German
Rationale
The Western Australian Curriculum: Languages enables all students to communicate proficiently in a language other than English by providing students with essential communication skills in that language, an intercultural capability, and an understanding of the role of language and culture in human communication.
In the Western Australian Curriculum, the Languages learning area comprises six subjects: Chinese: Second Language, French: Second Language, German: Second Language, Indonesian: Second Language, Italian: Second Language and Japanese: Second Language.
Language learning broadens students’ horizons to include the personal, social, and employment opportunities that an increasingly interconnected and interdependent world presents. The interdependence of countries means that people in all spheres of life have to be able to negotiate experiences and meanings across languages and cultures. It has also brought the realisation that, despite its status as a world language, a capability only in English is not sufficient, and a bilingual or plurilingual capability is the norm in most parts of the world.
The Western Australian Curriculum: Languages operates from the fundamental principle that for all students, learning to communicate in two or more languages is a rich, challenging experience of engaging with and participating in the linguistic and cultural diversity of our interconnected world. The curriculum builds upon students’ intercultural understanding and sense of identity as they are encouraged to explore and recognise their own linguistic, social, and cultural practices and identities as well as those associated with speakers of the language being learnt.
Aims
The Western Australian Curriculum: Languages aims to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills to ensure that students:
- communicate in the target language
- extend their literacy repertoires
- understand language, culture, learning and their relationship, and thereby develop an intercultural capability in communication
- develop understanding of and respect for diversity and difference, and an openness to different experiences and perspectives
- develop an understanding of how culture shapes worldviews and extend their understanding of themselves, their own heritage, values, culture and identity
- strengthen their intellectual, analytical and reflective capabilities, and enhance their creative and critical thinking skills
- understand themselves as communicators.
Organisation
Content Structure
The Languages learning area comprises six subjects: Chinese: Second Language, French: Second Language, German: Second Language, Indonesian: Second Language, Italian: Second Language and Japanese: Second Language.
The Languages curriculum is written on the basis that schools provide a Languages program, in at least one language, from Pre-primary to Year 10. However, where schools do not have a Languages program in place, the Authority requires schools to teach a minimum of one language, commencing with Year 3 in 2018 (Year 4 in 2019, Year 5 in 2020, Year 6 in 2021, Year 7 in 2022, Year 8 in 2023).
In Years 9 and 10 the study of Languages is optional.
Each of the six Languages subjects is organised into two interrelated strands: Communicating and Understanding. Together, these strands reflect three important aspects of language learning: performance of communication, analysing various aspects of language and culture involved in communication and understanding oneself as a communicator.
Within each strand, a set of sub-strands has been identified, which reflects dimensions of language use and the related content to be taught and learned. The strands and sub-strands do not operate in isolation but are integrated in relation to language use for different purposes in different contexts. The relative contribution of each strand will differ for different languages and for different stages of learning.
Communicating
The Communicating strand focuses on students learning to use the target language to interpret, create and exchange meaning and to use the language to communicate in different contexts. It involves learning to use the target language for a variety of purposes.
- Socialising
The content focuses on interacting orally and in writing to exchange, ideas, opinions, experiences, thoughts and feelings; and participating in planning, negotiating, deciding and taking action.
- Informing
The content develops skills to obtain, process, interpret and convey information through a range of oral, written and multimodal texts; developing and applying knowledge.
- Creating
The content focuses on students engaging with imaginative experience by participating in, responding to and creating a range of texts such as stories, songs, drama and music.
- Translating
The content focuses on developing the skills to move between languages and cultures orally and in writing, recognising different interpretations and explaining these to others.
- Reflecting
The content focuses on providing opportunities for students to participate in intercultural exchange, questioning reactions and assumptions; and considering how interaction shapes communication and identity.
The Communicating strand involves various combinations of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills:
- interacting and interpreting meaning (spoken and written reception)
- interacting and creating meaning (spoken and written production)
and incorporates diverse text types and task types.
Understanding
The Understanding strand focuses on students analysing and understanding language and culture as resources for interpreting and shaping meaning in intercultural exchange.
- Systems of language
The content focuses on students developing the understanding of language as a system, including sound, writing, grammatical and textual conventions.
- Language variation and change
The content focuses on students developing the understanding of how languages vary in use (register, style, standard and non-standard varieties) and change over time and place.
- The role of language and culture
The content focuses on students analysing and understanding the role of language and culture in the exchange of meaning.
Year level descriptions
Year level descriptions provide an overview of the key concepts addressed, along with core content being studied at that year level. They also emphasise the interrelated nature of the two strands and the expectation that planning will involve integration of content from across the strands.
Content descriptions
Content descriptions set out the knowledge, understanding and skills that teachers are expected to teach and students are expected to learn. They do not prescribe approaches to teaching. The core content has been written to ensure that learning is appropriately ordered and that unnecessary repetition is avoided. However, a concept or skill introduced at one year level may be revisited, strengthened and extended at later year levels as needed.
Additional content descriptions are available for teachers to incorporate in their teaching programs. Schools will determine the inclusion of additional content, taking into account learning area time allocation and school priorities.
The additional content will not be reflected in the Achievement Standard.
Achievement standards
From Pre-primary to Year 10, achievement standards indicate the quality of learning that students should typically demonstrate by a particular point in their schooling. An achievement standard describes the quality of learning (e.g. the depth of conceptual understanding and the sophistication of skills) that would indicate the student is well-placed to commence the learning required at the next level of achievement.
Glossary
A glossary is provided to support a common understanding of the key terms and concepts included in the core content.
Student Diversity
The School Curriculum and Standards Authority is committed to the development of a high-quality curriculum that promotes excellence and equity in education for all Western Australian students.
All students are entitled to rigorous, relevant and engaging learning programs drawn from the Western Australian Curriculum: Languages. Teachers take account of the range of their students' current levels of learning, strengths, goals and interests and make adjustments where necessary. The three-dimensional design of the Western Australian Curriculum, comprising learning areas, general capabilities and cross-curriculum priorities, provides teachers with flexibility to cater for the diverse needs of students across Western Australia and to personalise their learning.
Students with disability
The Disability Discrimination Act 1992 and the Disability Standards for Education 2005 require education and training service providers to support the rights of students with disability to access the curriculum on the same basis as students without disability.
Many students with disability are able to achieve educational standards commensurate with their peers, as long as the necessary adjustments are made to the way in which they are taught and to the means through which they demonstrate their learning.
In some cases, curriculum adjustments are necessary to provide equitable opportunities for students to access age-equivalent content in the Western Australian Curriculum: Languages. Teachers can draw from content at different levels along the Pre-primary – Year 10 sequence. Teachers can also use the general capabilities learning continua in Literacy, Numeracy and Personal and social capability to adjust the focus of learning according to individual student need.
Teachers may also need to consider adjustments to assessment of students with disability to ensure student achievement and demonstration of learning is appropriately measured.
English as an additional language or dialect
Students for whom English is an additional language or dialect (EAL/D) enter Western Australian schools at different ages and at different stages of English language learning and have various educational backgrounds in their first languages. While many EAL/D students bring already highly developed literacy (and numeracy) skills in their own language to their learning of Standard Australian English, there are a significant number of students who are not literate in their first language, and have had little or no formal schooling.
The Western Australian Curriculum: Languages is founded on contemporary understandings of language acquisition, where development and learning all the languages students experience in their socialisation and education form part of students’ distinctive linguistic and cultural repertoires. These are variously developed by both the experience of schooling and broader social community experience. These repertoires are an integral part of students’ identities and what they bring to the learning of additional languages as part of the languages learning area within the school curriculum.
While the Western Australian Curriculum: Languages primarily addresses the learning of languages, this learning cannot be separated from the development of students’ more general communicative repertoires. It is through such a relational and holistic approach to languages education that students develop their capabilities in knowing and using multiple languages. Students extend their communicative and conceptual development, learning and identity formation.
In various kinds of bilingual programs, students are afforded an opportunity to learn through the medium of English and another language (students’ first or additional language). These programs are of particular value in ensuring students continue to develop at least two languages that are of value to them. They are of value to both their conceptual development and learning and to their identity formation.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities recognise the importance of literacy to their children. They support literacy education programs that are founded on establishing literacy in their children’s first language. These are the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages their communities use. Literacy in English is regarded as concomitant on first establishing students’ literacy in their first language. Although most bilingual programs in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages are designed to help students’ transition into learning in English, their fundamental value is in the development of bilingual literacy. Strengthening the bilingual literacy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students can significantly contribute to improving their overall academic achievement and success.
While the aims of the Western Australian Curriculum: Languages are the same for all students, EAL/D students must achieve these aims while simultaneously learning a new language and learning content and skills through that new language. These students may require additional time and support, along with teaching that explicitly addresses their language needs. Students who have had no formal schooling will need additional time and support in order to acquire skills for effective learning in formal settings.
Gifted and talented students
Teachers can use the Western Australian Curriculum: Languages flexibly to meet the individual learning needs of gifted and talented students.
Teachers can enrich students' learning by providing them with opportunities to work with learning area content in more depth or breadth (e.g. using the additional content descriptions); emphasising specific aspects of the general capabilities learning continua (e.g. the higher order cognitive skills of the critical and creative thinking capability); and/or focusing on cross-curriculum priorities. Teachers can also accelerate student learning by drawing on content from later year levels in the Western Australian Curriculum: Languages and/or from local, state and territory teaching and learning materials.
Ways of Teaching
The ‘ways of teaching’ aim to support teachers with planning for curriculum delivery across the years of school, with the teaching in each year extending learning in previous years.
The ‘ways of teaching’ complement the principles of teaching and learning in the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline (http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/). The principles focus on the provision of a school and class environment that is intellectually, socially and physically supportive of learning. The principles assist whole-school planning and individual classroom practice.
The Languages learning area is made up of six distinct subjects: Chinese: Second Language, French: Second Language, German: Second Language, Indonesian: Second Language, Italian: Second Language and Japanese: Second Language. The content is presented through two interrelated strands Communicating and Understanding. The Communicating strand focuses on students learning to use the target language to interpret, create and exchange meaning and to use the language to communicate in different contexts while the Understanding strand focuses on students analysing and understanding language and culture as resources for interpreting and shaping meaning in intercultural exchange.
Through learning a language students learn to effectively communicate in the second language they are learning, develop an intercultural capability and understanding of the role of language and culture in communication and reflect on their language use and language learning.
Languages
In Languages students learn to communicate across the five sub strands of Socialising, Informing, Creating, Translating and Reflecting. Students analyse and develop their understanding of language and culture through the three sub strands of Systems of language, Language variation and change and the Role of language and culture. The sub strands are designed to be taught in an integrated way with the aim that they enrich the capability of the students to become successful intercultural communicators. The strands and sub strands do not operate in isolation but are integrated in relation to language use for different purposes in different contexts. The relative contribution of each strand will differ for different languages and for different stages of learning.
To support students' learning, teachers should develop teaching and learning programs in Languages to ensure that:
- the prior knowledge of students is identified to establish a starting point for learning
- in the early years, planning includes child-initiated, self-directed and play based activities
- the sub strands within the Communicating and Understanding strands are incorporated and integrated to ensure rich learning experiences
- opportunities are provided for students to communicate in the target language and to reflect on their communication and language learning experiences
- the target language is used as a means of instruction to build the students’ skills in comprehending spoken language.
To engage students in Languages, teachers typically create learning experiences which:
- draw on students’ personal interests, real-life experiences, or use stimulus materials to create meaningful linkages to the places where the target language is spoken
- use a wide range of authentic texts that are in the target language such as websites, tickets, films, advertisements and children’s picture books
- involve students in the performance, analysis and creation of a range of creative and imaginative texts such as poems, plays, songs and stories
- involve students in learning outside the classroom through exposure to authentic experiences and the facilitation of connection points with the local and wider community
- provide opportunities for students to communicate with first language speakers of the language they are learning through written, digital or spoken communication
- use new and emerging technologies to engage students in their language learning and to facilitate communication between first language speakers of the target language
- include current and/or recent events, issues or ‘hot topics’ that are relevant to young people in the country/countries where the target language is spoken.
Figure 1 is a visual representation of ways of teaching Languages.
For information on how to collect evidence to inform planning for ongoing learning experiences in Languages, refer to ‘Ways of Assessing’.
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| Figure 1:" Ways of teaching in Languages" |
Ways of Assessing
The 'ways of assessing' complement 'ways of teaching' and aim to support teachers in developing effective assessment practices in the Languages.
The 'ways of assessing' also complement the principles of assessment contained in the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline. The assessment principles, reflective questions and assessment snapshots support teachers in reflecting on their own assessment practice in relation to each of the assessment principles. Here teachers will find:
- background information for each principle
- reflective questions
- guidance for addressing the principle within their own assessment practice.
Refer to the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline (http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au) for further guidance on assessment principles, practices and phases of schooling.
The key to selecting the most appropriate assessment is in the answers to several reflective questions. For example:
- How do you use assessment as the starting point of your lesson planning?
- Do your assessments have a clear purpose?
- Do you design assessment tasks in a way that meets the dual purposes of formative and summative assessment?
- How do you use your observations of students (during the course of classroom activities, in assignments and in tests) to determine how learning can be improved?
- How do you identify students' misconceptions or gaps in their learning?
- How do you identify the next skill or understanding a student, or group of students, needs to learn?
- What information do you collect to evaluate your own teaching?
- How do you work with colleagues to evaluate student achievement data and how does this work inform your teaching?
