Pre-Semester Language course

I enjoyed the pre-semester language course that took place in March. Since I hadn’t studied German since December, a refresher course was much needed. The SLI-sponsored program placed students in different classes based on their performance of the onDaF placement test. I thought that my class was suitable for my level; even though some parts were review, any type of review is appreciated. We also looked at a lot of texts, varying from biographies to magazine articles. We also did a lot of conversational activities with partners and amongst the whole class. I found the professor to be very supportive, patient, and humorous. During the pre-semester language course I met many people who I consider to be friends even after the course ended. Because we had all recently arrived, it was comforting to know that everyone felt a bit lost in a new place, and we explored the city together. The class ran from 9:15 in the morning until about 1:00 in the afternoon. We have a break in the middle of the class to break up the long time block. After the first week of classes, we began our Vorlesung or Übung (lecture or seminar/discussion). The SLI offers a variety of courses from which to choose in order to get the full credit for the pre-semester course. I ended up choosing “Geschichtes des deustchen Films” (History of German Films). The class meets every weekday from 16:30-18:00. I found the class to be interesting. There was no final project/paper for this lecture, but attendance was mandatory. The lecture followed German film through the decades, starting with films in the late 1800s and finishing in the 2000s. I have not been exposed to many German films, so this topic was very new and intriguing for me. The professor spoke entirely in German, and every so often I had to consult my dictionary. Other than a few unknown words, I was able to grasp most of the synopses he described.

After class we had a break for a few hours before my lecture started at 4:30. The lecture  runs until 6:00 pm, so it's a bit late) and the topic is "Geschichtes des deutschen Films" (history of German films). The class was very interesting, and it met every week day until the end of March.

My Courses

I am currently enrolled in five courses at the university. I am taking three courses through the SprachLehr Institut (SLI, the language program at Uni Freiburg) including: “Deutsche Gesellschaft, Geschichte und Kultur” (German Society, History, and Culture); “Grammatik” (Grammar); and “Schriftliche Uebung” (Written practice). The two other courses I am taking are “The Comparative Typology of English and German” and “Bilingualism”. My schedule goes as follows:

Monday: 16:00-18:00 Comparative Typology of English and German

This is a lecture taught in English. Since I am a linguistics major, this course obviously interested me as I love finding similarities between the two languages. Most of the time we discuss different word connotations, such as why one translated English word may seem to fit due to a German speaker's knowledge of German, and vice versa. I am amazed at my fellow student's grasp of the English language, all of them are near fluent and are striving towards native-like proficiency in the language. We look at examples of German to English translations, some very humorous, and focus on very specific details in word choice, grammar, and sentence structure. I really enjoy this class.

Tuesday: no classes!

Wednesday: 12:00-14:00 Bilingualism

This course is taught in English as well. The professor uses PowerPoint presentations to give her lecture. She puts the lectures online so that students can print them out before lectures and make notes. I enjoy this class, and it is very similar to a lecture that could be taught at UMass. At the end of the semester we will talk about bilingualism in schools and the benefits of bilingualism, which I find to be a very interesting topic. In lieu of a final exam, we must complete a series of 5 assignments which are posted online.

Wednesday: 16:00-18:00 Schriftliche Übung

this course is taught in German and is an SLI course. In class we practice transcribing dictations, we write short and long compositions, and we describe objects, places, people, etc. Every so often we must write a longer composition for homework that is graded and corrected. I believe that there are about 10 graded compositions altogether that we must complete. Overall, I enjoy this class because it helps me write spontaneously and the longer writing pieces about various topics are helpful.

Thursday: 10:00-12:00 Deutsche Gesellschaft, Geschichte und Kultur

This course is taught in German and is an SLI course. The course consists of Referate, which are short presentations, given by students about an assignment historical topic. I am scheduled to give a Referat about German art in late July. I really don't know much about German history, and it seems other foreign students are just as uninformed about it as I am. After the Referat, the professor asks the presenter questions and allows students to ask questions to clarify confusing material as well. I must also write a paper to receive credit.

Thursday: 12:00-14:00 Grammatik

this course is taught in German and is taught by the SLI department. Other than the culture, a main part of why I like German is because it has a pretty strict grammar, with a handful of irregulars that actually make sense phonetically. This class is mostly review (which is always helpful!) with a few new things I have never been taught. A typical class consists of us reviewing the homework (which isn't mandatory, but helpful to do because the teacher expects you to know the answer when she calls on you) then doing some more exercises together, then she will give a review of new grammar rules and clarify any confusion. I really enjoy grammar, so this class is very enjoyable for me. We must only take two tests to get the ECTS points for this class. Attendance is also very important.

One thing to note is that classes actually begin fifteen minutes after their scheduled times. So if a class runs from 4:00-6:00 (16:00-18:00), then the professor will show up around 4:10 and begin teaching at 4:15. Then there is usually a short 5 minute break in the middle, and class will usually end at about 5:50. I was intimidated about how long the classes would be, but for meeting only once a week I think this is perfectly reasonable.