A level Specification and Curriculum Overview

Course currently followed:  AQA German 

Course Entry Requirements 

Grade 7 at German GCSE

Curriculum overview

Introduction

The German A level specification builds on the knowledge, understanding and skills gained at GCSE. It enables students to enhance their linguistic skills and promote and develop their capacity for critical thinking on the basis of their knowledge and understanding of the language, culture and society of the countries where German is spoken. Students will become increasingly confident, accurate and independent users of the language as they develop their communication skills for both practical and intellectual purposes.

Their study will be supported by regular access to authentic up-to-date resources, including online media, focussed teaching of core skills to enable pupils to manipulate the language with more confidence, and regular weekly conversation sessions with a native German language assistant.

The specification requires students to be able to translate to and from German and to engage critically with intellectually stimulating texts, films and other material in German, so that they develop an appreciation of sophisticated and creative uses of language and a thorough understanding of their cultural and social context.

Course content

In the first year of the course (the AS level) the following topic areas will be studied, together with one book or film in German.

• Social issues and trends in German-speaking society - changing family forms, relationship, social networks and internet Youth culture -music, fashion, entertainment

• Artistic culture in the German-speaking world -  festivals, traditions. art and architecture, Berlin - its history, transformation and current trends

During the second year (A Level), an additional book is studied, and the topic areas expanded to include:

• Multiculturalism in German-speaking society - immigration, integration and multiculturalism, racism, and economic and social impact of immigration

• Aspects of political life in the German-speaking world - Germany and the EU, politics and youth’s involvement in it, German Reunification: the situation before and after, and the consequences.

A demanding but very rewarding feature of the new A Level specification is the chance to undertake independent research in German (with teacher support) on topics of specific interest to students, within the cultural and social context of German

Course Breakdown

AS and A Level  each have 3 externally marked assessed papers. The AS qualification is standalone, and does not count towards A Level.

AS Level breakdown

Paper 1: Listening, reading and translation from German to English -                                             45% of qualification

Paper 2: Written response to set work and translation from English to German                           25% of qualification

Paper 3: Speaking: discussion on 2 themes from specification (AS)                                                   30% of qualification

A Level breakdown

Paper 1: Listening, reading and translation from German to English and English to German    50% of qualification

Paper 2: Written response to set works                                                                                                           20% of qualification

Paper 3: Speaking: discussion on 2 themes from specification (AS)

              Discussion on one theme and presentation and discussion on 

              Independent Research Project (A2)                                                                                                   30% of qualification

Enrichment Opportunities

Students are encouraged to take part in the trip to Germany/Austria where they will be able to build their confidence in spoken German as well as improve their cultural understanding.

Students are actively encouraged to read widely as part of their course, including regular listening and reading of German news articles and online access to German-speaking films and TV series. 

We also encourage regular attendance at showings of new German Language films, as well as London theatre performances of German works in the native language or in translation.  

University and Careers

German can be read at university as the main subject, and it can be studied in association with many other subjects – law, economics, commerce, music, international relations, engineering, European studies, drama, as well as with English and other foreign languages.

Germany is at the heart of an expanded Europe, and people with a very good command of German are highly sought after in many fields, as evidenced by our alumni. Students with a qualification in German will definitely enhance their career prospects.

Equipment and Expenses

Essential

Course textbook and grammar books

Optional

Trip to Germany/Austria

Theatre trips where relevant 

Cinema trips where relevant