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German Language & Culture (6-Year Program) Grade 7 - 12 (2006)

© Alberta Education, Canada 
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 Table of Contents   Program of Studies
Rationale & Philosophy 
  
Outcomes 
  
This program of studies is intended for students who are beginning their study of German language and culture in Grade 7. The German Language and Culture Six-year Program, Grades 7–8–9, constitutes the first three years of the six-year program while 10-6Y, 20-6Y and 30-6Y constitute the last three years.

Introduction

Studying the German language opens the door to understanding and participating in an influential world culture with close relationships to both the English language and our contemporary way of life.

Communication with people living in much of northern and central Europe is possible for those who know the German language. Approximately 120 million people speak German; it is the official language of Austria and Germany, and it is one of several official languages in Liechtenstein, Luxembourg and Switzerland. In Belgium and Denmark, German is a language with special status.

German can be an important key to communication in many parts of the world beyond the German-speaking nations as well. In eastern Europe, for example, the use of German as a major language of business has been increasing in recent years. According to Canada’s 2001 Census, German is Canada’s fifth most common mother tongue. In Alberta, about 78 000 people reported German as their mother tongue in that same year.

Learning German as another language is to embark on a profound experience of cross-cultural exploration. Contributions from German culture have shaped such areas as science, technology, music, religion and politics, to name but a few. Over the centuries, German has had significant impact, in both positive and negative ways, far beyond the borders of nations where the language is spoken.

For those students who already have some knowledge of German, or a family connection to the culture, there is the opportunity to renew contact with their ancestral language and culture or to maintain and develop literacy in a first language that is not the majority language in the community.

The value, for Canadian society as a whole, of learning German can be summarized as follows. Learning German leads to:

  • an increased awareness of, and sensitivity to, cultural and linguistic diversity
  • an enhanced role in the international community
  • improved potential in the Canadian and the global marketplace and workplace.

There are also many personal reasons for learning German. Students who have no previous knowledge of the language can look forward to:

  • more opportunity to communicate directly with German-speaking people and gain a deeper insight into their own culture and language
  • a broader range of educational, career and leisure opportunities
  • the opportunity to meet the entrance requirements of many post-secondary institutions in Alberta and across Canada.

Students receive additional, indirect benefits from learning German as another language, including:

  • development of increased competence in their use of English or in other languages they may know
  • enhanced cognitive functioning, particularly an increased ability to conceptualize and to think abstractly; more cognitive flexibility; and greater divergent thinking, creativity and metalinguistic competence.
Assumptions

The following statements are assumptions that have guided the development process of this program of studies.

  • Language is communication.
  • Language is culture.
  • All students can be successful learners of language and culture, although they will learn in a variety of ways and acquire proficiency at varied rates.
  • All languages can be taught and learned.
  • Learning German as another language leads to enhanced learning in both the student’s primary language and in related areas of cognitive development and knowledge acquisition. This is true of students who come to the class with some background knowledge of German and develop literacy skills in the language. It is also true for students who have no cultural or linguistic background in German and are studying German as a second language.
The Conceptual Model

The aim of this program of studies is the development of communicative competence in the German language.

Four Components

For the purposes of this program of studies, communicative competence is represented by four interrelated and interdependent components.

Applications deal with what the students will be able to do with the language, the functions they will be able to perform and the contexts in which they will be able to operate.

Language Competence addresses the students’ knowledge of the language and their ability to use that knowledge to interpret and produce meaningful texts appropriate to the situations in which they are used.

Global Citizenship aims to develop intercultural competence, with a particular focus on cultures associated with German.

Strategies help students learn and communicate more effectively and more efficiently.

Each of these components is described more fully in the corresponding section of this program of studies.

Modes of Communication

Because of the focus on using language to communicate in specific contexts, with a particular purpose or task in mind, three modes of communication are used to organize some of the specific outcomes.

Interaction is most often direct, face-to-face oral communication, but it can take the form of written communication between individuals, using a medium such as e-mail where the exchange of information is fairly immediate. It is characterized principally by the opportunity to actively negotiate meaning; that is, helping others understand and working to understand others. Interactive communication generally requires more speed but less accuracy than the other two modes.

