GERMAN (PEARSON)

A Level Course Outline

Why study A Level German?

German is the most widely spoken language in Europe and is one of the highest rated languages of employers in the UK. Building on the foundations of the German AS course, the Edexcel A-level in German has been developed to inspire students to have an appreciation of the language, literature, film, society and culture of the German-speaking world.

What will I study in A Level German?

Building on Themes 1 & 2 which you will have covered at AS you will develop your knowledge of German vocabulary and grammar, whilst studying the further two themes described below. You will also study the book or film not already covered at AS. Recent works studied include Der Vorleser (Schlink), Der Besuch der alten Dame (Dürrenmatt) and the films Das Leben der Anderen and Goodbye Lenin! All four themes and both cultural works are then assessed in the final A Level examination.

Themes

Theme 1: Gesellschaftliche Entwicklung in Deutschland. (Social Issues and Trends.) AS Theme

Theme 2: Politische und künstlerische Kultur im deutschen Sprachraum. (Culture in German speaking society.) AS Theme

Theme 3: Immigration und die deutsche multikulturelle Gesellschaft. (Immigration and the German multicultural society.) This theme centres around Germany only and has three strands - the positive effects of immigration, the challenges of immigration and integration, and the state and societal reactions to immigration. The positive effects of immigration have a long history, dating back to the arrival of the Gastarbeiter in the 1950s and 60s, through to refugee crisis of 2015 and their presence in Germany has changed the social, cultural, gastronomic and sporting landscape of the country enormously.

Theme 4: Die Wiedervereinigung Deutschlands. (The Reunification of Germany.) This theme centres around Germany only and has three strands - Society in the GDR before unification, the events leading to unification and Germany since unification.

The tumultuous events in 1989 lead to huge changes across Europe and the wider world. What were the events in East Germany which led to the Fall of the Berlin Wall in November 1989 and the subsequent unification of East and West 11 months later?

It has now been more than thirty years since Germany was unified but difference between East and West still remain. What can be done to level up the East without causing resentment in the West and why are so few major German businesses based in the eastern half of the country? This sub-theme examines how the two countries were brought together in the early 1990s and the legacy of the division of Germany to this day.

Film/Literature

Once we've agreed on the book, film or play we're going to study we work through it in stages, examining the characters, themes and style of the work. We examine the effect the work has on the reader or viewer and with films we also consider the cinematic techniques used by the director.

How will A Level German help me now and in the future?

• Studying A Level German will enhance your linguistic skills and promote and develop your capacity for critical thinking on the basis of your knowledge and understanding of the language, culture and society of the countries where German is spoken.
• In a recent (2019) Confederation of British Industries report, German was listed as the most useful foreign language for prospective employees to have.

What do I need to study German A Level?

You need at least a Grade 6 at GCSE and to be working at a grade B or above at AS Level. You also need to be prepared to work hard, be challenged and be stimulated by learning about the world around you.

GERMAN (PEARSON) A Level Specification
Paper 1: Listening, reading and translation Written examination: 2 hours 40% of the qualification 80 marks This paper draws on vocabulary and structures across all four Themes. Students are not permitted access to a dictionary during the examination.	Section A: Listening (30 marks) A listening assessment based on a recording, featuring male and female German speakers. Students will respond to comprehension questions based on a variety of contexts and sources. Section B: Reading (30 marks) A reading assessment based on a variety of text-types and genres where students will have to respond to comprehension questions. Section C: Translation into English (20 marks) An unseen passage to be translated from German to English.
Paper 2: Written response to works and translation Written examination: 2 hours and 40 minutes 30% of the qualification 120 marks This paper draws on the study of two discrete German works: either two literary texts, or one literary text and one film. The literary texts listed include a range of classic and contemporary novels, a series of short stories and plays. All of the films are feature length. This paper includes a translation exercise and two essays on either two literary texts, or one literary text and one film (students must not answer questions on two films). Students are not permitted access to a dictionary or any documentation relating to the works during the examination.	Section A: Translation (20 marks) Students translate an unseen passage from English into German. Section B: Written response to works (literary texts) (50 marks) Students must write an extended response on either one or two of the literary texts Students select one question from a choice of two for each of their chosen literary text(s). If a student answers questions on two literary texts then they do not complete section C. Section C: Written response to works (literary text or films) (50 marks) Students who answer only one question from a literary text in Section B must now write an extended response on one of the film listed. Students select one question from a choice of two from their chosen film.
Paper 3: Speaking Internally conducted and externally assessed Total assessment time: between 21 and 23 minutes, which includes a single period of 5 minutes' formal preparation time 30% of the qualification 72 marks	Task 1, c.6 mins, (discussion on a Theme) Students discuss one Theme from the specification based on a stimulus containing two different statements. Task 2, c.12 mins, (presentation and discussion on independent research) Students present a summary of the key findings of the written sources they have used for their research and answer questions on this. They then have a wider discussion on their research.

How can I prepare for A Level German?

Listen to German music with the Goethe Institut Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/goethe-institut.

Slow news in German: https://learngerman.dw.com/de/ langsam-gesprochene-nachrichten/ s-60040332.

Watch as many German series as possible on Netflix or Walter Presents (Channel 4). Try Dark, Deutschland 83, 86 & 89 or Bad Banks.

Penguin Parallel Text Short Stories in German, edited by Ernst Zillekens

Core Textbook Edexcel German for AS and A Level Hodder Publications ISBN-10: 1471858235