Intermediate German: Contemporary Life (Foreign Cultural Literacy)
Topics / Contexts / Cultural Products
- Topics should expand and deepen students’ knowledge and understanding of life in German-speaking countries (e.g. family, leisure, work, education, environment), with more emphasis on the context of contemporary social issues (see below).
- Topics should be dealt with in the context of important issues affecting German society today (e.g. reunification, multiculturalism, dealing with the past [Holocaust], Germany’s role in Europe, effects of globalization).
- Continued exposure to major cultural products of general familiarity to German-speaking populations (art, architecture, music, poetry, film, TV, news-media, popular culture).
Texts
- Articles from popular newspapers / magazines; short stories and narratives with gripping story lines that do not require an inordinate amount of cultural background and linguistic knowledge to comprehend; interviews; songs; talk shows, films.
- At least one longer prose text or play (see “extensive reading”) at end of each semester (e.g. Die Ilse ist weg [Noestlinger]; Biedermann.. [Frisch]).
- Two or three full-length films each semester. (Keep students’ background knowledge, linguistic abilities, and interests in mind!)