Interpretation is receptive communication of oral and written messages in contexts where the listener or reader is not in direct contact with the creator of the message. While there is no opportunity to ask for clarification, there is sometimes the possibility of rereading or listening again, consulting references, or making the meaning clearer in other ways. Reading and listening will sometimes involve viewing and interpreting visual elements, such as illustrations in books or moving images in television and film. Interpretation goes beyond a literal comprehension to include an understanding of some of the unspoken or unwritten meaning intended by the speaker or author.

Production is communication of oral and written messages in contexts where the audience is not in personal contact with the speaker or writer, or in situations of one-to-many communication; e.g., a lecture or a performance where there is no opportunity for the listener to interact with the speaker. Oral and written presentations will sometimes be enhanced by representing the meaning visually, using pictures, diagrams, models, drama techniques or other nonverbal forms of communication. Greater knowledge of the language and culture is required to ensure that communication is successful, since the participants cannot directly negotiate meaning.

A Spiral Progression

Language learning is integrative, not merely cumulative. Each new element that is added must be integrated into the whole of what has gone before. The model that best represents the students’ language learning progress is an expanding spiral. Their progression is not only vertical (e.g., increased proficiency) but also horizontal (e.g., broader range of applications and experience with more vocabulary, text forms, contexts and so on). The spiral also represents how language learning activities are best structured. Particular lexical fields, learning strategies or language functions, for example, are revisited at different points in the program, but from a different perspective, in broader contexts or at a slightly higher level of proficiency each time. Learning is reinforced, extended and broadened with each successive pass.

Organization of the Program of Studies
General Outcomes

General outcomes are broad statements identifying the knowledge, skills and attitudes that students are expected to achieve in the course of their language learning experience. The four general outcomes serve as the foundation for this program of studies and are based on the conceptual model outlined above.

Applications [A]

  • Students will use German in a variety of situations and for a variety of purposes.

Language Competence [LC]

  • Students will understand and produce German effectively and competently in spoken and written forms.

Global Citizenship [GC]

  • Students will acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be effective global citizens, through the exploration of the cultures of the German-speaking world.

Strategies [S]

  • Students will know and use various strategies to maximize the effectiveness of learning and communication.

The order in which the general outcomes are presented in the program of studies does not represent a sequential order, nor does it indicate the relative importance of each component. The general outcomes are to be implemented in an integrated manner.

Overview

Specific Outcomes

Each general outcome is further broken down into specific outcomes that students are to achieve by the end of each grade/course.

The specific outcomes are categorized under cluster headings, which show the scope of each of the four general outcomes. These headings are shown in the Overview section above.

The specific outcomes within each cluster are further categorized by strands, which show the developmental flow of learning from the beginning to the end of the program. However, an outcome for a particular grade/course will not be dealt with only in that particular year of the program. The spiral progression that is part of the conceptual model means that activities in the years preceding will prepare the ground for acquisition and in the years following will broaden applications.

The specific outcomes are interrelated and interdependent. In most classroom activities, a number of learning outcomes will be dealt with in an integrated manner.

Applications Overview

Students will use German in a variety of situations and for a variety of purposes.
Cluster:Strand:
A-1 to receive and impart informationA-1.1 share factual information
A-2 to express emotions and personal perspectivesA-2.1 share ideas, thoughts, opinions, preferences
A-2.2 emotions, feelings
A-3 to get things doneA-3.1 guide actions of others
A-3.2 state personal actions
A-3.3 manage group actions
A-4 to form, maintain and change interpersonal relationshipsA-4.1 manage personal relationships
A-5 to extend their knowledge of the worldA-5.1 discover and explore
A-5.2 gather and organize information
A-5.3 explore opinions and values
A-5.4 solve problems
A-6 for imaginative purposes and personal enjoymentA-6.1 humour/fun
A-6.2 creative/aesthetic purposes
A-6.3 personal enjoyment


The specific outcomes under the heading Applications deal with what the students will be able to do with the German language; that is, the functions they will be able to perform and the contexts in which they will be able to operate.