- What range of evidence do you draw on when you report student performance and evaluate your teaching?
In the Languages, the two strands Communicating and Understanding are interrelated and inform and support each other. When developing assessment tasks, teachers provide students with opportunities to communicate in the language that they are learning and to demonstrate their understanding of the language needed for effective and interculturally appropriate communication. Assessment tasks typically address the syllabus content in interconnected ways within relevant, meaningful contexts to students. As students demonstrate their learning in different ways, teachers use ongoing assessment processes that include a diverse array of assessment strategies.
Refer to the Judging Standards tool in the Western Australian Curriculum and Assessment Outline (http://k10outline.scsa.wa.edu.au/home/judging-standards) when reporting against the Achievement Standards; giving assessment feedback; or explaining the differences between one student's achievement and another's.
The following table provides examples of assessment strategies which can enable teachers to understand where students are in their learning. Assessments should also be based on the integration of a range of types and sources of evidence.
| Examples of assessment strategies | Examples of sources of evidence |
|---|---|
Observation | Ongoing and first-hand observations of student learning, their responses, comprehension, pronunciation, use and understanding of a range of vocabulary and grammar documented by the teacher through the use of anecdotal notes, checklists, photographs, videos or audio recordings. Observation may take the following form:
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Group activities | Cooperative activities that provide opportunities for individual and peer-learning. During group work, teachers should stop at key points to check individual student understanding. |
Short responses | Short responses to tasks may take the following form:
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Extended responses | Extended responses to tasks are longer answers that may take the following form:
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Practical and authentic tasks | The demonstration of learning through practical authentic or simulated activities may take the following form:
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Performances or oral presentations | The demonstration of learning in practical performances or presentations, interviews, role play, speeches, simulations, debates and performances may take the following form:
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Visual representations | The demonstration of learning through making connections, showing relationships and concept mapping of student knowledge through visual representations may take the following form:
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Portfolios | Collections of student work that provide long-term documentation of student progress and achievement may take the following form:
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General Capabilities
The general capabilities encompass the knowledge, skills, behaviours and dispositions that will assist students to live and work in the 21st century. Teachers may find opportunities to incorporate the capabilities into the teaching and learning program for the Languages. The general capabilities are not assessed unless they are identified within the content.
Literacy
Students become literate as they develop the knowledge, skills and dispositions to interpret and use language confidently for learning and communicating in and out of school and for participating effectively in society. Literacy involves students in listening to, reading, viewing, speaking, writing and creating oral, print, visual and digital texts, and using and modifying language for different purposes in a range of contexts.
In the Languages, learners of all languages are afforded opportunities for overall literacy development; strengthening literacy-related capabilities that are transferable across the language being learnt, their first language and English. For language learners, literacy involves skills and knowledge that need guidance, time and support to develop. These skills include:
- developing an ability to decode and encode from sound to written systems
- mastering of grammatical, orthographic and textual conventions
- developing semantic, pragmatic and critical literacy skills.
Numeracy
Students become numerate as they develop the knowledge and skills to use mathematics confidently across all learning areas at school and in their lives more broadly. Numeracy involves students recognising and understanding the role of mathematics in the world and having the dispositions and capacities to use mathematical knowledge and skills purposefully.
In the Languages, learners of all languages are afforded opportunities to develop, use and understand patterns, order and relationships, to reinforce concepts, such as number, time and space, in their own and in others’ cultural and linguistic systems.
Information and communication technology (ICT) capability
Students develop ICT capability as they learn to use ICT effectively and appropriately to access, create and communicate information and ideas; solve problems; and work collaboratively in all learning areas at school and in their lives beyond school. ICT capability involves students in learning to make the most of the technologies available to them; adapting to new ways of doing things as technologies evolve and limiting the risks to themselves and others in a digital environment.
Each Languages subject is enhanced through the use of information and communication technology; accessing live language environments and texts via digital media contributes to the development of information technology capabilities as well as linguistic and cultural knowledge.
Critical and creative thinking
Students develop capability in critical and creative thinking as they learn to generate and evaluate knowledge, clarify concepts and ideas, seek possibilities, consider alternatives and solve problems. Critical and creative thinking are integral to activities that require students to reflect broadly and deeply using skills, behaviours and dispositions such as reason, logic, resourcefulness, imagination and innovation in all learning areas at school and in their lives beyond school.
In the Languages, as students learn to interact with people from diverse backgrounds and as they explore and reflect critically, they learn to notice, connect, compare, and analyse aspects of the language and culture. As a result, they develop critical thinking skills as well as analytical and problem-solving skills.
Personal and social capability
Students develop personal and social capability as they learn to understand themselves and others, manage their relationships, lives, work and learning more effectively. The personal and social capability involves students in a range of practices including recognising and regulating emotions; developing empathy for, and understanding of others; establishing positive relationships; making responsible decisions; working effectively in teams; and handling challenging situations constructively.
This involves understanding and empathising, which are important elements of social and intercultural competence. Being open-minded and recognising that people view and experience the world in different ways and learning to interact in a collaborative and respectful manner are key elements of personal and social competence.
In the Languages, learning to interact in a collaborative and respectful manner, being open-minded and recognising that people view and experience the world in different ways are key elements of personal and social competence. Interacting effectively in an additional language and with people of diverse language backgrounds involves negotiating and interpreting meaning in a range of social and cultural situations; essential aspects of learning another language.
Ethical understanding
Across the Western Australian Curriculum, students develop ethical understanding as they identify and investigate ethical concepts, values, character traits and principles and understand how reasoning can assist ethical judgement. Ethical understanding involves students in building a strong personal and socially oriented ethical outlook that helps them to manage context, conflict and uncertainty, and to develop an awareness of the influence that their values and behaviour have on others.
In the Languages, students learn to acknowledge and value difference in their interactions with others and to develop respect for diverse ways of perceiving and acting in the world. Opportunities are provided to monitor and to adjust their own ethical points of view.
Intercultural understanding
Students develop intercultural understanding as they learn to value their own cultures, languages and beliefs, and those of others. They come to understand how personal, group and national identities are shaped, and the variable and changing nature of culture. The capability involves students in learning about and engaging with diverse cultures in ways that recognise commonalities and differences, create connections with others and cultivate mutual respect.
In the Languages, development of intercultural understanding is a central aim, as it is integral to communicating in the context of diversity, the development of global citizenship and lifelong learning. Students bring to their learning various preconceptions, assumptions and orientations shaped by their existing language(s) culture(s) to their learning that can be challenged by the new language experience. Learning to move between the existing and new languages and cultures is integral to language learning and is the key to the development of students’ intercultural capability. By learning a new language students are able to notice, compare and reflect on things previously taken for granted; to explore their own linguistic, social and cultural practices as well as those associated with the new language. They begin to see the complexity, variability and sometimes the contradictions involved in using language.
Learning a new language does not require forsaking the first language. It is an enriching and cumulative process, which broadens the students’ communicative repertoire, providing additional resources for interpreting and making meaning. Students come to realise that interactions between different people through the use of different languages also involves interactions between the different kinds of knowledge, understanding and values that are articulated through language(s) and culture(s). They realise that successful intercultural communication is not only determined by what they do or say, but also by what members of the other language and culture understand from what they say or do.
Cross-Curriculum Priorities
The cross-curriculum priorities address the contemporary issues which students face in a globalised world. Teachers may find opportunities to incorporate the priorities into the teaching and learning program for the Languages. The cross-curriculum priorities are not assessed unless they are identified within the specified unit content.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures
Across the Western Australian Curriculum: Languages, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander histories and cultures priority provides opportunities for students to deepen their knowledge of Australia by engaging with the world's oldest continuous living cultures. Students will understand that contemporary Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities are strong, resilient, rich and diverse. The knowledge and understanding gained through this priority will enhance the ability of young people to participate positively in the ongoing development of Australia.
In the curriculum students are provided with opportunities to develop an understanding of concepts related to the linguistic landscape of Australia and to the concepts of language and culture in general and make intercultural comparisons across languages, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander languages.
Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia
Across the Western Australian Curriculum: Languages, students are able to learn the languages of the Asian region, learning to communicate and interact in interculturally appropriate ways, exploring concepts, experiences and perspectives from within and across Asian cultures.
In all the languages, the priority of Asia and Australia's engagement with Asia provides opportunities for students to develop an appreciation for the place of Australia within the Asian region. They learn how Australia is situated within the Asian region, how our national linguistic and cultural identity is continuously evolving both locally, regionally and within an international context. The curriculum also provides students with opportunities to engage with a range of texts and concepts related to:
- Asia and Australia’s engagement with Asia
- the languages and cultures of Asia
- people of Asian heritage who reside in Australia.
Sustainability
Across the Western Australian Curriculum: Languages, the sustainability priority allows students to develop knowledge, skills and understanding about sustainability within particular cultural contexts. This is crucial in the context of national and international concerns about, for example, climate change, food shortages, and alternative ways of caring for land and agriculture, social and political change, conservation and how language and culture evolve. Through developing a capability to interact with others, negotiating meaning and mutual understanding respectfully and reflecting on communication, students learn to live and work in ways that are both productive and sustainable.
Glossary
German: Second Language
Pre-primary year syllabus
Year Level Description
Students enter the early years of school with established communication skills in one or more languages and varying degrees of early literacy capability. Typically, students come to German: Second Language with little to no prior experience of the German language and culture.
In Pre-primary students communicate in German, interacting and exchanging greetings and simple information about themselves with their teacher and peers, through action-related talk and structured play. They participate in shared activities facilitated by movement and gestures, to perform rhymes, songs and stories or to respond to teacher talk and instruction in German. Students recognise pictures, key words and phrases and written German in rhymes, songs and titles and convey factual information about themselves, using gestures and familiar words. They engage by listening to and viewing short imaginative texts, through action and other forms of expression and participate in shared performance of short imaginative texts, playing with sound patterns and non-verbal forms of expression.
Students become familiar with the systems of the German language, recognising and experimenting with reproducing the sounds and rhythms of spoken German, by singing, reciting and repeating words and phrases in context. They notice and use context-related vocabulary and recognise some first elements of grammar to generate language for purposeful interaction.
In Pre-primary students recognise that while English is the official language spoken in Australia, German is one of many languages, including Aboriginal languages and Torres Strait Islander languages, which is spoken in Australia. They also notice similarities and differences between German and English and begin to develop curiosity around the ideas of language and culture. Creative play in the classroom provides opportunities for exploring these differences.
Students learn German in the early years through rich language input. Regular opportunities to revisit, recycle and review, and continuous feedback, response and encouragement assist students in the language learning process.
Communicating
Socialising
Interact with the teacher and peers using action-related talk and structured play, to exchange greetings such as Guten Morgen!; Auf Wiedersehen!; Danke!
Introduce and share information about themselves, for example, Wie heißt du?; Ich heiße ... und du? Magst du...?; Ja; Nein; Wie geht’s? Gut/Schlecht/Es geht
(ACLGEC103)
Participate in shared action with the teacher and peers using simple, repetitive key words, images, movement and songs such as Kopf, Schulter, Knie und Fuß
(ACLGEC104)
Respond to teacher talk and instruction, for example, Steh auf; sieh mich an; hört zu, genau hinhören!; im Kreis; Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen? Wie sagt man ... auf Deutsch?
(ACLGEC105)
Informing
Recognise pictures, symbols, key words and phrases of spoken and written German in rhymes, songs, labels and titles related to their personal worlds
(ACLGEC106)
Convey factual information about their personal worlds using songs, rhymes, gestures, pictures, labels, captions and familiar words
(ACLGEC107)
Creating
Engage by listening to and viewing a range of short, imaginative texts and respond through action, dance, singing, drawing, movement and other forms of expression
(ACLGEC108)
Participate in the shared performance of songs or rhymes, playing with sound patterns, rhyming words and non-verbal forms of expression
(ACLGEC109)
Translating
Share with others familiar German words, phrases, sounds and gestures, noticing how they may have similar or different meanings in English or other known languages
(ACLGEC110)
Reflecting
Begin to notice how German feels/sounds different when speaking, singing a song or hearing it spoken by others compared with using and hearing their own language(s)
(ACLGEC112)
Understanding
Systems of language
Recognise and experiment with reproducing the sounds and rhythms of spoken German such as ch (ich or acht), u (du), r (rot) and z (zehn), by singing, reciting and repeating words and phrases in context
Notice that all nouns are capitalised in German
(ACLGEU114)
Notice and use context-related vocabulary to generate language
Recognise some first elements of grammar, including:
- noticing that German has multiple words for ‘the’
- identifying people, animals and things using an article and a concrete noun, for example, der Lehrer, eine Freundin, or a pronoun, for example, ich, du, er, sie, es, wir
- understanding and describing actions using verbs such as gehen, kommen, machen, malen, lesen, schreiben, sehen, singen, spielen and wohnen
- understanding and using some question words and the intended/related answer in limited contexts, including was (an object) and
wer (a person) - gaining awareness of terms referring to quantities of people and things, including cardinal numbers 0–10
- using simple adjectives to describe things such as braun, rot, blau, groβ, klein, schnell, langsam
- gaining awareness of vocabulary referring to time of the day such as Morgen, Nachmittag, Mittag, days, months and seasons
(ACLGEU115)
Recognise that language is organised as ‘text’ that can be spoken, written, digital, visual or multimodal
(ACLGEU116)
Language variation and change
Recognise that in German, as in English and other languages, there are different ways of greeting and interacting with people, for example, first names with peers Tag, Luke! and Guten Morgen, Frau Stein! for the teacher
(ACLGEU117)
Role of language and culture
Recognise that German is one of many languages spoken in Australia, including Aboriginal languages and Torres Strait Islander languages, Asian languages and world languages
(ACLGEU118)
Achievement standard
At standard, students interact in German with their teacher and each other through action-related talk, structured play, classroom instructions and routines to exchange simple greetings and to provide information about themselves such as Ich heiße ... und du?, Auf Wiedersehen, Danke! and Ich wohne ... . They participate in shared performance of familiar stories, songs and other forms of expression. Students identify most keywords and some phrases of spoken German relating to their personal worlds and convey some simple, factual information through verbal and non-verbal forms of expression. They participate in shared performance of imaginative texts, such as familiar songs and rhymes, and respond, with guidance, through verbal and non-verbal forms of expression. They share with others familiar German words, phrases and gestures related to their personal worlds and explore how these may have similar or different meanings in English. They begin to talk about how German feels/sounds different when speaking or hearing it spoken by others.
