom Level II examination, which is usually taken in winter of Year 13 and which, although not the only examination of its kind in Germany, is a recognized certification that students have reached the required competency level in German to be admitted to a German university.

Sprachdiplom Level I is normally taken in Spring of Year 11 and is an important milestone on the road to learning German at an upper intermediate level and is recognized in Germany as the language prerequisite for entry to a German Oberstufe (broadly a sixth form equivalent, leading to Abitur).

Not all of our students are able to take and pass the Sprachdiplom examinations and therefore there is a selection process for preparation towards these exams which starts in Year 9.

Since the academic Year 2007-2008 the Sprachdiplom Level II and I exams have changed in format to correspond to the Europe-wide classifications of language competency agreed by the Council of Europe. These range from A1 (beginner), through A2, B1, C1 to C2 (near-native). The exams are now classified as Sprachdiplom B2/C1 and A2/B1 respectively.

A Level
The A Level examinations in German are normally taken in Year 13 or exceptionally in Year 12 and test not only communicative skills, but also the ability to analyse and debate within the confines of a foreign language, using literary and cultural topics as a springboard.

The A Level consists of four units; two are tested in the final exams in Year 13. These are the so-called A2 units (not to be confused with the language classifications described above) and build upon the first two units which together constitute the AS Level. Please click here for more information: http://www.edexcel.com/quals/gce/gce08/lang/german/Pages/default.aspx
AS Level
These exams are taken in Year 11 by those students who have shown themselves capable of studying beyond the IGCSE level, by achieving a top grade IGCSE in YEAR 9 or, exceptionally, Year 10. Students, who follow the normal pathway to IGCSE and take the exams in Year 11, will normally complete the AS Level at the end of Year 12 on eight lessons a week, or Year 13 on four lessons a week.

IGCSE
Recent changes to the curriculum and examination formats of the GCSE mean that this examination is longer suitable for our language learners’ profile. Therefore from the academic year 2011-2012 onwards, GSIS will offer the Edexcel IGCSE in German instead. Please click here for further information: http://www.edexcel.com/quals/igcse/igcse09/lang/german/Pages/default.aspx

As mentioned above, this examination is normally taken in Year 11, but given the abilities of many of our students, can be successfully passed in Year 9 or Year 10. It is used, alongside general teacher-based performance assessment, as a selection criterion for the Year 10 to 11 course leading to Sprachdiplom Level I and AS Level.

For further information please contact Mrs Alice Silva Matias : asilva@gsis.edu.hk