The functions are grouped under six cluster headings—see the illustration above. Under each of these headings there are one or more strands, which show the developmental flow of learning from grade to grade or course to course. Each strand deals with a specific language function; e.g., share factual information. Students at any grade/course level will be able to share factual information. Beginning learners will do this in very simple ways. As students gain more knowledge and experience, they will broaden the range of subjects they can deal with, they will learn to share information in writing as well as orally, and they will be able to handle formal and informal situations.

Different models of communicative competence have organized language functions in a variety of ways. The organizational structure chosen here reflects the needs and interests of students in a classroom where activities are focused on meaning and are interactive. For example, the strand entitled “manage group actions” has been included to ensure that students acquire the German language skills necessary to function independently in small groups, since this is an effective way of organizing second language classrooms. The strands under the cluster heading “to extend their knowledge of the world” will accommodate a content-based approach to language learning where students learn content from another subject area as they learn the German language.

The level of linguistic, sociolinguistic and discourse competence that students will exhibit when carrying out the functions is defined in the specific outcomes for Language Competence for each grade/course. To know how well students will be able to perform the specific function, the Applications outcomes must be read in conjunction with the Language Competence outcomes.

Language Competence Overview

Students will understand and produce German effectively and competently in spoken and written forms.
Cluster:Strand:
LC-1 interpret and produce oral textsLC-1.1 aural interpretation
LC-1.2 oral production
LC-1.3 interactive fluency
LC-2 interpret and produce written texts, graphics and imagesLC-2.1 written interpretation
LC-2.2 written production
LC-2.3 viewing
LC-2.4 representing
LC-3 attend to formLC-3.1 phonology
LC-3.2 orthography
LC-3.3 lexicon
LC-3.4 grammatical elements
LC-4 apply knowledge of how discourse is organized, structured and sequenced in GermanLC-4.1 text forms
LC-4.2 patterns of social interaction
LC-4.3 cohesion/coherence
LC-5 apply knowledge of the sociocultural contextLC-5.1 register
LC-5.2 idiomatic expressions
LC-5.3 variations in language
LC-5.4 social conventions
LC-5.5 nonverbal communication

Language competence is a broad term that includes linguistic or grammatical competence, discourse competence, sociolinguistic or sociocultural competence and what might be called textual competence. The specific outcomes under Language Competence deal with knowledge of the German language and the ability to use that knowledge to interpret and produce meaningful texts appropriate to the situations in which they are used. Language competence is best developed in the context of activities or tasks where the language is used for real purposes; in other words, in practical applications.

The various components of language competence are grouped under five cluster headings—see the illustration above. Under each of these headings there are several strands which show the developmental flow of learning from grade to grade or course to course. Each strand deals with a single aspect of language competence. attend to form,” there is a strand for phonology (pronunciation, stress, intonation), orthography (spelling, mechanical features), lexicon (vocabulary words and phrases) and grammatical elements (syntax and morphology).

Although the outcomes isolate these individual aspects, language competence should be developed through classroom activities that focus on meaningful uses of the German language and on language in context. Tasks will be chosen based on the needs, interests and experiences of students. The vocabulary, grammar structures, text forms and social conventions necessary to carry out a task will be taught, practised and assessed as students are involved in various aspects of the task itself, not in isolation.

Strategic competence is often closely associated with language competence, since students need to learn ways to compensate for low proficiency in the early stages of learning if they are to engage in authentic language use from the beginning. This component is included in the language use strategies in the Strategies section.

Grammatical elements that appear only in the “in modelled situations” or “in structured situations” sections still need to be evaluated. It is understood that it may take students some time before they are able to use these elements independently and consistently. Evaluation practices should reflect the developmental nature of the learning process.

Global Citizenship Overview

Students will acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be effective global citizens, through the exploration of the cultures of the German-speaking world.
Cluster:Strand:
GC-1 historical and contemporary elements of the cultures of German-speaking peoplesGC-1.1 gaining/applying knowledge of German cultures
GC-1.2 diversity within German cultures
GC-1.3 analyzing cultural knowledge
GC-1.4 valuing German cultures
GC-2 affirming and valuing diversityGC-2.1 awareness of English
GC-2.2 general language knowledge
GC-2.3 awareness of Canadian culture
GC-2.4 general cultural knowledge
GC-2.5 intercultural skills
GC-3 personal and career opportunitiesGC-3.1 German language and cultures
GC-3.2 cultural and linguistic diversity

The learning outcomes for Global Citizenship deal with the development of intercultural competence, encompassing some of the knowledge, skills and attitudes that students need in order to be effective global citizens. The concept of global citizenship encompasses citizenship at all levels, from the local school and community to Canada and the world.

