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German

A-Level German is an integrated study of language, culture and society, set against the Department for Education GCE AS and A level subject content for modern foreign languages and delivered here through the dominant AQA 7662 specification. It is not a vocabulary course with a culture appendix: grammar, lexis and cultural substance are assessed together, and every mark in the qualification is earned in German except the ten marks for translation into English. The content is organised as four themes, each with three sub-themes, and the specification names every theme in English and every sub-theme in both English and German. Aspects of German-speaking society covers Familie im Wandel, Die digitale Welt and Jugendkultur: Mode, Musik und Fernsehen. Artistic culture in the German-speaking world covers Feste und Traditionen, Kunst und Architektur and Das Berliner Kulturleben damals und heute. Multiculturalism in German-speaking society covers Einwanderung, Integration and Rassismus. Aspects of political life in the German-speaking world covers Deutschland und die Europäische Union, Die Politik und die Jugend, and Die Wiedervereinigung und ihre Folgen. Alongside these sit a prescribed grammar list divided into AS and A-level sections, translation in both directions, the critical study in German of two works (either one literary text and one film or two literary texts) from the prescribed list published in the specification, and an individual research project on a self-chosen subject relating to a country where German is spoken, presented and defended in the speaking test. Three scope rules are written into the specification and are easy to overlook: cultural life in Berlin must be studied in relation to Berlin, and both Germany and the EU and German reunification must be studied in relation to Germany; every other sub-theme may be studied in relation to any German-speaking country or countries. Students must work from authentic German sources including online media, and must know the German-speaking world beyond Germany, because across the listening passages reference is made to at least two German-speaking countries other than Germany and across the reading texts to at least one.

0/76 Texts15 Chapters~387 min total

Continue reading — Chapter I Table of contents

AQA 7662 3.1.1 - Familie im Wandel: Beziehungen innerhalb der FamilieDfE GCE modern foreign languages subject contentAQA 7662 3.1.1 - Familie im Wandel: Partnerschaft und EheAQA 7662 3.1.1 - Familie im Wandel: Verschiedene FamilienformenAQA 7662 3.1.1 - Familie im WandelAQA 7662 3.3 Grammar+70 moreStandardAdvanced