Students recognise and occasionally experiment with reproducing key vowel sounds and rhythms of spoken German, sometimes with guidance, with a satisfactory level of accuracy. They recognise and use words and expressions and write simple texts, such as such as lists and labels, using vocabulary and some first elements of grammar with a satisfactory level of accuracy. Students comment on how language is organised as ‘text.’They recognise that German uses the same alphabet. They notice that German has multiple words for ‘the,’ can use simple adjectives to describe and identify people, animals and objects using an article and a concrete noun such as eine Freundin, or a pronoun such as ich, du, er, sie, es and wir. Students describe actions using verbs, understand and use some question words. They show an awareness of terms referring to quantities of people and things, including cardinal numbers 0–10, and of vocabulary referring to time of the day, days, months and seasons. They begin to show an awareness of culture and notice that German speakers communicate in some ways different to their own. They identify that there are different ways of greeting, addressing and interacting with people, and usually act accordingly. Students recognise that German is one of many languages spoken in Australia and around the world, and that languages people use relate to who they are and where and how they live.
Year 1 Syllabus
Year Level Description
Year 1 German: Second Language builds on the skills, knowledge and understanding required by students to communicate in the German language developed in Pre-primary and focuses on extending their oral communication skills. Typically, the students’ only exposure to and experience of the German language and culture is from their school learning environment.
Students communicate in German, interacting with their teacher and peers to share information about themselves, their age and where they live, and to talk about their favourite things. They participate in guided group activities, using simple repetitive language to support understanding and to convey meaning or to respond to teacher talk and instruction in German. Students locate key words and information in simple texts and convey factual information about their personal worlds using pictures, familiar words and simple statements. They participate in listening to and viewing a range of short imaginative texts and in shared performance of short imaginative texts.
Students become familiar with the systems of the German language, recognising and reproducing the sounds and rhythms of spoken German, developing familiarity with the German alphabet and sound-letter correspondence. They notice and use context-related vocabulary and recognise some first elements of grammar to generate language for a range of purposeful interactions.
In Year 1 students recognise that Australia is a multilingual society with speakers of many different languages, including German and that German and English borrow words and expressions from each other. They know that language is used differently in different situations and between different people. They identify differences and similarities between their own and others’ languages and cultures.
Students learn German in the early years through rich language input. Regular opportunities to revisit, recycle and review, and continuous feedback, response and encouragement assist students in the language learning process.
Communicating
Socialising
Interact with the teacher and peers, using simple modelled language and gestures, to share information about themselves, their age and where they live and to talk about their favourite things,
for example, Ich bin fünf; Wie alt bist du?; Ich wohne in Perth; Ich mag … (nicht);ich mag Äpfel; Ich habe eine Katze; Mein Lieblingstier ist... Hast Du einen Bleistift?; Ich habe einen Bleistift
(ACLGEC103)
Participate in guided group activities, using simple repetitive language in songs and rhymes such as
1, 2, Polizei, games, gestures and pictures to support understanding and to convey meaning
(ACLGEC104)
Respond to teacher talk and instruction, for example, Entschuldigung!; Bitte; Hebt/Heb die Hand; Sprecht/Sprich lauter/leiser
(ACLGEC105)
Informing
Locate key words and information in simple spoken and written texts such as charts, lists, labels and captions, rhymes and songs, related to their personal worlds
(ACLGEC106)
Convey factual information about their personal worlds using pictures, labels, captions, familiar words and simple statements
(ACLGEC107)
Creating
Participate in listening to and viewing a range of short imaginative texts and respond through action, dance, singing, drawing and collaborative retelling
(ACLGEC108)
Participate in the shared performance of songs, rhymes, stories and the presentation of action stories using verbal and non-verbal forms of expression and modelled language
(ACLGEC109)
Translating
Share with others simple German expressions, sounds and gestures, name familiar objects and use German and/or English to conduct simple conversations
(ACLGEC110)
Reflecting
Notice ways of talking in German that appear different to their own ways and how voice, behaviour and body language may change when speaking German
(ACLGEC112)
Understanding
Systems of language
Recognise and reproduce the sounds and rhythms of spoken German, developing familiarity with the German alphabet and sound-letter correspondence, for example, through singing das Alphabetlied or playing games such as Ich sehe was, was du nicht siehst
(ACLGEU114)
Notice and use context-related vocabulary and some first elements of grammar to generate language for a range of purposes, including:
- noticing that German has multiple words for ‘the’ and ‘a/an’
- using the possessive adjectives mein/e and dein/e or a form of haben and an indefinite article to express a relationship to an object, for example, Das ist mein Bleistift
- gaining awareness of terms referring to quantities of people and things, including cardinal numbers 0–20 and mehr and weniger
- understanding and using some question words and the intended/related answer in limited contexts, including was (an object), wer (a person), wie (manner) and wie viele (quantity)
- using simple modelled questions and statements
- negating verbs and adjectives using nicht
(ACLGEU115)
Understand that language is organised as ‘text’ and that different types of texts have different features
(ACLGEU116)
Language variation and change
Recognise that German speakers use language differently in different situations such as when socialising with peers and friends, at home with the family, for example, Ein Kuss, Papa! Ich liebe dich, mein Schatz!
(ACLGEU117)
Role of language and culture
Recognise that Australia is a multilingual society with speakers of many different languages, including German and that German and English borrow words and expressions from each other
(ACLGEU118)
Achievement standard
At standard, students interact in German with their teacher and each other through guided group activities and tasks to share information about themselves, their age and where they live, and to talk about their favourite things. They respond to teacher talk and instructions, using appropriate non-verbal forms of expression, or short one or two-word answers. Students recognise key words and specific information in simple spoken and written texts relating to their personal worlds and convey factual information. Students use familiar words, short statements or phrases and simple sentences with guidance, to identify and describe people and objects in the family and school domains such as der Lehrer, eine Freundin, Das ist mein Heft. They participate in shared performance of short spoken and visual imaginative texts and respond through verbal and non-verbal forms of expression and well-rehearsed language. They use German and English to share with others simple German expressions, sounds and gestures, and name some familiar objects.
Students become familiar with the sounds and rhythms of spoken German, developing familiarity with the German alphabet and sound-letter correspondence. They recognise that using a language involves behaviours as well as words, and that voice, behaviour and body language may change when interacting in German. They identify some words that are written the same in both German and English but pronounced differently, and provide an example of a word or expression that German and English borrow from each other. They use familiar vocabulary and recognise some first elements of grammar. Students use German and/or English to conduct short conversations using simple modelled questions and statements that include some pronouns such as ich, du, sie and wir and possessive adjectives mein/e and dein/e. Students recognise that German has multiple words for ‘the’ and ‘a/an’ and gain awareness of terms referring to quantities of people and things, including cardinal numbers 0–20 and mehr and weniger. Students make some comments about how language is organised as ‘text’ and that different types of texts have different features. They recognise that German speakers use language differently in different situations. Students recognise that Australia is a multilingual society and provide an example of a word or expression that English has borrowed from German.
Year 2 Syllabus
Year Level Description
Year 2 German: Second Language builds on the skills, knowledge and understanding required to communicate in the German language developed in Year 1 and focuses on extending the oral communication skills of students.
Students communicate in German, interacting with their teacher and peers in routine exchanges such as asking each other how they are, offering wishes and talking about events in the day and over the year. They participate in guided group activities, taking turns and forming groups, or respond to teacher talk and instruction in German. Students identify specific points of information from familiar types of simple spoken, written or digital texts to complete guided tasks and convey factual information about their personal worlds. They engage with a range of imaginative texts through shared reading, collaborative retelling and performance and create stories and perform imaginative scenarios.
Students become familiar with the systems of the German language, reproducing the sounds and rhythms of spoken German and beginning to apply punctuation rules. They recognise and begin to write high-frequency words and expressions in familiar contexts. Students notice and use context-related vocabulary and understand some first elements of grammar to generate language for a range of purposeful interactions such as gaining awareness of vocabulary referring to time and describing people, animals or objects.
In Year 2 students recognise that all languages, including German, continuously change over time through contact with each other and through changes in society. They understand similarities and differences between aspects of German and Australian cultural practices and related language use.
Students learn German in the early years through rich language input. At this stage, play and imaginative activities, music, movement and familiar routines, opportunities to revisit, recycle and review, and continuous feedback, provide the essential scaffolding to assist students in the language learning process.
Communicating
Socialising
Interact with the teacher and peers, using simple descriptive or expressive modelled language and gestures, to participate in routine exchanges such as asking each other how they are, offering wishes and talking about events in the day and over the year, for example, Ich gehe zur Schule. Ich spiele Fußball; Ich mag tanzen; Wochentage; Monate; Ich esse Frühstück; Mein Geburtstag ist am 25. März; Alles Gute zum Geburtstag, Gregor!; Frohe Weihnachten
(ACLGEC103)
Participate in guided group activities, simple tasks, transactions and games such as Hatschi Patschi, Hier ist Platz, Lotto and Stille Post and associated language such as in taking turns and forming groups using numbers or colours, for example, Wer ist dran?; Ich bin dran; Blau ist hier; Gruppe 2 ist hier
(ACLGEC104)
Respond to teacher talk and instruction, for example, Seid ihr bereit? Wer ist dran? Bin ich dran? Du bist an der Reihe
(ACLGEC105)
Informing
Identify specific points of information from familiar types of simple spoken, written or digital texts to complete guided tasks related to their personal worlds
(ACLGEC106)
Convey factual information about their personal worlds using familiar words and phrases, simple statements and modelled language
(ACLGEC107)
Creating
Participate in listening to, viewing and reading a range of imaginative texts and respond through action, performance, shared reading and collaborative retelling
(ACLGEC108)
Create stories and perform imaginative scenarios, through role-play, mime, drawing, oral discussion or scaffolded writing activities, using familiar words and modelled language
(ACLGEC109)
Translating
Translate for others what they can express in German, interpreting simple expressions and songs and explain how meanings are similar or different in English or other known languages
(ACLGEC110)
Reflecting
Recognise similarities and differences between aspects of cultural practices and related language use in German-speaking countries and Australia
(ACLGEC112)
Understanding
Systems of language
Reproduce the sounds and rhythms of spoken German, understanding that although German and English use the same alphabet, there are additional symbols in German such as the Eszett (ß) and the Umlaut to alter the pronunciation of particular vowels (ä, ö, ü)
Begin to apply punctuation rules in German such as capital letters, full stops and question marks
Recognise and begin to write high-frequency words and expressions in familiar contexts
(ACLGEU114)
Notice and use context-related vocabulary and understand some first elements of grammar to generate language for a range of purposes including:
- describing people, animals or objects using bin/bist/ist and an adjective, for example, Ich bin klein; Der Bär ist braun; Das Buch ist neu
- understanding and using some question words and the intended/related answer in limited contexts, including was (an object), wer (a person), wie (manner), wo (a place), wann (a time) and wie viele (quantity)
- understanding the location or origin of a person or object such as hier, links and rechts and prepositions such as auf, aus, hinter, in, neben and unter
- gaining awareness of terms referring to quantities of people and things, including cardinal numbers 0-50 and mehr, weniger, viel/e, nichts and kein/e
- gaining awareness of vocabulary referring to time such as days, months, time of day and o’clock time, for example, Morgen; Nachmittag; Mittag; Es ist drei Uhr
- using simple modelled questions and statements such as Das ist mein Bleistift; Ich habe einen Bruder
(ACLGEU115)
Understand that language is organised as ‘text’ that takes different forms and uses different structures and features to achieve its purpose
(ACLGEU116)
Language variation and change
Understand that German speakers use language differently in different situations and according to cultural norms such as when at home with the family or in the classroom, for example, Entschuldigen Sie, Herr Steiner; Es tut mir leid ...
(ACLGEU117)
Role of language and culture
Recognise that all languages, including German, change continuously through contact with each other and through changes in society
(ACLGEU118)
Achievement standard
At standard, students interact in German with the teacher and each other through guided group activities, simple tasks and games, to participate in routine exchanges, using simple descriptive and expressive modelled language, to ask each other how they are feeling, to offer wishes and to talk about events in the day and over the year. They responds usually to teacher talk and instructions. They identify rehearsed vocabulary in simple texts and convey some information related to their personal worlds. They respond to imaginative texts through simple verbal and non-verbal forms of expression and some modelled language and create simple stories and perform imaginative scenarios using familiar words and modelled language. Students translate and interpret familiar simple expressions. They recognise and give an example of how meanings are similar or different in different languages. They identify some similarities and differences between cultural practices of German-speaking communities and their own environment.