The various components of global citizenship are grouped under three cluster headings—see the illustration above. Under each of these headings there are several strands which show the developmental flow of learning from grade to grade or course to course. Each strand deals with a single aspect of intercultural competence. For example, under the cluster heading “historical and contemporary elements of the cultures of German-speaking peoples,” there are strands for gaining/applying knowledge of German cultures, diversity within German cultures, analyzing cultural knowledge and valuing German cultures.

Developing cultural knowledge and skills is a lifelong process. Knowledge of one’s own culture is acquired over a lifetime. Cultures change over time. Within any national group, there may be a dominant culture or cultures and a number of additional cultures. Rather than developing a bank of knowledge about the German cultures, it is more important for students to develop skills in accessing and understanding information about cultures and in applying that knowledge for the purposes of interaction and communication. Students will gain cultural knowledge in the process of developing these skills. In this way, if they encounter elements of the German cultures they have not learned about in class, they will have the skills and abilities to deal with them effectively and appropriately.

The “affirming and valuing diversity” heading covers knowledge, skills and attitudes that are developed as a result of bringing other languages and cultures into relationship with one’s own. There is a natural tendency when learning a new language and culture to compare it with what is familiar. Many students leave a second language learning experience with a heightened awareness and knowledge of their own language and culture. They will also be able to make some generalizations about languages and cultures based on their experiences and those of their classmates, who may have a variety of cultural backgrounds. This will provide students with an understanding of diversity within both a global and a Canadian context.

Strategies Overview

Students will know and use various strategies to maximize the effectiveness of learning and communication.
Cluster:Strand:
S-1 language learningS-1.1 cognitive
S-1.2 metacognitive
S-1.3 social/affective
S-2 language useS-2.1 interactive
S-2.2 interpretive
S-2.3 productive
S-3 general learningS-3.1 cognitive
S-3.2 metacognitive
S-3.3 social/affective

Under the Strategies heading are specific outcomes that will help students learn and communicate more effectively. Strategic competence has long been recognized as an important component of communicative competence. The learning outcomes that follow deal not only with compensation and repair strategies, important in the early stages of language learning when proficiency is low, but with strategies for language learning, language use in a broader sense, as well as general learning strategies that help students acquire content. Although people may use strategies unconsciously, the learning outcomes deal only with the conscious use of strategies.

The strategies are grouped under three cluster headings—see the illustration above. Under each of these headings there are several strands that show the development of awareness and skill in using strategies from grade to grade or course to course. Each strand deals with a specific category of strategy. Language learning and general learning strategies are categorized as cognitive, metacognitive and social/affective. The language use strategies are organized by communicative mode: receptive, productive, interactive.

The strategies that students choose depend on the task they are engaged in as well as on other factors, such as their preferred learning style, personality, age, attitude and cultural background. Strategies that work well for one person may not be effective for another person, or may not be suitable in a different situation. For this reason it is not particularly useful to say that students should be aware of, or able to use, a specific strategy at a particular grade/course level. Consequently, the specific outcomes describe the students’ knowledge of, and ability to use, general types of strategies. More specific strategies for each general category or type are included in the sample list of strategies below. The specific strategies provided in the sample list are not prescriptive but are provided as an illustration of how the general strategies in the specific outcomes might be developed.

Teachers need to know and be able to demonstrate a broad range of strategies from which students are then able to choose in order to communicate effectively. Strategies of all kinds are best taught in the context of learning activities where students can apply them immediately and then reflect on their use.

