German as a foreign language methodology

Teacher(s)

Suner Munoz Ferran;

Language

Deutsch

Prerequisites

B2+ level in German (Common European Framework of Reference).
 

Main themes

1. The goals and objectives of the teaching of German as a foreign language [in secondary schools in the French speaking Community of Belgium];
2. The description and illustration of approaches, aids and teaching/learning techniques in the field of German as a foreign language;
3. The role of tasks in language learning and teaching (simple vs. complex, pedagogic vs. functional, formal vs. significative, verbal vs. non verbal aspects);
4. The conception and critical discussion of teaching/learning sequences (including formative and certificative testing).
The required level of communicative competence is described as follows:
- Reading comprehension.
Being able to autonomously understand factual texts as well as specialised articles pertaining to the field of teaching and education. Level C2 of the Common European Framework "
- Listening Comprehension.
1. Individual : Having no difficulty in understanding any kind of spoken language, whether live or broadcast, even when delivered at fast native speed, provided the student is given some time to get familiar with the accent.. Being able to understand audiovisual documents pertaining to the field of education.
2. Interactive :Being able to understand a natural conversation between several native speakers on a subject related to the field of teaching or education. Level C2 of the Common European Framework ".
- Speaking (main objective).
1. Individual : Being able to give a clearly developed presentation on a subject in the field of education or teaching, with only occasional reference to written notes. Being able to give a clear, detailed and extended description or account of a topic related to the field of education, integrating themes, developing particular points, and concluding appropriately..
2. Interactive :Being able to take part, unprepared, in a conversation on topics related to the field of education. Being able to prepare, organise, and manage a conversation class, alone or as part of a group. Being able to actively take part in a conversation in familiar situations, being able to present and defend personal opinions. Being able to communicate with such a degree of spontaneity and fluency that normal interaction with native speakers can occur. Being able to take part in discussions about teaching and education in a fluent and efficient way. Being able to skilfully relate one's own contributions to those of other speakers. Level C1 of the Common European Framework". 
- Code :
Students should have full command of the functions of language, and of simple and complex grammatical structures, they should use a wide range of vocabulary (both general and specific). Pronunciation and intonation must not impede spontaneous and easy communication. Particular focus will be put on "classroom language ".

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	The students should acquire the knowledge, the skills and know-how as well as the existential competence (the so-called "savoir-être") necessary to teach German as a foreign language in secondary schools (the so-called "Enseignement de transition de la CFWB"). Demonstrate a high level of communicative competence in the target language.

Content

The "theoretical" part of the course (22.5 hours) covers the analysis of the goals and objectives of teaching German as a foreign language in FWB. It defines a theory of "task" and provides a description of teaching and learning sequences (including formative and summative assessment techniques). It addresses the quality criteria of textbooks, error analysis of language learners, and feedback techniques. It also covers the functions and forms of tests, test construction, and the differences between formal assessments and learning tasks. Special attention will be given to the role of the teacher in the classroom interaction process, as well as to exercises and tasks aimed at promoting written and oral communication skills.
The "seminar" part focuses on both: 1) the presentation, implementation, and critical analysis of didactic sequences (lessons) by the students (15 hours), and 2) the development of the required communicative competence (20 hours). For the latter part, the student will take part in activities designed to practice and develop communicative skills and language proficiency (mainly oral expression) in various situations: interactive classes, debates, role-playing, short lectures, free expression, summaries, etc. Before each activity, the instructor will provide the student with a variety of tools (communication techniques, language functions, general and specialized vocabulary, grammatical reminders, etc.) and resources (written documents, audiovisual materials, websites, etc.) that will enable the student to be effective in each interactive communication scenario, provided they prepare thoroughly. "Feedback" and remediation activities may also be offered if necessary.
As part of the course, students will have the opportunity to obtain an official joint certificate from the Goethe-Institut and UCLouvain for the "Deutsch Lehren und Lernen" (DLL) program. Since obtaining this certificate requires a B2 language level, a certified language test from the Goethe-Institut could be organized free of charge for students, if the course coordinators deem it necessary.

Teaching methods

Documents are available on moodle, but personal notes are still essential (which implies that attendance is required). A personal documentation effort parallel to the course is required. The participation in an inter-university training day organized by the coordinator and the completion of supervised micro-teaching sessions by a mentor teacher are also required.

Evaluation methods

Continuous assessment (30% of the final grade):

• Active participation in the course sessions and activities (class interaction, group work, participation in a study day organized jointly with the Goethe-Institut in May 2025, and implementation of part of the sequence in a school) (15%).
• Regular work in virtual classrooms on the Goethe-Institut's learning platform, necessary for completing the exercises and tasks of DLL 4 (15%).

Final evaluation (70% of the final grade):

• Written assignment to be submitted in the June session focusing on the planning and implementation of a Practice Exploration Project (PEP) around a question that arises from the students' experiences, reactions, interests, and their engagement with the content of DLL 4 (30% of the final grade).
• Oral exam in the June session based on a didactic sequence previously presented and discussed in the theoretical and seminar parts of the course (20% of the final grade).
• An exam in the January session assessing oral and written skills, during which the student is placed in one or more situations similar to those practiced in the seminar part of the course (20% of the final grade).

In case of a second exam registration, the student only retakes the failed parts of the final evaluation.
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Other information

The students are asked to do some further readings (articles, manuals and information found on the web).

Faculty or entity

> ELAL