Students become familiar with the systems of the German language, reproducing the sounds and rhythms of spoken German with a satisfactory level of accuracy and consistency. They recognise and begin to write words and expressions they have heard in familiar contexts. They begin to use some first elements of grammar with a satisfactory level of accuracy, to write simple texts such as lists, captions and descriptions. Students describe people, animals or objects using bin/bist/ist and an adjective such as Das Buch ist neu. They understand and use some question words and can respond to them. They understand the location or origin of a person or object such as hier, links and rechts and prepositions such as auf, aus, hinter, in, neben and unter. Students gain an awareness of terms referring to quantities of people and things, including cardinal numbers 0–50 and mehr, weniger, viel/e, nichts and kein/e, as well as vocabulary referring to time such as days, time of day, months and time. Students identify some different forms of texts that use different structures and features to achieve their purpose. Students recognise usually that German speakers use language differently in different situations, and that languages change through contact with other people and through changes in society.
Year 3 Syllabus
Year Level Description
Year 3 German: Second Language builds on the skills, knowledge and understanding required to communicate in the German language developed in Year 2 and focuses on extending the oral and written communication skills of students. They benefit from varied, activity-based learning that builds on their interests and capabilities and makes connections with other areas of learning.
Students communicate in German, interacting and socialising with their teacher and peers to exchange information about friends and family members. They participate in class experiences and everyday transactions that involve following instructions, asking questions and making statements. Students locate specific points of information in a range of short spoken, written or multimodal texts and convey factual information about their personal worlds in simple statements, short descriptions and modelled texts. They participate in and respond to a range of imaginative texts, identifying and comparing favourite elements and making simple statements about characters or themes. Students create and perform short imaginative texts that use familiar expressions and modelled language as well as simple visual supports.
Students become familiar with the systems of the German language, experimenting with intonation patterns and with the pronunciation of short and long single vowel and diphthong sounds. They write high-frequency words and expressions in familiar contexts. Students notice and use context-related vocabulary and apply elements of grammar in simple spoken and written texts such as using present tense forms of irregular verbs and understanding and describing current and recurring actions using verbs, to generate language for a range of purposeful interactions. They begin to develop a metalanguage in German for talking about language, using terms similar to those used in English.
Students are encouraged to describe their German learning experiences and explore their own sense of identity and ways that they use language differently when they are interacting with different people.
In Year 3 students require extensive support with their language learning. Tasks are carefully scaffolded, models and examples are provided along with support for self-monitoring and reflection. Students are encouraged to use German as much as possible for classroom routines, social interactions and for learning tasks.
Communicating
Socialising
Interact and socialise with the teacher and peers, using simple descriptive or expressive modelled language and gestures, to exchange information about friends and family members, for example,
Ich habe einen Bruder und zwei Schwestern;
Das ist mein Onkel; Meine Schwester ist zehn Jahre alt. Sie hat blaue Augen; Mein Vater ist sehr sportlich und intelligent. Er spielt sehr gern Fuβball und liest gern Comics; Ich liebe meine Oma; Meine Mutter ist schön
Participate in routine exchanges such as asking each other how they are and offering wishes, for example, Guten Morgen Frau Jelek, wie geht es Ihnen? Hallo Selens, wie geht es dir? Nicht schlecht und dir? Gute Nacht Papa! Wir sehen uns morgen Frau Jones; Bis später; Viel Glück! Wie heißen Sie?
(ACLGEC120)
Participate in class experiences, activities and everyday transactions that involve following instructions, asking questions and making statements, asking for help and permission, using formulaic expressions such as Wie bitte? Ich verstehe das nicht. Welche Seite? Wie sagt man das auf Deutsch?
(ACLGEC121)
Informing
Locate specific points of information in a range of short written, spoken, multimodal and digital texts related to their personal worlds
(ACLGEC123)
Convey factual information about their personal worlds in simple statements, short descriptions and modelled texts
(ACLGEC124)
Creating
Participate in and respond to a range of imaginative texts, acting out events, identifying and comparing favourite elements and making simple statements about characters or themes
(ACLGEC125)
Create and present short imaginative texts that use familiar expressions and modelled language as well as simple visual supports
(ACLGEC126)
Translating
Translate high-frequency words and expressions in simple texts such as captions, story titles or recurring lines in a story, noticing which ones are difficult to interpret
(ACLGEC127)
Reflecting
Notice what looks or feels similar or different to their own language and culture when interacting in German, for example, recognising that there are similarities and differences between German and English ways of showing politeness
(ACLGEC129)
Understanding
Systems of language
Experiment with the pronunciation of short and long single vowel and diphthong sounds, including ja, rot, singen, Sport, Winter, zwei
Recognise and use the Eszett and Umlaut to pronounce and write familiar German words
Experiment with intonation patterns
Use punctuation rules in German such as capital letters for nouns, full stops, question marks, exclamation marks, commas and quotation marks
Recognise and write high-frequency words and expressions in familiar contexts
(ACLGEU131)
Notice and use context-related vocabulary and apply elements of grammar in simple spoken and written texts to generate language for a range of purposes, including:
- recognising the link between a noun’s gender and its definite/indefinite article and nominative pronoun in relation to people, for example, der Bruder, ein Bruder, er
- noticing that nominative and accusative indefinite articles denote an unspecified person or object, for example, Rotkäppchen hatte einen Korb
- using the possessive adjectives mein/e and dein/e or a form of haben and an indefinite article to express a relationship to a person, for example, Meine Schwester ist zehn Jahre alt; Ich habe einen Bruder
- comparing pluralisation of some nouns in German and English and using die for plural nouns in German, for example, der Apfel/die Äpfel
- describing a relationship using a possessive adjective, for example, mein/e, dein/e, sein/e, ihr/e
- understanding and using pronouns to refer to people, for example, ich, du, er, sie (singular); wir, ihr, sie (plural); Sie heißt Anna, Sie heißen Ben und Sarah
- using present tense forms of irregular verbs such as haben and sein and recognising similarities to the English verbs ‘to have’ and ‘to be’
- understanding and describing current and recurring actions using verbs such as essen, fliegen, fressen, laufen, leben,schwimmen, sprechen and trinken
- understanding the meaning of and using common time phrases and cohesive devices, for example, gestern, heute, dann and zuerst
Begin to develop a metalanguage in German for talking about language, using terms similar to those used in English
(ACLGEU132)
Recognise the particular language features and textual conventions in simple, familiar, spoken, written and multimodal German texts
(ACLGEU133)
Language variation and change
Understand and demonstrate how language use varies according to the participants’ age, gender and relationship and the context of use
(ACLGEU134)
Role of language and culture
Notice differences between German, Australian and other cultures’ practices and how these are reflected in language
(ACLGEU136)
Achievement standard
At standard, students interact and socialise with their teacher and others in classroom situations, to exchange information in detail about friends and family members. They talk about likes and dislikes using mostly descriptive or expressive modelled language. They follow instructions and use formulaic expressions such as Wie bitte? or Ich verstehe das nicht to ask questions, make statements, request assistance or ask for permission. They locate specific points of information in a range of short texts, and convey factual information and interpret familiar vocabulary related to their personal worlds in simple statements or short descriptions. They participate in and respond, at times with occasional guidance, to a range of short imaginative texts, through preparing and rehearsing short presentations. They create and perform short imaginative texts, with occasional guidance, using familiar and modelled language. They use appropriate modelled strategies to translate common words in simple texts and attempt to identify less familiar words that are difficult to interpret. Students identify similarities and differences between German and their own language(s) and culture.
Students experiment with intonation patterns and specific vowel and diphthong sounds such as ja, rot and Sport. They are aware that German uses the same alphabet as English, but they identify and use special elements of German spelling and pronunciation, such as ß and Umlaut. They use vocabulary and apply basic elements of grammar in simple spoken and written texts with a satisfactory level of accuracy, such as recognising gender and definite/indefinite articles, for example der Bruder and ein Bruder. Students use adjectives with the verb sein such as Meine Mutter ist intelligent, or in combination with an article and noun, where an adjective ending is required such as Er hat braune Augen. They use pronouns such as ich, du, er, sie, wir, ihr and sie and possessive adjectives such as mein and dein, together with forms of the verbs haben and sein to refer to people and express relationships between them. They use question words such as wie, wer, was and ja/nein questions. They use common phrases and conjunctions to talk about time and occurrence. Students begin to describe, with guidance, how the German language works, using terms similar to those used in English. Students apply some of the language features and textual conventions in simple, familiar texts. They show how language use varies according to gender, age and context, and identify and provide an example of differences in cultural practices and how these are reflected and represented in language.
Year 4 Syllabus
Year Level Description
Year 4 German: Second Language builds on the skills, knowledge and understanding required to communicate in the German language developed in Year 3 and focuses on extending the oral and written communication skills of students.
Students communicate in German, interacting and socialising with the teacher and peers to exchange information about aspects of their personal worlds, including their daily routines at home and school, and their interests. They contribute collaboratively to class experiences that involve asking for help, clarification and permission, solving problems and sharing decisions. Students locate and process factual information in written, spoken and multimodal texts and gather and convey factual information and short descriptions from familiar texts related to their personal and social worlds. They participate in and respond to a range of imaginative texts, discuss messages and make statements about characters or themes. Students create and perform short imaginative texts that allow for exploration and enjoyment of language and cultural expression, using familiar expressions and modelled language.
Students become familiar with the systems of the German language, experimenting with encoding and decoding familiar German words using alphabetic knowledge. They notice and use context-related vocabulary and apply elements of grammar in simple spoken and written texts such as recognising and describing past events using the simple past tense of familiar verbs, to generate language for a range of purposeful interactions. Students begin to develop a metalanguage in German for talking about language, using terms similar to those used in English.
Students are encouraged to define their German learning experiences and make connections between culture and language use by identifying vocabulary and expressions that reflect different cultural values, traditions or practices.
In Year 4 students continue to require extensive support with their language learning. Purposeful communicative activities and experiences are planned, models and examples are provided, along with support for self‑monitoring and reflection. Language experience and input include authentic texts that may require some modification to include familiar vocabulary and simple sentence structures. Students continue to be encouraged to use German as much as possible for social interactions and in learning tasks.
Communicating
Socialising
Interact and socialise with the teacher and peers, using simple descriptive or expressive modelled language, to exchange information about aspects of their personal worlds, including their daily routines at home and school and their interests, for example, Wie spät ist es? Es ist viertel vor neun; Ich stehe um 7.30 Uhr auf. Dann frühstücke ich; Ich schwimme und surfe oft; Was ist dein Lieblingsfach? Ja, ich mag Deutsch. Wie findest du Mathe?; Ich finde Sport interessant. Und du?
(ACLGEC120)
Contribute collaboratively to class experiences, activities and transactions that involve asking for help, clarification and permission, solving problems and sharing decisions such as creating a display or conducting a role play or scenario, science experiments, cooking or craft activities
(ACLGEC121)
Informing
Locate and process factual information in a range of written, spoken, digital and multimodal texts related to their personal and social worlds
(ACLGEC123)
Gather and convey factual information, simple statements and short descriptions from familiar texts related to their personal and social worlds
(ACLGEC124)
Creating
Participate in and respond to a range of imaginative texts, discussing messages and using modelled language to make statements about characters or themes
(ACLGEC125)
Create and perform short imaginative texts that allow for exploration and enjoyment of language, cultural expression and performance using familiar expressions, simple statements and modelled language
(ACLGEC126)
Translating
Translate words, phrases and expressions in simple texts such as Die Kleine Raupe Nimmersatt and The Very Hungry Caterpillar to compare meanings and share understandings about aspects of German language and culture that are different from English
Use visual, print or online dictionaries, word lists and pictures to translate simple familiar texts such as labels or captions
(ACLGEC127)
Reflecting
Notice and describe how language reflects cultural practices and norms, for example, wanting to use one word for ‘you’ and not expecting to capitalise all nouns
(ACLGEC129)
Understanding
Systems of language
Experiment with encoding and decoding familiar German words using alphabetic knowledge of single letters, consonant clusters (sch) and vowel combinations (au, ei, eu, ie)
Understand that intonation patterns create different meanings, as in the distinction between statements, questions and exclamations, for example, Du bist acht; Du bist acht?; Du bist acht!
Recognise and apply basic rules for German pronunciation
Understand and apply punctuation rules in German, including the meaning and use of full stops and commas in ordinal and decimal numbers, for example, die 3. Klasse and 9,50 Euro and capitalisation rules
Write high-frequency words and expressions in familiar contexts
(ACLGEU131)
Notice and use context-related vocabulary and apply elements of grammar in simple spoken and written texts to generate language for a range of purposes, including:
- describing capabilities and preferences using limited forms of the modal verbs können and mögen, for example, Ich kann gut schwimmen; Er mag Cricket; Wir möchten eine Party machen
- recognising and describing past events using the simple past tense of familiar verbs such as war, hatte, ging, sah, spielte and machte
- joining words, phrases and sentences using und, oder and aber
- understanding and formulating questions using subject–verb inversion, for example, Magst du Sport?