SAMPLE LIST OF STRATEGIES
Language Learning Strategies

Cognitive

  • listen attentively
  • perform actions to match the words of a song, story or rhyme
  • learn short rhymes or songs, incorporating new vocabulary or sentence patterns
  • imitate sounds and intonation patterns
  • memorize new words by repeating them silently or aloud
  • seek the precise term to express meaning
  • repeat words or phrases in the course of performing a language task
  • make personal dictionaries
  • experiment with various elements of the language
  • use mental images to remember new information
  • group together sets of things—vocabulary, structures—with similar characteristics
  • identify similarities and differences between aspects of the German language and own language
  • look for patterns and relationships
  • use previously acquired knowledge to facilitate a learning task
  • associate new words or expressions with familiar ones, either in German or in own language
  • find information, using reference materials like dictionaries, textbooks and grammars
  • use available technological aids to support language learning; e.g., cassette recorders, computers
  • use word maps, mind maps, diagrams, charts or other graphic representations to make information easier to understand and remember
  • place new words or expressions in a context to make them easier to remember
  • use induction to generate rules governing language use
  • seek opportunities outside of class to practise and observe
  • perceive and note down unknown words and expressions, noting also their context and function

Metacognitive

  • check copied writing for accuracy
  • make choices about how you learn
  • rehearse or role-play language
  • decide in advance to attend to the learning task
  • reflect on learning tasks with the guidance of the teacher
  • make a plan in advance about how to approach a language learning task
  • reflect on the listening, reading and writing process
  • decide in advance to attend to specific aspects of input
  • listen or read for key words
  • evaluate own performance or comprehension at the end of a task
  • keep a learning log
  • experience various methods of language acquisition, and identify one or more considered to be particularly useful personally
  • be aware of the potential of learning through direct exposure to the language
  • know how strategies may enable coping with texts containing unknown elements
  • identify problems that might hinder successful completion of a task, and seek solutions
  • monitor own speech and writing to check for persistent errors
  • be aware of own strengths and weaknesses, identify own needs and goals, and organize strategies and procedures accordingly

Social/Affective

  • initiate or maintain interaction with others
  • participate in shared reading experiences
  • seek the assistance of a friend to interpret a text
  • reread familiar self-chosen texts to enhance understanding and enjoyment
  • work cooperatively with peers in small groups
  • understand that making mistakes is a natural part of language learning
  • experiment with various forms of expression, and note their acceptance or nonacceptance by more experienced speakers
  • participate actively in brainstorming and conferencing as prewriting and postwriting exercises
  • use self-talk to feel competent to do the task
  • be willing to take risks, and try unfamiliar tasks and approaches
  • repeat new words and expressions occurring in own conversations, and make use of these new words and expressions as soon as appropriate
  • reduce anxiety by using mental techniques, such as positive self-talk or humour
  • work with others to solve problems, and get feedback on tasks
  • provide personal motivation by arranging own rewards when successful
Language Use Strategies

Receptive

  • determine the purpose of listening
  • assess own information needs before listening, viewing or reading
  • prepare questions or a guide to note down information found in the text
  • make predictions about what you expect to hear or read based on prior knowledge and personal experience
  • listen selectively based on purpose
  • listen or look for key words
  • use key content words or discourse markers to follow an extended text
  • use skimming and scanning to locate key information in texts
  • use illustrations to aid reading comprehension
  • infer probable meanings of unknown words or expressions from contextual clues
  • use knowledge of the sound–symbol system to aid reading comprehension
  • reread several times to understand complex ideas
  • observe gestures, intonation and visual supports to aid comprehension
  • summarize information gathered
  • make connections between texts on the one hand and prior knowledge and personal experience on the other

Productive

  • mimic what the teacher says
  • use nonverbal means to communicate
  • copy what others say or write
  • use words visible in the immediate environment
  • be aware of and use the steps of the writing process: prewriting (gathering ideas, planning the text, research, organizing the text), writing, revision (rereading, moving pieces of text, rewriting pieces of text), correction (grammar, spelling, punctuation), publication (reprinting, adding illustrations, binding)
  • use various techniques to explore ideas at the planning stage, such as brainstorming or keeping a notebook or log of ideas
  • use familiar repetitive patterns from stories, songs, rhymes or media
  • use illustrations to provide detail when producing own texts
  • use familiar sentence patterns to form new sentences
  • take notes when reading or listening to assist in producing own text
  • compensate for avoiding difficult structures by rephrasing
  • use resources to increase vocabulary
  • use descriptions, explanations or various words and phrases to compensate for lack of specific terms (circumlocution)
  • use a variety of resources to correct texts; e.g., personal and commercial dictionaries, checklists, grammars
  • apply grammar rules to improve accuracy at the correction stage
  • revise and correct final version of text

