German

 

Curriculum Intent:

 

Willkommen! Students of German at Lampton will gain confidence in speaking and writing spontaneous German, and in understanding German that they read and hear. We focus on establishing sound grammar so that students are ready to embrace GCSE German and perhaps even a career in Science, Engineering or Business with German.

 

Students at Lampton have access to a varied curriculum which is enriching both academically and culturally. 

Students develop their communicative competence in four key skills: Listening, Reading, Speaking and Writing.

Lessons are based on three main objectives:

- the learning of new items of vocabulary;

- understanding and applying a grammatical structure concept; and 

- applying these in order to communicate something new.

We encourage a communicative approach in lessons where students are praised and made to feel comfortable when using the target language.

 

Curriculum Overview

At KS3, our intent is to create confident communicators who can talk and write about themselves and their immediate surroundings.

At KS4, our intent is to have students who can communicate about a wider context of topics and have informed opinions about topical issues.

At KS5, our students develop more analytical and evaluative competences by talking and writing about current affairs and history in German-speaking countries, especially Germany. They also study a literary and cinematic piece of work relating to these.

 

Programme of study:

	Autumn 1	Autumn 2	Spring 1	Spring 2	Summer 1	Summer 2
Y7	My world and I: Introducing yourself	My family and I: Describing family members and pets	Free-time: Talking about free-time activities	School is great: Describing and expressing opinions about school life	Safe travels: Describing towns and talking about holiday plans	Festivals: Talking about German culture and analysing a film (Westwind)
Y8	I love holidays: Describing a holiday you have been on	Media fan:  Talking about media, TV and films, and screen time	Stay healthy: Talking about food and living a healthy lifestyle	School trips are fun: Talking about house rules and daily routine	Let’s go out: Talking about going on a date and spending time with friends	Das Wunder von Bern: Narrating the storyline of a German film using past, present and future tense.
Y9	Idols: Talking about role models and experiences	Music: Describing music, bands and festivals	My ambitions: Talking about ambitions and jobs	The childhood: Talking about childhood activities	Rights and duties: Discussing age limits and how to make a difference	Back to school: Discussing school routines, pros and cons of uniform and school rules
Y10	Free-time: Discussing free-time and online  activities.	Technology: Talking about the advantages and disadvantages of technology	My World, your world: Discussing relationships, marriage and friendship	Family: Describing family and discu	Stay healthy: Discussing health and and problems such as smoking, drinking, stress	My area: Discussing where you live, and your dream home.
Y11	Nice holidays: Talking about going on holidays and traveling	Our World: Describing environmental issues and ways to protect it	What you’re your future look like: Discussing university and career choices, and jobs	Festivals: Talking about festivals and celebrations - Christmas, Easter, Karneval in Germany.	Exams: Revision of all topics
Y12	Discussing changes in family structures.   Study of the film ongoing through Y12	Discussing the digital world: the internet, social media and the digitalisation of society.	Discussing youth culture: fashion, music and TV.	Discussing festivals and traditions in German-speaking countries.	Discussing art and architecture across the years.	Discussing Berlin’s culture: history, music, theatre, museums and diversity.
Y13	Discussing migration in German-speaking countries.   Study of the novel and Independent Research Project ongoing through Y13.	Discussing integration in German-speaking countries.	Discussing racism in German-speaking countries.	Discussing Germany & the EU.	Discussing the role of politics and young people.	Discussing German Reunification and its consequences
Literature: Der Besuch der alten Dame by Friedrich Dürrenmatt. Film: Goodbye, Lenin!

 

Knowledge Organisers

Our Knowledge Organisers – containing all key information for KS3 – can be found here:

• Year 7 - Unit 1; Unit 2; Unit 3; Unit 4

• Year 8 - Unit 1; Unit 2; Unit 3; Unit 4; Unit 5

• Year 9 - Unit 1; Unit 2; Unit 3; Unit 4; Unit 5

 

Exam Boards

We follow the AQA course for both GCSE and A-levels.

 

How to help your child

Luckily you do not need to speak German in order to help your child excel.

• Ensure your child completes their homework on time and fully – students are given Quizlet sets based on our Knowledge Organisers to provide a thorough understanding of the course content. Typically, these are set every week.

• Encourage your child to learn bit by bit rather than cramming. Language learning is about spacing and practising. A little and often is key to success.

• Discourage your child from using Google Translate or other online platforms which do not encourage them to manipulate language and verbs. 

 

What enrichment opportunities are there in German?

In recent years, the German department has organised highly successful trips to Germany for Years 9 and 10. There are also regular trips to the British Film Institute in Southbank where students can practise their language skills through the study of film. Occasionally, we visit the Goethe Institut to take part in some of the programmes they offer. Students have also participated in SOAS Capital L Summer Schools where they have learnt a range of languages.

Our team also includes a Modern Language Assistant who works with students in developing their speaking skills in German.

 

What careers can success in German lead to?

Aside from the obvious careers in translation, interpreting, teaching or diplomacy, languages offer a range of enriching career opportunities. A degree in languages can lead to careers in law, finance and the arts. Success in languages shows that you are able to be analytical, communicate well and to understand and empathise with people from diverse countries. You will also be able to work in a German-speaking country and explore opportunities outside of the UK.

 

For further information, please contact:

Mrs Veronika Edwards

Head of German

vedwards@lampton.org.uk