- understanding a range of question words and the intended/related answer, for example, woher, welcher and wie viel
- locating events in time with regard to days, months, seasons and ‘half past’ time, for example, Ich spiele im Winter Fußball; Die Schule beginnt um halb neun
- describing location formulaically using prepositional phrases such as im Wasser; in der Luft; auf dem Land; neben dem Tisch; auf der linken Seite
- using the correct verb form associated with a noun or pronoun or combination thereof, for example, Die Lehrerin singt ein Lied; Herr Schwarz trinkt Kaffee; Sie spielt Tennis; Mein Freund und ich sprechen Englisch
- using ordinal numbers to give the date, for example, Heute ist der dritte Juli; Er hat am siebten August Geburtstag
- referring to quantities of people and things (including money) using cardinal numbers up to 100
Begin to develop a metalanguage in German for talking about language, using terms similar to those used in English
(ACLGEU132)
Notice differences in familiar texts such as personal, informative and imaginative texts and explain how particular features of such texts help to achieve their purpose
(ACLGEU133)
Language variation and change
Understand that different ways of using the German language reflect different regions and countries, different relationships and different ways of making meaning
(ACLGEU134)
Role of language and culture
Recognise that German is the sole official language of Germany, Austria and Liechtenstein and an official language in Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg and South Tyrol and an important European and global language
(ACLGEU135)
Make connections between culture and language use by identifying vocabulary and expressions that reflect different cultural values, traditions or practices
(ACLGEU136)
Achievement standard
At standard, students interact with the teacher and others in classroom situations to exchange information related to aspects of their personal worlds, daily routines at home and school, and their interests. They use simple descriptive or expressive modelled language with guidance, to provide information, make statements and answer a variety of questions such as Wie spät ist es?, Was ist dein Lieblingsfach? and Ich finde Sport interessant, und du? Students select familiar vocabulary from a range of texts and convey factual information about their personal worlds with simple statements, short descriptions and modelled texts. They participate in and respond to a range of imaginative texts, with occasional guidance, and create, rehearse and perform presentations or short imaginative texts, using simple modelled language, including some coordinating conjunctions, such as und, aber and oder. Students translate words, phrases and expressions, and attempt to use dictionaries. They compare meanings, and at times, share understandings about aspects of language and culture. Students make some comments on how language reflects cultural practices and norms.
Students differentiate statements, questions, imperatives and exclamations according to intonation, sentence structure and punctuation. They identify the purpose of the Eszett and show how the Umlaut alter the pronunciation of particular vowels such as ä, ö and ü. They identify single letters, some consonant clusters and vowel combinations such as au, ei, eu and ie. They recognise and use vocabulary and apply elements of grammar in simple spoken and written texts with a satisfactory level of accuracy, using use some forms of common regular verbs in the present tense such as heißen and wohnen, some irregular verb forms, such as bin, ist, hast and hat, limited forms of modal verbs such as mag and möchte, and the accusative case. Students respond to and use question words and some ja/nein questions. They refer to time and place using familiar words and phrases such as morgen and im Wald. Students begin to describe how the German language works, using terms similar to those used in English. with guidance. They make some simple comparisons between features of familiar texts and explain with guidance, how particular features of such texts help to achieve their purpose. Students describe how different ways of using German language reflect different regions and countries, different relationships and different ways of making meaning. Students recognise that German is an important European and global language and begin to identify connections between culture and language use.
Year 5 Syllabus
Year Level Description
Year 5 German: Second Language builds on the skills, knowledge and understanding required of students to communicate in the German language developed in Year 4 and focuses on extending their oral and written communication skills and their understandings of German language and culture.
Students communicate in German, initiating interactions with the teacher and peers to exchange information about their home, neighbourhood and local community. They participate in guided tasks, planning outings or activities and completing transactions. They gather, compare and convey information from a range of spoken, written and multimodal texts related to their personal and social worlds. Students share responses to characters, events and ideas in imaginative texts and make connections with their own experience and feelings. They create or reinterpret, present or perform imaginative texts, based on or adapted from events, characters or settings.
Students are becoming more familiar with the systems of the German language, applying basic rules for German pronunciation and recognising and applying different intonation for statements, questions, exclamations and instructions. They use context-related vocabulary and develop and apply knowledge of grammatical elements in simple spoken and written texts such as referring to a person, place or object using the nominative and accusative definite and indefinite articles to generate language for a range of purposes. Students build a metalanguage in German to comment on vocabulary and grammar, describe patterns, grammatical rules and variations in language structures.
Students are encouraged to reflect on how their own and others’ language use is shaped by and reflects communities’ ways of thinking and behaving and may be differently interpreted by others.
In Year 5 students are widening their social networks, experiences and communication repertoires in both their first language and German. They are supported to use German as much as possible for classroom routines and interactions, structured learning tasks and language experimentation and practice. English is predominantly used for discussion, clarification, explanation, analysis and reflection.
Communicating
Socialising
Initiate interactions with the teacher and peers, using simple descriptive and expressive modelled language to exchange information about their home, neighbourhood and local community, for example, Wo wohnst du?; Ich wohne in einem Einfamilienhaus; Ich wohne in einer Wohnung. Wir haben zwei Badezimmer; Was gibt es in deiner Stadt? Es gibt eine Bibliotek, eine Schule und ein Fußballstadion; Ich wohne gern auf dem Land; Es gibt einen Fluβ und einen Fußballplatz in der Nähe; Leider haben wir kein Kino; Gibt es einen Supermarkt, wo du wohnst? Der Metzger heißt Herr Wurst; Die Friseurin heißt Frau Kell; Wie heißen Sie?
(ACLGEC137)
Participate in guided tasks related to organising displays, planning outings and conducting events such as performances, or activities such as building models and completing transactions in places such as a café or a local market
(ACLGEC138)
Informing
Gather and compare information and supporting details from a range of written, spoken, digital and multimodal texts related to their personal and social worlds
(ACLGEC140)
Gather and convey information and ideas in different formats from a range of texts related to their personal and social worlds
(ACLGEC141)
Creating
Share responses to characters, events and ideas in imaginative texts such as stories, dialogues, cartoons, television programs or films and make connections with own experience and feelings
(ACLGEC142)
Create or reinterpret, present or perform imaginative texts for a range of audiences based on or adapted from events, characters or settings
(ACLGEC143)
Translating
Translate simple texts from German to English and vice versa, noticing which words or phrases require interpretation or explanation such as Bist du satt? (not voll) or Es geht mir gut (not Ich bin)
Use visual, print or online dictionaries, word lists and pictures to translate simple familiar texts
(ACLGEC144)
Reflecting
Compare ways of communicating in Australian and German-speaking contexts and identify ways that culture influences language use
(ACLGEC146)
Understanding
Systems of language
Apply basic rules for German pronunciation such as the two different pronunciations of ch
Recognise and apply different intonation for statements, questions, exclamations and instructions
Notice distinctive punctuation features of personal correspondence in German such as Hallo Annette!/Lieber Klaus, followed respectively by upper or lower case for the beginning of the first sentence
(ACLGEU148)
Use context-related vocabulary and develop and apply knowledge of grammatical elements in simple spoken and written texts to generate language for a range of purposes, including:
- referring to a person, place or object using the nominative and accusative definite and indefinite articles, for example, Das Mädchen hat einen Hockeyschläger; Die Stadt hat ein Kino und eine Apotheke
- noticing how articles and pronouns change after certain verbs (Ich danke dir) and after particular prepositions associated with location, for example, Wir sind in der Stadt; Die Party ist bei Stefan im Garten
- understanding the concept of regular and irregular verbs and noticing that this is a feature of both German and English
- understanding and using a range of question words and the intended/related answer, for example, woher, welcher and wie viel
- understanding and locating events in time, including the use of the 24-hour clock
- referring to quantities of people and things using cardinal numbers up to 10 000, including decimals, common fractions and negative numbers, for example, Meter; Kilometer; Quadratmeter; Quadratkilometer; 85,5 Prozent haben ein Handy; Die Tagestemperatur liegt bei minus 8 Grad; Ich habe eine Halbschwester
Begin to build a metalanguage in German to comment on vocabulary and grammar, describe patterns, grammatical rules and variations in language structures
(ACLGEU149)
Recognise that spoken, written and multimodal German texts have certain conventions and can take different forms depending on the context in which they are produced
(ACLGEU150)
Language variation and change
Understand that there are variations in German as it is used in different contexts by different people such as formal/informal register and regional variations
(ACLGEU151)
Role of language and culture
Understand why language is important in social and educational life and recognise that languages and cultures change over time and influence one another
(ACLGEU152)
Reflect on how their own and others’ language use is shaped by and reflects communities’ ways of thinking and behaving and may be interpreted differently by others
(ACLGEU153)
Achievement standard
At standard, students participate in interactions with the teacher and others in classroom situations, to exchange information about their home, neighbourhood and local community. They use simple descriptive and occasionally expressive modelled language to participate in tasks or activities, or to provide information such as Wir haben zwei Badezimmer; Was gibt es in deiner Stadt? Es gibt eine Bibliothek, eine Schule und ein Fußballstadion. Students gather and compare some information and details from a range of texts related to their personal and social worlds. They convey appropriate information, ideas and opinions related to planning outings and conducting events, to suit specific audiences and contexts from a range of texts related to their personal and social worlds. They share simple responses to characters, events and ideas in imaginative texts and make simple connections with their own experience and feelings. Students create and present, with guidance, imaginative texts for different audiences, based on or adapted from events, characters or settings. Students translate simple texts from German to English and vice versa, with some inaccuracies, showing some awareness that there are words or phrases that may require interpretation or explanation. They use dictionaries, word lists and pictures, with some degree of confidence, to translate short familiar texts. They compare ways of communicating in Australian and German-speaking contexts and provide an example of how culture influences language use.
Students apply basic rules for German pronunciation at times, applying different intonation for statements, questions, exclamations and instructions. They apply some sentence structure and word order rules when creating original texts. Students use some relevant vocabulary and develop and apply knowledge of grammatical elements in simple spoken and written texts with a satisfactory level of accuracy, such as referring to a person, place or object using the nominative and accusative definite and indefinite articles such as Die Stadt hat ein Kino. They begin to understand the concept of regular and irregular verbs such as sein. Students talk about how the German language works, commenting on vocabulary and grammar, describing patterns, grammatical rules and variations in language structures, with guidance. They identify that texts have certain conventions and can take different forms. Students recognise that language is important in social and educational life, and understand that on some occasions German is used in different contexts by different people, resulting in variations in language. They discuss how their own and others’ language use is shaped by and reflects communities’ ways of thinking and behaving and may be differently interpreted by others. They make connections between culture and language use, recognising how language and culture influence one another, and reflect on how their own and others’ language use may be interpreted differently by others.
Year 6 Syllabus
Year Level Description
Year 6 German: Second Language builds on the skills, knowledge and understanding required of students to communicate in the German language developed in Year 5 and focuses on extending their oral and written communication skills and their understandings of German language and culture. Students gain greater independence and become more conscious of their peers and social context. As they gain a greater awareness of the world around them they also become more aware of the similarities and differences between the German language and culture and their own.
Students communicate in German, initiating interactions with others to exchange information and relate experiences about free time. They participate in routine exchanges to express feelings, opinions and personal preferences about people, things and places. Students collaborate with peers in guided tasks to plan events or activities or to showcase their progress in learning and using German. They gather, compare and respond to information and supporting details from a range of written, spoken, digital and multimodal texts related to their personal and social worlds and convey information, ideas and opinions, selecting appropriate texts to suit specific audiences and contexts. Students share and compare responses to a variety of imaginative texts. They create or reinterpret, present or perform alternative versions of imaginative texts for different audiences to suit different modes or contexts.
Students are becoming more familiar with the systems of the German language, explaining and applying basic rules for German pronunciation and phonic and grammatical knowledge to spell and write unfamiliar words. They use context-related vocabulary and develop and apply knowledge of grammatical elements in simple spoken and written texts such as understanding and describing current, recurring and future actions, and making comparisons using simple structures to generate language for a range of purposes. Students begin to build a metalanguage in German to describe patterns, grammatical rules and variations in language structures.
Students understand that the German language is constantly changing due to contact with other languages and to the impact of new technologies and knowledge. They also understand that language and culture are integral to the nature of identity and communication.
In Year 6 students continue to widen their social networks, experiences and communication repertoires in both their first language and German. They are encouraged to use German as much as possible for interactions, structured learning tasks and language experimentation and practice.
Communicating
Socialising
Interact with others, using descriptive and expressive language to exchange information and relate experiences about free time, for example, Abends mache ich meine Hausaufgaben und spiele Videospiele. Wie ist es mit dir?; Wann spielst du Basketball?; Wo spielst du Hockey?; Wie viele Hobbys hast du? Möchtest du zum Strand gehen? Ich schwimme und lese gern im Sommer. Ich singe nicht gern
Participate in routine exchanges to express feelings, opinions and personal preferences such as Wie geht’s?; Es geht mir nicht gut; Ich bin krank and personal preferences such as Ich spiele gern Tennis; Spielst du lieber Tennis oder Fußball?; Ich spiele lieber...
