An introduction to the English Leistungskurs

I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.„ We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering.(Winston Churchill May13, 1940)

1

What is it good for?

Improve your language skills:

vocabulary/idioms

grammar and English in use

listening comprehension

Broaden your horizon:

Get to know more about the

English speaking countries

around the world

Careers:English needed in whichever career you choose

TeachingJournalism..............

2

Main points:

Language: grammar, style, vocabulary Aspects of Landeskunde, USA, GB and other

English speaking countries All sorts of literature past and present

A lot will depend your individual likes and dislikes!!

3

Language

Good old questions on all sorts of texts Good old translations Good old essays and compositions But also: preparation for the Cambridge

Certificate in Advanced English How to deliver speeches How to make an interview How to analyse pictures How to understand the many English dialects

etc.

4

Landeskunde - cultural awareness

opinion poll as to which items you like/hate list of items dealt with in a short period of time and

those which we are going to work through in detail American/British current affairs, geography/history,

recurrent topics (immigration, schools, way of life, attitudes and values.....

5

Literature

short stories/fables a modern and a Shakespeare drama a novel poetry???

Learn how to analyze literature

6

media

not everything will be on paper textbooks texts in the oldfashioned way films, both short and full feature films the internet/computer exercises of all sorts

7

what you actually do in class

questions, questions, questions .............. teach your fellow students emphasis on independent self-determined work long-term vs. short-term assignments team work (with marks)

8

marks, marks, marks

2 written tests each term apart from 13/2

short oral tests at the beginning of many lessons

a small number of vocabulary test

some team assignments, short papers and general participation will also be evaluated