Interactive

  • indicate lack of understanding nonverbally or verbally; e.g., raised eyebrows, blank look, Entschuldigung? Wie bitte? Das habe ich nicht verstanden.
  • interpret and use a variety of nonverbal cues to communicate; e.g., mime, pointing, gestures, drawing pictures
  • ask for clarification or repetition when you do not understand; e.g., Was meinen Sie damit? Wiederholen Sie bitte!
  • ask for confirmation that a form used is correct; e.g., Kann man das sagen? Wie heißt das auf Deutsch?
  • use other speakers’ words in subsequent conversations
  • use descriptions, explanations or various words and phrases to compensate for lack of specific terms (circumlocution)
  • assess feedback from a conversation partner to recognize if a message has been understood
  • start again, using a different tactic, when communication breaks down
  • use fillers, hesitation devices and gambits to sustain conversations; e.g., Na ja. Gut! Nicht wahr?
General Learning Strategies

Cognitive

  • classify objects and ideas according to their attributes; e.g., red objects and blue objects, or animals that eat meat and animals that eat plant
  • use models
  • connect what is already known with what is being learned
  • experiment with and concentrate on one thing at a time
  • focus on and complete learning tasks
  • record key words and concepts in abbreviated form—verbal, graphic or numerical—to assist with performance of a learning task
  • use mental images to remember new information
  • distinguish between fact and opinion when using a variety of sources of information
  • formulate key questions to guide research
  • make inferences, and identify and justify the evidence on which these inferences are based
  • use word maps, mind maps, diagrams, charts or other graphic representations to make information easier to understand and remember
  • seek information through a network of sources, including libraries, the Internet, individuals and agencies
  • use previously acquired knowledge or skills to assist with a new learning task

Metacognitive

  • reflect on learning tasks with the guidance of the teacher
  • choose from various study techniques
  • discover how own efforts can affect learning
  • reflect upon own thinking processes and how you learn
  • decide in advance to attend to the learning task
  • divide an overall learning task into a number of subtasks
  • make a plan in advance about how to approach a task
  • identify own needs and interests
  • manage own physical working environment
  • keep a learning journal, such as a diary or a log
  • develop criteria for evaluating own work
  • work with others to monitor own learning
  • take responsibility for planning, monitoring and evaluating learning experiences

Social/Affective

  • watch others’ actions and copy them
  • seek help from others
  • follow own natural curiosity and intrinsic motivation to learn
  • participate in cooperative group learning tasks
  • choose learning activities that enhance understanding and enjoyment
  • be encouraged to try, even though mistakes may be made
  • take part in group decision-making processes
  • use support strategies to help peers persevere at learning tasks; e.g., offer encouragement, praise, ideas
  • take part in group problem-solving processes
  • use self-talk to feel competent to do the task
  • be willing to take risks, and try unfamiliar tasks and approaches
  • monitor own level of anxiety about learning tasks, and take measures to lower it if necessary; e.g., deep breathing, laughter
  • use social interaction skills to enhance group learning activities
Grade 7
Applications (Gr. 7)
General Outcome for Applications

Students will use German in a variety of situations and for a variety of purposes.