(ACLGEC137)
Collaborate with peers in guided tasks to plan events or activities to showcase their progress in learning and using German, developing projects or budgeting for a shared event
(ACLGEC138)
Informing
Gather, compare and respond to information and supporting details from a range of written, spoken, digital and multimodal texts related to their personal and social worlds
(ACLGEC140)
Convey information, ideas and opinions related to their personal and social worlds, selecting appropriate written, spoken, digital and multimodal texts to suit specific audiences and contexts
(ACLGEC141)
Creating
Share and compare responses to characters, events and ideas and identify cultural elements in a variety of imaginative texts
(ACLGEC142)
Create or reinterpret, present or perform alternative versions of imaginative texts, for a range of audiences, adapting stimulus, theme, characters, places, ideas and events to suit different modes or contexts
(ACLGEC143)
Translating
Translate and interpret short texts from German to English and vice versa, recognising that words and meanings do not always correspond across languages and expanding descriptions or giving examples where necessary to assist meaning
Experiment with bilingual dictionaries and/or online translators, considering the relative advantages or limitations of each resource
(ACLGEC144)
Reflecting
Engage in intercultural experiences, describing aspects of language and culture that are unfamiliar and discussing their own reactions and adjustments
(ACLGEC146)
Understanding
Systems of language
Explain and apply basic rules for German pronunciation
Understanding that ß can only be used in lower case, otherwise SS and that ä, ö and ü can be written as ae, oe and ue respectively, for example, in upper case signs or word puzzles such as crosswords
Apply phonic and grammatical knowledge to spell and write unfamiliar words containing, for example, ch, j, v, w, y and z and diphthongs such as au, ei, eu and ie
(ACLGEU148)
Use context-related vocabulary and develop and apply knowledge of grammatical elements in simple spoken and written texts to generate language for a range of purposes including:
- understanding and describing current, recurring and future actions, including by using common separable verbs such as aufstehen, ausgehen, aussehen, fernsehen, mitkommen and mitnehmen
- understanding and expressing obligation and permission using the modal verbs müssen and dürfen, for example, Ich darf zu dir kommen; ich muss mein Zimmer aufräumen
- making comparisons using simple structures such as Ich mag Erdbeeren lieber als Kiwis; Radfahren ist besser als Autofahren
- using the comparative and superlative of adjectives,for example, gut, besser am, besten; klein, kleiner, am kleinsten; alt, älter, am ältesten
- comparing the meaning of the modal verbs wollen, sollen, mögen and können with their English equivalents
- noticing that some verbs can be combined with a separable or inseparable prefix that alters the meaning of the base verb, for example, Er kommt um 17.15 Uhr; Kommst du mit?; Ich bekomme $50 zum Geburtstag
- understanding and speaking about past events by adapting modelled sentences in the present perfect tense and using knowledge of common verbs in the simple past tense, for example, Ich habe heute meine Hausaufgaben nicht gemacht; Wir sind nach Bali geflogen
- describing frequency using adverbs and adverbial expressions such as oft, manchmal, jeden Tag, immer, selten and nie
- understanding the meaning of the conjunctions dass and weil
- understanding questions using warum and responding with a simple sentence, for example, Warum bist du müde? Ich habe heute Fußball gespielt
- referring to a date, including the year, for an event such as a birth, for example, Meine Oma ist am 11. April 1956 geboren
- understanding and locating events in time, including the use of the 24-hour clock, prepositions such as nach and vor and formulaic expressions such as früher; später; am Wochenende; in den Ferien
Build a metalanguage in German to describe patterns, grammatical rules and variations in language structures
(ACLGEU149)
Understand how German texts use language in ways that create different effects and suit different audiences
(ACLGEU150)
Language variation and change
Understand that the German language is used differently in different contexts and situations
(ACLGEU151)
Role of language and culture
Understand that the German language is constantly changing due to contact with other languages and to changing intercultural experiences
(ACLGEU152)
Understand that language and culture are integral to the nature of identity and communication
(ACLGEU153)
Achievement standard
At standard, students interact, with guidance, in German with others through collaborative tasks, class experiences, activities and transactions, to exchange information and recount experiences about free time. They begin to use complete sentences in familiar contexts to ask questions, such as Bist du fertig? Was machst du jetzt? and they share responses, such as Ich kann gut sprechen, aber ich finde das Schreiben schwierig.They use some descriptive and expressive language to express feelings, opinions and personal preferences. They work collaboratively, usually to plan events or activities, to showcase their progress in learning and using German. They identify some relevant information and supporting details from a range of texts. They convey, respond to and compare information, ideas and opinions in texts related to their personal and social worlds to usually suit specific audiences and contexts. They compare and share responses and identify cultural elements, sometimes, in a variety of imaginative texts. They create or reinterpret, present or perform alternative versions of imaginative texts for a range of audiences to suit different modes or audiences, with some guidance. They translate and interpret some short texts from German to English and vice versa, identifying occasional words and meanings that do not directly translate between languages. They experiment with and discuss the usefulness of various forms of dictionaries. Students describe some aspects of language and culture that are unfamiliar and discuss their own reactions and adjustments.
Students explain and usually apply basic rules for German pronunciation, as well as phonic and grammatical knowledge to spell and write some unfamiliar words. They use some relevant vocabulary and develop and apply knowledge of grammatical elements in simple spoken and written texts, with a satisfactory level of accuracy. Students use common separable verbs such as aufstehen and fernsehen to describe current, recurring and future actions. They use lieber or comparative and superlative forms of adjectives such as besser, am and besten, to make comparisons. They use some modal verbs such as müssen or dürfen to express obligation and permission, and compare their meaning with the English equivalent. Students speak about past events by recreating sentences in the present perfect and simple past tense. They use adverbs and adverbial expressions, prepositions and formulaic expressions to describe frequency. Students refer to dates and years to express and locate events in time, including use of the 24-hour clock. They respond to questions using Warum? with simple sentences, attempting to use conjunctions such as dass and weil. Students discuss how the German language is used differently in different contexts and situations. They discuss how the German language is constantly changing due to contact with other languages and as a result of intercultural experiences. Students explain how language and culture are integral to the nature of identity and communication.
Year 7 Syllabus
Year Level Description
Year 7 German: Second Language builds on the skills, knowledge and understanding required of students to communicate in the German language developed in Year 6 and focuses on extending their oral and written communication skills and their understandings of German language and culture. Some students begin Year 7 with proficiency in languages other than German and bring existing language learning strategies and intercultural awareness to the new experience of learning German. Their growing textual knowledge, developed through English literacy, supports their developing German literacy. Skills in analysing, comparing and reflecting on language and culture in both languages are mutually supportive.
Students communicate in German, initiating and participating in spoken and written interactions with peers and known adults to talk about, give opinions, share thoughts and feelings on people, social events and school experiences. They engage in tasks and activities that involve planning, negotiating arrangements and participating in transactions. Students access and summarise key information and supporting details from texts. They organise and present information and ideas on texts, using descriptive and expressive language and modes of presentation to suit different audiences and contexts. Students respond to a range of imaginative texts by expressing opinions about the themes, values and techniques used to engage audiences. They create and present simple imaginative texts such as songs or stories that involve imagined characters, places and experiences.
Students better understand the systems of the German language, exploring the German pronunciation of loan words from English and other languages and comparing punctuation rules in English and German. They extend their knowledge of context-related vocabulary and additional elements of grammar such as applying the ‘verb as second element’ and ‘subject-time-object-manner-place’ (STOMP) word order rules for main clauses when encountered in familiar expressions and scaffolded language contexts. Students continue to build a metalanguage in German to describe grammatical concepts and to organise learning resources.
In Year 7 students reflect on changes in their own use of language(s) over time, noticing how and when new ways are adopted or existing ways adapted. The practice of reviewing and consolidating prior learning
Communicating
Socialising
Initiate and participate in spoken and written interactions with peers and known adults, using rehearsed descriptive and expressive language to talk about, give opinions, share thoughts and feelings on people, social events and school experiences, for example, Meine Schwester stört mich, weil ...; Hast du ein Lieblingsfach? Ja, ich mag Deutsch; Wie findest du Mathe? Ich finde Geschichte interessant. Und du?; Ich stimme nicht zu...; Ich hasse, es/ich liebe, es
(ACLGEC154)
Engage in tasks and transactions that involve planning such as an activity for students new to high school, a languages expo at school, an excursion to the market or Flohmarkt, the cinema or a music concert, considering options, negotiating arrangements and participating in transactions
(ACLGEC155)
Informing
Access and summarise key information and supporting details from texts related to aspects of their personal and social worlds
(ACLGEC157)
Organise and present information and ideas on texts related to aspects of their personal and social worlds, using descriptive and expressive language and modes of presentation to suit different audiences and contexts
(ACLGEC158)
Creating
Respond to a range of imaginative texts by expressing opinions about the themes and key ideas, values and techniques used to engage and entertain audiences
(ACLGEC159)
Create and present simple individual and shared imaginative texts such as songs, poems, plays or stories that involve imagined characters, places and experiences, to entertain peers and younger audiences
(ACLGEC160)
Translating
Translate texts and compare their own translation to classmates’, noticing when it is difficult to transfer meaning from one language to the other, for example, Ich drücke dir die Daumen
(ACLGEC161)
Reflecting
Interact and engage with members of the
German-speaking community to share and compare aspects of culture that affect communication and notice how their own culture impacts on language use, for example, ways of expressing feelings or politeness protocols associated with social events
(ACLGEC163)
Consider how their own biography, including personal experiences, family origins, traditions and beliefs, interests and experience, influences their identity and communication
(ACLGEC164)
Understanding
Systems of language
Explore the German pronunciation of loan words from English and other languages, for example, Job, Restaurant, Pizza
Compare punctuation rules in English and German, considering aspects such as the distribution and functions of commas, the style of quotation marks for direct speech and the writing of numbers less than one million as one word
(ACLGEU165)
Extend knowledge of context-related vocabulary and additional elements of grammar, including:
- noticing the relationship between gender, article and case and the adjectival ending when describing people, objects, places and events, for example, Mein bester Freund hat lange, schwarze Haare und trägt einen kleinen Ohrring; Es gibt hier keinen Sportplatz
- selecting and using the appropriate form of ‘you’ (du, ihr, Sie) and its possessive adjective equivalents (dein, euer, Ihr) according to the audience, for example, Sind Sie Frau Wagner?; Hast du dein Geld mit?; Ihr seid pünktlich
- selecting the correct personal pronoun for ‘it’ (er/sie/es; ihn) for objects, for example, Woher hast du den Hut? Er ist sehr schön; Ich habe ihn bei … gekauft
- describing past events and experiences with the present perfect tense using a limited range of common verbs, for example, Am Sonntag habe ich meine Hausaufgaben gemacht
- understanding and applying the ‘verb as second element’ (Wir kommen morgen or Morgen kommen wir) and
‘subject-time-object-manner-place’ (STOMP) word order rules for main clauses (Ich spiele jetzt Basketball) and realising that German word order is flexible, allowing other elements apart from the subject to begin the sentence, for example, Langsam verstehe ich mehr Deutsch. Zu Hause ist es oft sehr laut - linking and sequencing events and ideas using common conjunctions (dass, ob, wenn, weil), usually with the subordinate clause after the main clause
- describing destinations using prepositions, for example, Wir fahren nach Adelaide. Der Junge geht zum Bahnhof. Sie sind in die Stadt gefahren
- recognising some ‘two-way’ prepositions (Wechselpräpositionen), for example, Die Flasche ist auf dem Tisch; Stellt die Flasche auf den Tisch
- referring to quantities of people and things using cardinal numbers up to a billion, for example, Deutschland hat 81,9 Millionen Einwohner
Continue to build a metalanguage to describe grammatical concepts and to organise learning resources
(ACLGEU166)
Understand the structures, conventions and purpose associated with a range of texts created for information exchange or social interaction
(ACLGEU167)
Language variation and change
Understand that texts have different purposes, different audiences and different forms
(ACLGEU168)
Recognise that German, like other languages, continues to change over time due to influences such as globalisation and new technologies and knowledge
(ACLGEU169)
Role of language and culture
Understand that language use reflects cultural expression, assumptions and perspectives
(ACLGEU170)
Achievement standard
At standard, students initiate and participate in spoken and written interactions in German with others through collaborative tasks, activities and transactions to exchange information on people, social events and school experiences. They use rehearsed descriptive and expressive language to talk about, give some opinions and share thoughts and feelings, such as Hast du ein Lieblingsfach? Ja, ich mag Deutsch. Students engage in the planning of German events or activities by considering options, negotiating arrangements and participating in transactions. They identify and summarise most key information, and some supporting details, and they organise and present information and ideas on texts related to aspects of their personal and social worlds, using modes of presentation to suit audiences and contexts. Students express simple opinions and describe some of the themes and key ideas, values and techniques used to engage and entertain audiences in a range of imaginative texts. They create and present simple, individual and shared imaginative texts with imagined characters, places and experiences, to entertain peers and younger audiences. They translate texts, with some inaccuracies, and compare their own translation to peers’, noticing when it is difficult to transfer meaning from one language to the other. Students interact and engage with German speakers to share and compare some aspects of culture that affect communication, and notice how their own culture impacts on language use. They also consider how their biography influences their identity and communication.
Students explore, and mostly apply, rules for German pronunciation of loan words from English and other languages, and they identify most differences in punctuation rules in English and German. They use familiar vocabulary and apply elements of grammar in spoken and written texts, with a satisfactory level of accuracy. Students use the verb as second element. They notice the relationship between gender, article and case and the adjectival ending when describing people, objects, places and events, for example, Mein bester Freund hat lange, schwarze Haare. Students select and use the appropriate form of ‘you’ (du, ihr, Sie) and begin to describe past events and experiences using the present perfect tense with a limited range of common verbs. They sequence and link events and ideas using common conjunctions (dass, ob, wenn, weil), and describe destinations using prepositions, for example, Wir fahren nach Adelaide. Students experiment with word order rules in scaffolded language contexts, realising that German word order is flexible, for example, Zu Hause ist es oft sehr laut. Students discuss how the German language works, using some relevant metalanguage to organise learning resources. They discuss and apply the structures, conventions and purposes associated with a range of texts created for information exchange or social interaction. Students examine how elements of communication and choice of language vary according to context and situation, and reflect on changes in their use of language(s) over time, noticing how and when new ways are adopted or existing ways adapted. Students identify some ways in which language use reflects cultural expression, assumptions and perspectives.
