Learning German at Collingham is certainly a very vivid, diverse, enjoyable and stimulating experience. German A level will enable you to read Kafka, Süsskind, Tucholsky or Grass in the original language, listen to German radio, watch German TV, understand lecturers at any German, Austrian or Swiss university, write a job application and hold conversations and discussions with native speakers.
Why German ?
They compete with our position at the financial centre of Europe, have the second largest economy in the world and their working day starts as early as 7 a.m… Humour – very obvious at times. Irony – merely a word in the dictionary. Their directness and time management only occasionally allow for little words like “please” and “thank you” and “sorry”. And their bright, colourful towels seem to decorate deckchairs wherever in the world one goes on holiday.
Apart from that, the Germans live in a wonderful country. From Berlin, the capital, through to Munich, in the lee of the Alps, to Hamburg on the North Sea coast, no two German cities are the same. Germany is at the heart of Europe and the EU.
Studying German, which is widely spoken in Denmark, Holland, Belgium, France, Austria, Italy, the Czech Republic and Poland, allows an insight into European culture. German language skills are prized by employers, and working in Germany is becoming more and more prevalent for people from the UK, including, for example, IT experts and British finance personnel working in Frankfurt.
An A level course in German will also prepare you for a degree in Modern Languages, Linguistics or in any other numerate or literate discipline. The fact that fewer students now study German means that the A level is highly prized by university admissions tutors.
The Course
Learning German at A level means mastering the language. Students are provided with lexical, grammatical and syntactical knowledge in speaking, listening, reading and writing. The topic areas set by the examination board range from health issues to technological achievements, from culture and arts to current affairs. Discussion of German politics, business and society challenges the student to think and compare as well as argue and formulate opinions. The A level offers many opportunities for the students to follow their own interests in preparing for the exams.
The recommended reading list for the literature component at A Level includes: Franz Kafka’s Die Verwandlung, Bernhard Schlink’s Der Vorleser and Bertolt Brecht’s Mutter Courage und ihre Kinder. For the film component, we will be studying Wolfgang Becker’s Goodbye, Lenin!
Preferred Board: AQA