Module LANG3361: ADVANCED COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN GERMAN

Department: LANGUAGE CENTRE

LANG3361: ADVANCED COMMUNICATION SKILLS IN GERMAN

Prerequisites

• Year Abroad in France.

Corequisites

• None.

Excluded Combination of Modules

• No other German language module available within the Language Centre or MLAC

Aims

• To prepare students for the use of German language and communication skills in a commercial and business environment.
• to develop high level language mediation skills.
• to familiarise students with the language and culture of public and private sector organisations in Germany.

Content

• The content of this module will focus on the development of translation and interpreting skills in a vocational and business context.
• The focus of this module will be on oral and interpreting skills but the syllabus also includes translation from and into German as well as report writing and dealing with standard business correspondence.
• Working in small groups, students will investigate a public or private sector organisation in Germany and will present a profile of their company to their peers.
• Internet and external database resources will be used by students to find the appropriate information and materials they require.
• Students will be asked to prepare job application documents for a graduate level post, in line with German application conventions.
• This will be followed up with role-play exercises where students will act as interviewers and interviewees for graduate level posts.
• Consecutive and simultaneous interpreting skills will be developed through situational role-plays, including dealing with customers, selling to clients and meeting suppliers.
• Dissemination of professional materials will be by students translating from and into German various texts such as marketing materials, company reports and product promotional literature.

Learning Outcomes

• On successful completion of this module learners will be able to:
• give a 15 minute company presentation to their peers demonstrating a high level of presentation skills in German.
• produce business correspondence and reports in line with German conventions.
• translate from and into German a wide range of text types to a high standard, using appropriate reference material.
• interpret accurately and fluently from and into German in a general social context.
• interpret accurately and fluently into English in a general social and semi-professional context.

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• This module is delivered through a combination of seminar style classes and language laboratory interpreting exercises, supplemented by one-to-one tutorial sessions.
• In preparation for each session students will be expected to prepare a set of material, either individually or in small groups, which will be presented and discussed during class time, thus fostering students' development as independent learners.
• Interpreting skills will be developed and assessed through simulated language laboratory role-play exercises.
• The assessment scheme for this module is designed to test students' communication skills and the level of attainment in language production (speaking and writing) and reception (listening and reading).
• In order to reflect the continuous nature of language learning, the module will be assessed by a combination of formative and summative in-course assessment and by formal examination.
• Summative assessments will also fulfil a formative function since feed-back on all summative in-course assessment will be made available to students.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Two formative essays, regular assignments in preparation for seminars.

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University