Year 8 Syllabus
Year Level Description
Year 8 German: Second Language builds on the skills, knowledge and understanding required of students to communicate in the German language developed in Year 7 and focuses on extending their oral and written communication skills and their understandings of German language and culture. Students may need encouragement to take risks in learning a language at this stage of social development and to consider issues of how the experience impacts on the sense of ‘norms’ associated with their first language and culture.
Students communicate in German, initiating and maintaining spoken and written interactions with peers and known adults to discuss and share ideas, views, opinions and experiences of special holidays and travel. They engage in tasks that involve planning, considering options, negotiating arrangements, solving problems and participating in transactions. Students summarise and share information from texts related to aspects of their personal and social worlds and present them in different formats for the intended audience. Students respond to a range of imaginative texts, analysing ideas and techniques used to entertain audiences and make connections with personal experiences and other imaginative texts in their own language and culture. They create and present a range of simple imaginative texts to enrich the visual or listening experience.
Students better understand the systems of the German language, applying German punctuation and spelling rules to their own writing. They continue to extend their knowledge of context-related vocabulary and additional elements of grammar such as specifying a person, object or place using knowledge of the German case system, when encountered in familiar expressions and scaffolded language contexts. Students continue to build a metalanguage in German to describe patterns, grammatical rules and variations in language structures.
Students are encouraged to participate in intercultural interactions with members of the German-speaking community to discuss cultural practices, demonstrating awareness of the importance of shared understanding and reflecting on adjustments made as a result of reactions and responses.
In Year 8 students are supported to develop increasing autonomy as language learners and users, to
self-monitor and peer-monitor and to adjust language in response to their experiences in different contexts. German language is being used in more extended and elaborated ways for classroom interactions and routines, task participation and structured discussion.
Communicating
Socialising
Initiate and maintain spoken and written interactions with peers and known adults, using both rehearsed and spontaneous language to discuss and share ideas, views, opinions and experiences of special holidays and travel, for example, Wohin sind Sie in den Ferien gefahren?; Wie feiern SieSilvester? Normalerweise treffen wir uns mit unserenFreunden und unserer Familie zum Abendessen. Letztes Jahrhaben wir Karten bis Mitternacht auf dem Balkon gespielt und dann das Feuerwerk gesehen
(ACLGEC154)
Engage in tasks that involve planning experiences and activities such as a birthday party, Christmas or New Year’s Eve festivities, preparing for a real or virtual event, trip or excursion, a sporting event or community festival, considering options, negotiating arrangements, solving problems and participating in transactions that include purchasing goods and services
(ACLGEC155)
Informing
Access, summarise and share key ideas and information from a range of texts related to aspects of their personal and social worlds and present them in different formats for the intended audience
(ACLGEC157)
Organise and present information and ideas to raise awareness of and inform others about texts related to aspects of their personal and social worlds, using descriptive and expressive language to compare perspectives and experiences
(ACLGEC158)
Creating
Respond to a variety of imaginative texts, analysing ideas, themes, values and techniques used to engage and entertain audiences and make connections with personal experiences and other imaginative texts in their own language and culture
(ACLGEC159)
Create and present a range of simple texts that involve imagined contexts and characters such as raps, poems, picture books or cartoons, selecting appropriate language, rhythms and images to enrich the visual or listening experience
(ACLGEC160)
Translating
Translate and/or interpret texts, including those that use language with colloquial or cultural association and consider why there might be differences in interpretation and how language reflects elements of culture, for example, so alt wie ein Baum/Stein, einen Bärenhunger haben
(ACLGEC161)
Reflecting
Participate in intercultural experiences, with members of the German-speaking community to discuss cultural practices, demonstrating awareness of the importance of shared understanding and reflecting on adjustments made as a result of reactions and responses
(ACLGEC163)
Consider how their own biography influences their identity and communication and shapes their own intercultural experiences
(ACLGEC164)
Understanding
Systems of language
Apply the rules of German pronunciation, rhythm, stress and intonation to a range of sentence types and words
Apply German punctuation and spelling rules to their own writing and learn to systematically edit their own and others’ written work
(ACLGEU165)
Continue to extend knowledge of context-related vocabulary and additional elements of grammar, including:
- specifying a person, object or place using knowledge of the German case system (nominative, accusative and dative) and using definite and indefinite articles, kein, personal pronouns (including man) and possessive, demonstrative and interrogative adjectives such as sein, unser, dieser, jeder and welcher
- comparing the meanings and use of the German modal verbs with their English equivalents, for example, Wir müssen eine Schuluniform tragen; Man darf hier nicht essen
- understanding and applying verbs that can be combined with a separable or inseparable prefix that alters the meaning of the base verb, for example, Er kommt um 17.15 Uhr; Kommst du mit?; Ich bekomme manchmal Geld zum Geburtstag
- describing current, recurring and future actions using regular, irregular, modal, separable and inseparable verbs in the present tense, for example, Wir spielen morgen nicht mit; Er sieht viel fern; Ich muss meine Hausaufgaben machen; Nächstes Jahr bekommen wir neue Laptops
- describing past events and experiences in present perfect and/or simple past tenses using a limited range of common verbs, for example, Ich habe meine Hausaufgaben nicht gemacht, denn ich war am Wochenende krank
- using reflexive verbs in the present tense with their appropriate accusative reflexive pronouns to describe daily routines and express emotions and interests, for example, Ich dusche mich morgens; Interessierst du dich für Geschichte?; Wir freuen uns auf die Ferien
- expressing opinions using, for example, meiner Meinung nach; Ich glaube, dass … Wir sind dagegen/dafür
- understanding and using dative and accusative prepositions with their core meanings, for example, Ich komme aus der Stadt; Der Kuchen ist für dich
- experimenting (using models) with different structures to make comparisons, for example, Englisch ist schwieriger als Mathe; Welches Auto ist am sichersten?; Kaffee ist nicht so gesund wie Wasser
Continue to build a metalanguage to describe grammatical concepts and to organise learning resources
(ACLGEU166)
Apply the structures and conventions associated with a range of text types and identify key features and functions of the different genres
(ACLGEU167)
Language variation and change
Identify features of German that vary according to audience, context and purpose in familiar spoken and written texts
(ACLGEU168)
Understand that German, like other languages, is constantly expanding to include new words and expressions in response to changing environments due to globalisation, language shifts and exchange, technology and intercultural experience
(ACLGEU169)
Role of language and culture
Reflect on different aspects of the cultural dimension of learning and using German and consider how this might be interpreted and responded to by members of the community
(ACLGEU170)
Achievement standard
At standard, students initiate and maintain spoken and written interactions in German with others through collaborative tasks, activities and transactions to exchange information on special holidays and travel. They use mainly rehearsed and some spontaneous descriptive and expressive language to discuss and share ideas, views, opinions and experiences, such as Wohin sind Sie in den Ferien gefahren?; Wie feiern Sie Silvester? Students engage in the planning of experiences and activities by considering options, negotiating arrangements, solving problems and participating in transactions. They summarise and share most key ideas and some information from a range of texts and present them in different formats for their intended audiences. Students organise and present key information and ideas on texts related to aspects of their personal and social worlds, using rehearsed descriptive and expressive language to make simple comparisons of perspectives and experiences. Students analyse key ideas, themes, values and techniques used to engage and entertain audiences in a range of imaginative texts, and make some connections with personal experiences and other imaginative texts in their own language and culture. They also create and present a range of simple texts with imagined contexts and characters, selecting mostly appropriate language, rhythms and images to enrich the visual or listening experience. Students translate and/or interpret texts, with some accuracy, including those that use language with colloquial or cultural associations, such as so alt wie ein Baum, and consider why there might be differences in interpretation. Students participate in intercultural interactions with German speakers, begin to discuss cultural practices, demonstrate awareness of shared understanding and reflect on adjustments made as a result of reactions and responses. They also consider how their biography influences their identity and communication, and shapes their intercultural experiences.
Students apply some rules for German and English pronunciation, rhythm, stress and intonation, punctuation and spelling. They use familiar vocabulary and apply elements of grammar in spoken and written texts, with a satisfactory level of accuracy. Students apply knowledge of the case system when using articles and adjectives. They use a range of regular, irregular, separable and inseparable verbs, and compare the meaning of modal verbs with those in English, for example, Ich muss meine Hausaufgaben machen; Kommst du mit? They use reflexive verbs in the present tense to describe daily routines and express feelings, as well as a limited range of common verbs in the present perfect or simple past tense to describe actions and events in the past, for example, Ich habe meine Hausaufgaben nicht gemacht, denn ich war krank. They use some dative and accusative prepositions, for example, Ich komme aus der Stadt. They use modelled language with different structures to make comparisons, for example, Kaffee ist nicht so gesund wie Wasser. They describe how the German language works, using metalanguage to organise learning resources. Students apply most of the structures and conventions of a range of text types, and identify most key features and functions of the different genres. They give examples to demonstrate that German is constantly expanding to include new words and expressions in response to changing environments due to globalisation, language shifts and exchange, technology and intercultural experience. Students discuss aspects of the cultural dimension of learning and using German, and consider how these might be interpreted and responded to by members of the community.
Year 9 Syllabus
Year Level Description
Year 9 German: Second Language builds on the skills, knowledge and understanding required of students to communicate in the German language developed in Year 8 and focuses on extending their oral and written communication skills and their understandings of German language and culture.
Students communicate in German, initiating and participating in sustained interactions to share, compare and justify personal opinions about aspects of childhood, teenage life and relationships. They engage in shared activities such as planning and managing activities, events or experiences, exchanging resources and information. Students analyse ideas and information from a range of texts, identifying context, purpose and intended audience. They convey information and ideas and offer their own views on texts, using appropriate formats and styles of presentation. Students discuss how imaginative texts reflect German cultural values or experiences. They create and present imaginative texts designed to engage different audiences that involve moods and effects.
Students understand the systems of the German language, recognising the ways in which written language is different from spoken language such as being more crafted, elaborated and complex. They increase control of context-related vocabulary and extend knowledge of grammatical elements such as recognising when to use appropriate tense (present, present perfect, simple past, future) with a range of regular and irregular verbs, when encountered in familiar expressions and scaffolded language contexts. Students further develop a metalanguage to discuss and explain grammatical forms and functions.
Students increasingly monitor language choices when using German, considering their own and others’ responses and reactions in intercultural communication, questioning assumptions and values and taking responsibility for modifying language and behaviours in relation to different cultural perspectives.
In Year 9 learning is characterised by consolidation and progression. Students are provided with new challenges and engage in some independent learning experiences, always supported by modelling, scaffolding and monitoring.
Communicating
Socialising
Initiate and participate in sustained interactions, using informative and descriptive language to share, compare and justify personal opinions about aspects of childhood, teenage life and relationships, for example, Als ich zehn Jahre alt war spielte ich oft mit Holzblöcken, nun lerne ich Mathematik. In der Zukunft möchte ich Architekt werden; Es ist kompliziert, ein Teenager zu sein, weil ...; Es gefällt mir Teenager zu sein, weil ich selbständig sein kann; Du solltest mit deinem Freund sprechen, weil ... ; Was würdest du an meiner Stelle machen? Ich streite oft mit…
(ACLGEC171)
Engage in shared activities such as planning and managing activities, events or experiences, exchanging resources and information, for example, plan a display or performance to illustrate their memories of aspects of their childhood or organise a forum to raise awareness of issues of interest to teenagers
(ACLGEC172)
Informing
Analyse ideas and information from a range of texts related to aspects of their personal and social worlds and identifying context, purpose and intended audience
(ACLGEC174)
Convey information and ideas and offer their own views on texts related to aspects of their personal and social worlds, using appropriate formats and styles of presentation
(ACLGEC175)
Creating
Discuss how imaginative texts reflect German cultural values or experiences through structure, language and mood, to build action, develop character and position the reader/audience
(ACLGEC176)
Create and present imaginative texts designed to engage different audiences that involve moods and effects, for example, poems, songs, monologues or dialogues, animated stories or short films
(ACLGEC177)
Translating
Translate and interpret a range of texts and discuss how to convey concepts that do not translate easily across different linguistic and cultural contexts
(ACLGEC178)
Reflecting
Monitor language choices when using German, considering their own and others’ responses and reactions in intercultural communication, questioning assumptions and values and taking responsibility for modifying language and behaviours in relation to different cultural perspectives
(ACLGEC180)
Investigate and share family and cultural traditions and experiences, considering how these have shaped and continue to shape personal and cultural identity
(ACLGEC181)
Understanding
Systems of language
Recognise the ways in which written language is different from spoken language such as being more crafted, elaborated and complex, with use of interrelated clauses and support details
Recognise and respond to challenges associated with clarity and pace in audio texts such as railway station announcements or recorded phone messages and variations or differences in pronunciation to ensure clarity, for example, zwei/zwo; Juli (pronounced as Julei)
(ACLGEU182)
Increase control of context-related vocabulary and extend grammatical knowledge of grammatical elements, including:
- recognising when to use appropriate tense (present, present perfect, simple past, future) with a range of regular and irregular verbs, including, common reflexive verbs, transitive and intransitive verbs, modal verbs and verbs with separable and inseparable prefixes
- using the different imperative forms of verbs for peers and adults, for example, SpielSpielt/Spielen Sie mit! Sei/Seid/Seien Sie willkommen!