Table of contents · 15 ChaptersT·15

Ch. IThe changing state of the family5 texts · 0 read

Ch. IIThe digital world5 texts · 0 read

Ch. IIIYouth culture: fashion and trends, music and television5 texts · 0 read

Ch. IVFestivals and traditions5 texts · 0 read

Ch. VArt and architecture5 texts · 0 read

Ch. VICultural life in Berlin, then and now5 texts · 0 read

Ch. VIIImmigration5 texts · 0 read

Ch. VIIIIntegration5 texts · 0 read

Ch. IXRacism5 texts · 0 read

Ch. XGermany and the European Union5 texts · 0 read

Ch. XIPolitics and youth5 texts · 0 read

Ch. XIIGerman reunification and its consequences5 texts · 0 read

Ch. XIIIGrammar6 texts · 0 read

Ch. XIVLiterary text and film study5 texts · 0 read

Ch. XVIndividual research project5 texts · 0 read

Instrument · 01Recommended study order

Instrument · 02Exam structure

Paper 1 - Listening, reading and writing (AQA 7662/1): 2 hours 30 minutes, 100 raw marks (scaled x2), 50% of the A-Level - the paper that decides most grades. Four blocks. Listening and responding to spoken passages from a range of contexts and sources covering different registers, adapted as necessary, including complex factual and abstract content; studio recordings, with individual control of the recording, and at least one passage involving more than one speaker. All questions are in German and answered non-verbally or in German (30 marks). Reading and responding to a variety of texts written for different purposes and drawn from a range of authentic sources, contemporary and historical, non-fiction and literary; again questioned and answered in German (50 marks). Translation into English of a passage of at least 100 words (10 marks). Translation into German of a passage of at least 100 words, supported by a text in German that supplies some of the vocabulary and structures needed (10 marks). One listening question and one reading question require a summary in German, marked independently for content (AO1 for listening, AO2 for reading) and for language (AO3); students must write in full sentences and use their own words as far as possible, marking of a long summary stops at the first natural break between 90 and 100 words, and lifted language earns no AO3 credit. Across the listening passages, reference is made to at least two German-speaking countries other than Germany; across the reading texts, to at least one. No dictionary.
Paper 2 - Writing (AQA 7662/2): 2 hours, 80 raw marks (scaled x1), 20% of the A-Level. Students write one essay in German on each of the two works they have studied - either one text and one film, or two texts, taken from the prescribed lists published in the current specification; abridged versions may not be used. There is a choice of two questions on each work. Every question requires a critical appreciation of the concepts and issues covered in the work and a critical and analytical response to features such as the form and the technique of presentation, as appropriate to the work studied - the specification's own examples are the effect of narrative voice in a prose text and camera work in a film. Each essay carries 40 marks, split 20 for AO3 (accurate manipulation of the language, range of lexis and structure) and 20 for AO4 (knowledge, understanding and critical response). Students are advised to write approximately 300 words per essay; everything written is marked and there is no word limit, but students who write the recommended number of words have access to the full range of marks. No dictionaries and no access to the texts or films.
Paper 3 - Speaking (AQA 7662/3): 21-23 minutes including 5 minutes of supervised preparation, 60 raw marks (scaled x2), 30% of the A-Level. Part one (25 marks): the teacher-examiner gives the student two stimulus cards drawn from different themes, following AQA's sequencing table and avoiding the subject of the student's research project; the student chooses one card, prepares it for 5 minutes and may make notes, then discusses it for 5-6 minutes. The card carries images, text and three questions, which the examiner asks; the student must also ask the examiner two questions arising from the material on the card that seek information or an opinion and that contain a conjugated verb - asking for repetition or clarification, or rephrasing a printed question, does not count. Marks: AO1 5, AO2 5, AO3 10, AO4 5; if only one question is asked the AO2 mark is capped at 4, and if none is asked at 3. Part two (35 marks): a presentation of the individual research project of up to two minutes (5 marks, all AO4), followed by 9-10 minutes of discussion of the findings (30 marks: AO1 10, AO3 10, AO4 10). The student submits in advance a Candidate Record form listing headings that indicate the scope of the research and the sources used - at least two sources, at least one of them online; apart from the names of published sources the headings must be in English, and beyond the two required sources any remaining sources and headings must not exceed 80 words. During Part two the student may consult only the completed form. No dictionary at any stage, including the preparation. Tests fall in a five-week window in April and May, are recorded complete and unedited, and are marked by an AQA examiner.
Assessment objectives, weightings and grading: Four assessment objectives, set by Ofqual and identical across all boards. AO1 - understand and respond, in speech to spoken language including face-to-face interaction and in writing to spoken language (20% overall: 12.5% in Paper 1, 7.5% in Paper 3). AO2 - understand and respond, in speech to written language and in writing to written language (30% overall: 27.5% in Paper 1, 2.5% in Paper 3). AO3 - manipulate the language accurately, in spoken and written forms, using a range of lexis and structure (30% overall, split evenly 10/10/10 across the three papers). AO4 - show knowledge and understanding of, and respond critically and analytically to, different aspects of the culture and society of countries and communities where the language is spoken (20% overall: 10% in Paper 2, 10% in Paper 3). Across AO1 and AO2 combined, no more than 10% of the total marks for the qualification may be used for responses in English, including translation into English - which is why the German-into-English translation is the only English writing in the whole qualification. Papers are scaled to 200 / 80 / 120 for a total scaled mark of 400. The qualification is linear: all assessments are sat at the end of the course and in the same series, and it is graded A*-E with U below grade E. The AQA entry code is 7662 and the DfE discount code 5670. AS German (7661) is a separate qualification covering only the Aspects of German-speaking society and Artistic culture themes, one work rather than two, a shorter Paper 1 (1 hour 45 minutes, 90 marks, 45%) with translation into English only, a Paper 2 (1 hour 30 minutes, 50 marks, 25%) that pairs a translation into German with a single essay of about 250 words, and a 12-14 minute speaking test built on two stimulus cards with 15 minutes of preparation and no research project.

Instrument · 03Official sources