German Elementary 1

Course Times & Enrolment

This course is currently unavailable.

Course Summary

Our Elementary courses are targeted at those who want to build on what they have learnt in the Beginners courses to reach CEFR A2 level in the language (A2 Basic User). Students will learn to talk with more confidence about their basic background and immediate needs and interests and be able to express their opinions in the simplest terms. Their ability to use grammatical structures and vocabulary will be developed to support this. Students will also develop their ability to understand simple texts.

As learners progress through the 6 Elementary courses, they develop their knowledge and ability to understand and communicate in routine situations. In choosing where to start: Elementary 1-6 students should consult the information on prerequisites.

The six Elementary courses (Elementary 1 to 6), taught over two years, represent a continuation of the Beginners courses. Students will learn to deal with simple, straightforward information and begin to be able to express themselves in routine conversations on simple predictable topics.

By the end of the courses, students will have reached the equivalent of level A2 (Basic User) in the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR): https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/level-descriptions

For further advice on your level and the most appropriate course, please, read the prerequisites or contact languagesforall@ed.ac.uk

Course Details

Pre-requisites for enrolment

Elementary 1 is targeted at:

Existing students who have completed all 3 Beginners courses,
New students who have reached A1 in the CEFR: https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/level-descriptions,
New students who have achieved Standard Grade or GCSE/O-level or equivalent at grade C or above, or equivalent,
New students who have, through less formal contact, knowledge of the very basics of the language.

Depending on their confidence in their ability to use and understand the language described in the level description for Elementary, new students may also like to consider joining the courses from Elementary 2 to 6.

In term 1 we run Elementary 1 and 4, in term 2 Elementary 2 and 5, and in term 3 Elementary 3 and 6.

If you have any queries, please, contact languagesforall@ed.ac.uk

In order to join the Elementary courses in Arabic, you will need knowledge of the scripts of this language at a basic level i.e. the ability to decipher and some ability to form the characters / letters.

Content of Course

The following will be covered across Elementary 1-6:

Countries and languages
Travelling and holidays: at the airport, at the station, directions, etc.
Opinions about tourism, pros and cons
Health and the body
Describing people and their personalities
Sport and leisure
Shopping and eating out
Family and friends
Food and drink
Clothes
Climate and weather
Childhood and school life
Cultural background: festivities, cooking, media, TV, films, etc.
A range of grammatical forms for talking about the present, past and future, comparison, pronouns, etc.
A range of vocabulary

The aim is for students to understand others and make themselves understood in these areas. Grammar and vocabulary will be presented and practised in the contexts above.

Students of Arabic will also further develop their ability to decipher and produce the script.

The above is a sample of the core topics typically covered at Elementary level and gives an indication of the likely content of the course. The content will vary from language to language.

Teaching method(s)

The emphasis of all of our courses is speaking and listening. The lessons focus on language that is required for communicating in real situations.

The lessons include whole class activities and pair or small group work, role-play, responding to short texts and dialogues and watching video clips. Grammar is introduced in context. More extensive written exercises and reading texts are normally only set as homework.

Learning is assessed informally throughout the course with the teacher providing feedback on practice tasks at the end of the course in revision and tests.

Typically, the primary language used in the class is the language being learnt.

Learning outcomes

On completion of all 6 Elementary courses, students will:

Be able to understand frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment)
Be able to communicate about simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters
Be able to describe in simple terms aspects of their background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.
Have developed their ability to use grammatical structures and vocabulary to support this.

By the end of the courses, students will have reached the equivalent of level A2 in Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR): https://www.coe.int/en/web/common-european-framework-reference-languages/level-descriptions

Sources

Core Readings

Berliner Platz 2 NEU – ISBN: 978-312-6060-39-4

Web Sources

Where appropriate web sources will be provided.

Class Handouts

Handouts supplementary to the coursebook.

Queries

If you have questions regarding the course or enrolment, please contact COL Reception at Paterson's Land by email COL@ed.ac.uk or by phone 0131 650 4400.

Student support

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or health condition which may affect your studies, please let us know by ticking the 'specific support needs' box on your course application form. This will allow us to make appropriate adjustments in advance and in accordance with your rights under the Equality Act 2010. For more information please visit the Student Support section of our website.