- connecting and contrasting ideas, events and actions using a variety of conjunctions and cohesive devices, including embedded clauses such as relative clauses and noticing the word order, for example, Um Geld zu haben, muss man einen Job finden; Entweder werde ich Klempner oder Elektriker. Der Film, den du sehen willst, läuft jetzt im Kino
- noticing and experimenting with compound forms such as common da- and
wo(r) - constructions, for example, Was machst du damit?; Woran erinnerst du dich? - linking and sequencing events and ideas using a range of cohesive devices, including adverbs (danach, vorher, dann, früher) and common conjunctions (als, dass, obwohl, wenn, weil), usually with the subordinate clause after the main clause
- understanding and using the accusative, dative and ‘two-way’ prepositions accurately with regard to case and meaning, including a limited range of common idiomatic prepositional phrases, for example, Meine Eltern sind mit 21 aus Deutschland ausgewandert; Sie denken oft an ihre Kindheit
- modifying meaning through the use of adverbs and adverbial phrases, for example, Das haben sie schon gemacht; Lauft so schnell wie möglich zum Supermarkt!
Further develop a metalanguage to discuss and explain grammatical forms and functions
(ACLGEU183)
Examine the interrelationship between different text types, language choices, audience, context and purpose
(ACLGEU184)
Language variation and change
Analyse how and why language is used differently in different contexts and relationships
(ACLGEU185)
Explore the influence of language on people’s actions, values and beliefs and appreciate the scale and importance of linguistic diversity
(ACLGEU186)
Role of language and culture
Explore how language both reflects and shapes cultural distinctions such as community, social class, gender and generation
(ACLGEU187)
Achievement standard
At standard, students initiate, in part, and participate in sustained spoken and written interactions in German with others through collaborative tasks, activities and transactions to exchange information on aspects of childhood, teenage life and relationships. They use familiar descriptive and expressive language to share, compare and justify personal opinions, such as In der Zukunft möchte ich Architekt werden. Students engage in shared activities, such as the planning and managing of activities, events or experiences, exchanging resources and information. They analyse ideas and most information and, in part, identify context, purpose and intended audience from a range of texts related to aspects of their personal and social worlds. Students use some appropriate formats and styles of presentation to convey information and ideas, and offer their views on texts related to aspects of their personal and social worlds. Students provide examples of how imaginative texts reflect German cultural values or experiences, through structure, language and mood, to build action, develop character and position the reader or audience. They also create and present simple imaginative texts with moods and effects, in order to engage different audiences. Students translate and interpret, with some accuracy, a range of texts, and discuss how to convey concepts that do not translate easily across different linguistic and cultural contexts. They monitor their language choices when using German and consider, at times, their own and others’ responses and reactions in intercultural communication. Students question some assumptions and values, and occasionally, modify their language and behaviours in relation to different cultural perspectives. They also investigate and share family and cultural traditions and experiences, considering how these have shaped, and continue to shape, personal and cultural identity.
Students identify the ways in which written language is different from spoken language and mostly respond to challenges associated with clarity and pace in audio texts, and variations or differences in pronunciation, to ensure clarity, such as zwei/zwo. They use familiar vocabulary and apply elements of grammar in spoken and written texts, with a satisfactory level of accuracy. Students use the appropriate tense with a range of regular and irregular verbs, and a variety of conjunctions and cohesive devices to link, sequence and contrast ideas, events and actions, for example, Um Geld zu haben, muss man einen Job finden. They experiment with compound forms, such as da- and wo(r)-, for example, Woran erinnerst du dich? They understand and use the dative, accusative and two-way prepositions with some accuracy, for example, Sie denken oft an ihre Kindheit. They use adverbs and adverbial phrases to modify meaning, for example, Das haben sie schon gemacht. Students use metalanguage to explain grammatical forms and functions. They examine the interrelationship between different text types, language choices, audience, context and purpose. Students analyse how and why language is used differently in different contexts and with different speakers, and explore the influence of language on people’s actions, values and beliefs, and appreciate the scale and importance of linguistic diversity. Students explore how language reflects and shapes cultural distinctions, such as community, social class, gender and generation.
Year 10 Syllabus
Year Level Description
Year 10 German: Second Language builds on the skills, knowledge and understanding required of students to communicate in the German language developed in Year 9 and focuses on extending their oral and written communication skills and their understandings of German language and culture. Students require continued guidance and mentoring at this stage of their language learning, but work increasingly independently to analyse, reflect on and monitor their language learning and intercultural experiences. They are considering future pathways and prospects, including how the German language may feature in these.
Students communicate in German, initiating and participating in sustained interactions in formal and informal exchanges to discuss young people’s experiences and interest in contemporary culture and social issues. They contribute ideas, opinions and suggestions in interactions related to shared activities, solving problems and managing diverse views. Students analyse, synthesise and evaluate ideas and information from a range of perspectives on texts related to aspects of their personal, natural and social worlds. They convey information, comments and experiences on texts, using different modes of presentation to achieve different purposes. Students analyse how imaginative texts create effects in ways that reflect cultural influence. They create and present a range of imaginative texts on themes of personal or social relevance.
Students understand the systems of the German language, exploring the features of spoken and written language. They increase control of context-related vocabulary and extend knowledge of grammatical elements such as understanding and using formulaically common subjunctive forms (Konjunktiv II) when encountered in expressions and scaffolded language contexts. Students further develop a metalanguage to discuss and explain grammatical forms and functions.
Students understand that German language and culture are interrelated and that they shape and are shaped by each other in a given moment and over time.
In Year 10 students are challenged with more independent learning experiences, however, these experiences continue to be supported with scaffolding and monitoring.
Communicating
Socialising
Initiate and participate in sustained interactions, using descriptive and expressive language in formal and informal exchanges to discuss young people’s experiences and interest in contemporary culture and social issues, for example, Jugend Gesundheit; Sprachen lernen; Verantwortung jetzt und in der Zukunft; Was recyceln Sie, Herr Meier?; Was können wir für die Umwelt machen?; Wie kann man den Obdachlosen/Asylanten helfen?
Express feelings and justify opinions, for example, Wie finden Sie...?; Ist es schwierig für dich, Deutsch zu lernen?; Ich denke, dass ...; Was können wir tun, um die Umwelt zu schützen?; Was studierst du nächstes Jahr und warum?; Ich werde sicher die 12. Klasse zu Ende machen und dann werde ich hoffentlich Zahnmedizin studieren. Es kommt aber auf meine Noten an
(ACLGEC171)
Contribute ideas, opinions and suggestions in interactions related to shared activities such as organising real or simulated forums, social media or daily news segments; protests or rallies to raise awareness of contemporary culture and social issues, exchanging resources and information, solving problems and managing diverse views
(ACLGEC172)
Informing
Analyse, synthesise and evaluate ideas and information from a range of perspectives on texts related to aspects of their personal, natural and social worlds such as regional news headlines and local community announcements and advertisements and identify how context and culture affect how information is presented
(ACLGEC174)
Convey information, comments, perspectives and experiences on texts related to aspects of their personal, natural and social worlds, using different modes of presentation to suit different audiences or to achieve different purposes
(ACLGEC175)
Creating
Analyse how imaginative texts create aesthetic, humorous or emotional effects in ways that reflect cultural influence such as poems, songs, dance, street art and performance
(ACLGEC176)
Create and present a range of imaginative texts on themes of personal or social relevance, to express ideas or that reflect cultural values, social issues or experience
(ACLGEC177)
Translating
Consider the nature of translating and interpreting, explaining how cultural perspectives and concepts have been represented when transferring meaning from one language to another, for example, how popular German idioms such as Du spinnst!; schwarzfahren, can create confusion when translated literally
(ACLGEC178)
Reflecting
Reflect on the experience of learning and using German, considering how intercultural communication involves taking responsibility for contributing to mutual understanding, by modifying language and behaviours in relation to different cultural perspectives
(ACLGEC180)
Explore and express their own cultural identity and ability to act as a cultural mediator between German speakers and Australians
(ACLGEC181)
Understanding
Systems of language
Explore the features of spoken and written language and apply variations in relation to features such as stress, pronunciation and contractions, for example, Ich hab keine Lust or Mach’s gut!
Recognise the interactive, fluid and transitory nature of spoken language, identifying features such as interactivity and the use of repetition, pauses, interruptions, contractions, incomplete sentences and reliance on non-verbal elements and vocal expression
Recognise and reproduce rhythms in complex sentences, using pausing and intonation to signal clause boundaries and emphasis
(ACLGEU182)
Increase control of context-related vocabulary and analyse how grammatical elements impact on the making of meaning in texts, including:
- noticing that relative pronouns have gender and case and are usually the same as definite articles, understanding the difference in function, for example, Das ist der Beruf, den ich am interessantesten finde
- understanding the difference between interrogatives which incorporate a preposition and refer to people and those which refer to objects, for example, Mit wem gehst du zur Party?; Worüber schreibst du deinen Englischaufsatz?
- understanding and using the appropriate tense (present, present perfect, simple past, future) with a range of regular and irregular verbs, including, common reflexive verbs, including some with dative reflexive pronoun and noun direct object, transitive and intransitive verbs, modal verbs and verbs with separable and inseparable prefixes
- describing plans and aspirations using werden and a single infinitive, for example, In der Zukunft werde ich mehr Sport treiben
- indicating contradiction using doch
- using a range of expressions for indefinite quantities, for example, einige, manche, mehrere
- understanding and using formulaically common subjunctive forms (Konjunktiv II) such as hätte and wäre and würde + infinitive, for example, Wenn ich reich wäre, würde ich ein schnelles Auto kaufen; Er tut so, als ob er keine Zeit hätte
- recognising instances of the genitive case mainly in written texts, for example, Omas Leben, die Rolle der Frau, der Gebrauch des Genitivs, understanding its function to indicate possession and using the more common ‘von + dative case + noun’ as an alternative, for example, das Haus von meinen Eltern/das Haus meiner Eltern
Further develop a metalanguage to discuss and explain grammatical forms and functions
(ACLGEU183)
Analyse how different types of text incorporate cultural and contextual elements
(ACLGEU184)
Language variation and change
Analyse and explain how and why language is used differently in a range of texts, considering features such as dialects and register
(ACLGEU185)
Understand the power of language to influence social and cultural relationships and practices
(ACLGEU186)
Role of language and culture
Understand that German language and culture are interrelated and that they shape and are shaped by each other in a given moment and over time
(ACLGEU187)
Achievement standard
At standard, students initiate and participate in sustained spoken and written interactions in German with others through collaborative tasks, activities and transactions to provide information on young people’s experiences and interest in contemporary culture and social issues, such as Sprachen lernen; Verantwortung jetzt und in der Zukunft. They use familiar descriptive and expressive language, in formal and some informal exchanges, to express feelings and justify opinions with some examples. Students contribute ideas, opinions and suggestions in interactions related to exchanging resources and information, solving problems and managing diverse views. Students analyse, synthesise and evaluate some ideas and information from a range of perspectives on texts, and identify how context and culture affect how information is presented in texts related to aspects of their personal, natural and social worlds. They use modes of presentation, generally appropriate to audiences or purposes, to convey information, comments, perspectives and experiences on texts related to aspects of their personal, natural and social worlds. Students analyse how aesthetic, humorous or emotional effects are used in imaginative texts to reflect cultural influence, and create and present simple imaginative texts on familiar personal or social themes that express ideas or that reflect cultural values, social issues or experience. When translating and interpreting from one language to another they describe how cultural perspectives and concepts have been represented, for example, in idioms, such as schwarzfahren, and consider how intercultural communication involves taking responsibility by modifying language and behaviours. Students also explore and express their own cultural identity and ability to act as a cultural mediator between German speakers and Australians.
Students explore the features of spoken and written language and apply, occasionally, variations in relation to features, such as stress, pronunciation and contractions, for example, Mach’s gut! They express the interactive and transitory nature of spoken language, and identify characteristics, such as interactivity, reliance on non-verbal elements and vocal expression. They identify and reproduce, mostly consistently, rhythms in complex sentences, using pausing and intonation to signal clause boundaries and emphasis. Students use familiar vocabulary and apply elements of grammar in spoken and written texts, with a satisfactory level of accuracy. Students analyse how elements of grammar impact on the making of meaning in texts, including, noticing that relative pronouns have gender and case, for example, Das ist der Beruf, den ich am interessantesten finde. They understand and use the appropriate tense with a range of regular and irregular verbs, and use werden to describe future plans and aspirations, for example, In der Zukunft werde ich mehr Sport treiben. They understand and use formulaically common subjunctive forms, such as hätte, wäre and würde.They recognise the use of the genitive case mainly in written texts, for example, das Haus meiner Eltern, and understand that ‘von + dative case + noun’ can be used as an alternative, for example, Das Haus von meinen Eltern. Students use metalanguage to discuss and explain some grammatical forms and functions. They analyse, in part, and explain how and why language is used differently in a range of texts, considering features, such as dialects and register, and identify how language use has the power to influence social and cultural relationships and practices. Students describe how German language and culture are interrelated and how they shape, and are shaped by, each other.