Courses
Language and Use
In this course students will be introduced to resources, techniques and strategies for independent language learning, review key areas of English grammar, sentence structure and vocabulary necessary for University-level speaking, listening, reading and writing, and learn and practice basic conventions of academic reading and essay-writing: basic textual organization, close and critical reading skills, response to a text, quotation and citation from a text in MLA style. Students are expected to be able to assess their current level of proficiency, set goals for improving their weaknesses and monitor their own progress as they work towards meeting their goals.
Literature: Cambridge English Grammar
Goals: To improve students' listening, reading and writing in preparation for academic study, to review and improve key areas of grammar, vocabulary and sentence structure, and to begin thinking about language learning styles and strategies for improving language skills.
Oral Communication I
In this course students are introduced to and practice academic debates,
discussions and presentations in order to improve their proficiency, accuracy and vocabulary in spoken English and improve their listening skills. In addition, students will develop their critical thinking skills while practicing organizing or running a debate, class activity or discussion.
Prerequisite: Language & Use
Written Communication I
In this course students will identify weaknesses in and improve their written language ability and practice academic essay writing: outlining, developing an argument, critical thinking and reading, and paraphasing, citing and creating a bibliography in MLA style. Students, reflecting on instructor feedback, are expected to be able to assess their own language level and weaknesses in grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary, orthography and punctuation, register, style, coherence and clarity and improve them using independent language learning skills: using dictionaries, assessing their own (and others) work, and self-editing and correcting.
Prerequisite: Language & Use
Translation I
In this course students will translate texts of different registers and genres; they will learn how to do a basic genre analysis of a text and compare/contrast register, tense and aspect and other differences between German and English; they will examine the process and difficulties of translation; they will do source/target text comparison exercises; and, using instructors feedback, learn to independently evaluate and improve their own English.
Prerequisite: Language & Use
Oral Communication II
In this course students will further practice academic debates, discussions and presentations in order to improve their proficiency, accuracy and vocabulary in English. In addition, students will develop critical thinking skills and practice while organizing or running a debate or discussion.
These courses may be paired with HS. See individual course descriptions each semester for more information.
Written Communication II
Using the writing process, which involves improving and developing aspects of a full version of a written text, students of Written Communication II will write research papers of 1,000 to 1,250 words in length. Depending on the instructor, topics for this paper may be relevant for other classes within the English and American Studies department, or chosen by the student or instructor. Research skills such as the use of online databases and evaluating the validity of sources will be practiced and improved, as will the appropriate usage of secondary sources and the incorporation of chosen quotations into one's own line of argumentation.
Building on the language skills emphasized in Written Communication I, students, reflecting on instructor feedback, are expected to be able to assess their own weaknesses in grammar, sentence structure, vocabulary, orthography, punctuation, organization, focusing on a main idea and developing supporting ideas and improve in these areas using independent language learning skills: using dictionaries, assessing their own (and others) work, and self-editing and correcting. In Written Communication II, special attention will be devoted to style, register and diction
Writing assignments in addition to the research paper will vary from instructor to instructor and may include letters of application for a job or an exchange year and a CV, journalistic articles, creative writing such as short stories and descriptive writing. Please check individual course descriptions in Campus for details.
These courses may be paired with HS see individual course descriptions for more information.
Translation 2: NEW VERSION
This course carries on the work started in Translation I - translating from German into English, thereby developing a better understanding for the target language itself, the process of translating, and acts of intercultural communication. However, this time, whenever a text is dealt with, we will also have a particular translation 'problem' in mind, e.g. domestication vs. foreignisation of a source. In addition, we will take serious looks at specific modes of translating - namely, Subtitling, Dubbing and Mediation (an interpreting-like skill now required of school students, which may make this course of particular interest to 'Lehramt' students).
British & American Phonetics
This course deals with both major standardised varieties of English - British English and American English. The sound system of both varieties, including the most common features of colloquial/connected speech, are covered in detail. In addition, the kind of problems learners of spoken English might encounter are exammined, as well as potential 'solutions' to them.