A–1 to receive and impart information
  • A–1.1 share factual information
  • a. understand and respond to simple, predictable questions
  • b. identify people, places and specific things
  • c. ask for and share information about people, places and time; e.g., wer, wo, woher, wie, wann, was
A–2 to express emotions and personal perspectives
  • A–2.1 share ideas, thoughts, opinions, preferences
  • a. express simple personal thoughts, likes, dislikes and reactions; e.g., Ich mag/Ich mag nicht.
  • A–2.2 share emotions, feelings
  • a. ask and respond to questions about well-being; e.g., Wie geht’s?
A–3 to get things done
  • A–3.1 guide actions of others
  • a. ask for permission
  • A–3.2 state personal actions
  • a. respond to simple oral instructions or commands
  • A–3.3 manage group actions
  • a. express turn taking
A–4 to form, maintain and change interpersonal relationships
  • A–4.1 manage personal relationships
  • a. exchange greetings and farewells
  • b. address a new acquaintance, and introduce themselves
  • c. exchange some basic personal information
A–5 to extend their knowledge of the world
  • A–5.1 discover and explore
  • a. ask simple questions
  • A–5.2 gather and organize information
  • a. gather simple information
  • A–5.3 explore opinions and values
  • a. respond to the preferences and opinions of others
A–6 for imaginative purposes and personal enjoyment
  • A–6.1 humour/fun
  • a. use German for fun; e.g., rhymes
  • A–6.2 creative/aesthetic purposes
  • a. use German creatively; e.g., concrete poetry
  • A–6.3 personal enjoyment
  • a. use German for personal enjoyment
Language Competence (Gr. 7)
General Outcome for Language Competence

Students will understand and produce German effectively and competently in spoken and written forms.

LC–1 interpret and produce oral texts
  • LC–1.1 aural interpretation
  • a. understand the main points of short oral texts on familiar topics, in guided situations
  • LC–1.2 oral production
  • a. produce short, simple oral texts, using familiar structures, in guided situations
  • LC–1.3 interactive fluency
  • a. interact, using a combination of words and phrases, in guided situations
LC–2 interpret and produce written texts, graphics and images
  • LC–2.1 written interpretation
  • a. understand the main points of short written texts on familiar topics, in guided situations
  • LC–2.2 written production
  • a. produce short, simple written texts, using familiar structures, in guided situations
  • LC–2.3 viewing
  • a. derive meaning from selected visuals, in guided situations
  • LC–2.4 representing
  • a. express meaning, using selected visual forms, in guided situations
LC–3 attend to form
  • LC–3.1 phonology
  • a. relate all letters to the sounds they represent, including ä, ö, ü, ß
  • b. pronounce learned words and phrases comprehensibly
  • LC–3.2 orthography
  • a. recognize and use capitalization
  • b. spell learned words correctly
  • LC–3.3 lexicon
  • a. use a repertoire of words and phrases in familiar contexts, within a variety of lexical fields, including:
Personal IdentityFamily and Home LifeSchoolLeisure and Recreation
  • name, age
  • friends and relatives
  • physical description
  • family members, relatives, occupations
  • pets, animals
  • the home
  • subjects
  • timetables
  • classroom routines
  • school facility
  • hobbies, interests
  • sports and exercises
  • entertainment
  • music
  • vacation
  • transportation
FoodLandeskundeHealth and BodyOther Areas
  • meals
  • restaurants
  • grocery shopping
  • money, currencies
  • celebrations
  • geography
  • climate, weather, seasons
  • famous people
  • body parts
  • illness
  • clothing
  • any other lexical fields that meet the needs and interests of students

Note: Teachers may rearrange groupings and vary the emphasis on lexical fields to meet the needs and interests of students.

  • LC–3.4 grammatical elements
  • a. recognize and use, in modelled situations,1 the following grammatical elements: ...
    • articles of familiar nouns in nominative and accusative
    • plural of familiar nouns
    • selected modal verbs in present tense (e.g., kann, darf) and placement of infinitive (e.g., Ich möchte Wasser trinken.)
    • imperative mood (singular)
    • simple past of sein (ich war)
    • possessive pronouns in nominative and accusative (3rd person singular)
    • sentence structure: inversion following expressions of place and time (e.g., Heute gehe ich …)
    • negation (nicht/kein)
    • selected prepositions with accusative and dative (e.g., mit)
    • position of adverbs of preference (e.g., gern)
    • structure of compound sentences using coordinating conjunctions

    1Modelled Situations: This term is used to describe learning situations where a model of specific linguistic elements is consistently provided and immediately available. Students in such situations will have an emerging awareness of the linguistic elements and will be able to apply them in very limited situations. Limited fluency and confidence characterize student language.

  • b. use, in structured situations,2 the following grammatical elements: ...
    • compound nouns
    • personal pronouns in nominative
    • present tense
    • noun and verb agreement
    • possessive pronouns in nominative (1st and 2nd person singular)

    2Structured Situations: This term is used to describe learning situations where a familiar context for the use of specific linguistic elements is provided and students are guided in the use of these linguistic elements. Students in such situations will have increased awareness and emerging control of the linguistic elements and will be able to apply them in familiar contexts with teacher guidance. Student language is characterized by increasing fluency and confidence.

  • c. use, independently and consistently,3 the following grammatical elements: ...
    • gender of familiar nouns
    • structure of simple declarative sentences (e.g., Karl kauft einen Hut. Gabi wohnt hier.)
    • yes/no questions (e.g., Hast du eine Katze?)
    • simple questions using wer, wie, was, wo
    • coordinating conjunctions (und)

    3Independently and Consistently: This term is used to describe learning situations where students use specific linguistic elements in a variety of contexts with limited teacher guidance. Students in such situations will have consistent control of the linguistic elements and will be able to apply them in a variety of contexts with limited teacher guidance. Fluency and confidence characterize student language.

LC–4 apply knowledge of how discourse is organized, structured and sequenced in German
  • LC–4.1 text forms
  • a. recognize some simple oral and print text forms; e.g., songs, lists
  • LC–4.2 patterns of social interaction
  • a. recognize simple interpersonal communication patterns; e.g., greeting–response, question–answer
  • LC–4.3 cohesion/coherence
  • a. recognize when words, phrases or simple sentences are linked by basic connectors; e.g., und, oder, aber
LC–5 apply knowledge of the sociocultural context
  • LC–5.1 register
  • a. recognize that formal and informal situations exist
  • LC–5.2 idiomatic expressions
  • a. understand selected idiomatic expressions
  • LC–5.3 variations in language
  • a. experience a variety of voices
  • LC–5.4 social conventions
  • a. use basic forms and conventions of politeness in guided situations; e.g., danken, bitten
  • LC–5.5 nonverbal communication
  • a. understand some common nonverbal behaviours in familiar contexts; e.g., die Hand geben
Global Citizenship (Gr. 7)
General Outcome for Global Citizenship

Students will acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be effective global citizens, through the exploration of the cultures of the German-speaking world.

GC–1 historical and contemporary elements of the cultures of German-speaking peoples
  • GC–1.1 gaining/applying knowledge of German cultures
  • a. observe and imitate practices that are common among German people; e.g., handshaking
  • b. identify elements of German cultures in the school, home and community; e.g., names, cars, products
  • GC–1.2 diversity within German cultures
  • a. identify major German-speaking groups throughout the world
  • b. identify the various German-speaking countries
  • GC–1.3 analyzing cultural knowledge
  • a. ask questions, in English, about elements of German cultures experienced in class; e.g., maps, pictures, posters
  • GC–1.4 valuing German cultures
  • a. show a willingness to participate in cultural activities and experiences; e.g., seasonal celebrations
GC–2 affirming and valuing diversity
  • GC–2.1 awareness of English
  • a. show a willingness to produce German sounds that have no equivalents in English; e.g., ch, r, l, ü
  • GC–2.2 general language knowledge
  • a. recognize that languages can be grouped into families based on common origins
  • b. recognize that languages using the same writing system may have differing pronunciations for the same letters/symbols
  • GC–2.3 awareness of Canadian culture
  • a. recognize and identify similarities between Canadian and German cultures
  • GC–2.4 general cultural knowledge
  • a. recognize that culture is expressed through a variety of forms; e.g., behaviour, stories
  • GC–2.5 intercultural skills
  • a. cope with simple experiences of culture shock in the classroom; e.g., use of German language in the classroom
GC–3 personal and career opportunities
  • GC–3.1 German language and cultures
  • a. identify personal reasons for learning German
  • b. identify some places that they could visit where German is spoken
  • GC–3.2 cultural and linguistic diversity
  • a. suggest some reasons for learning an additional language
Strategies (Gr. 7) 
General Outcome for Strategies

Students will know and use various strategies to maximize the effectiveness of learning and communication.

S–1 language learning
  • S–1.1 cognitive
  • a. use simple cognitive strategies, with guidance, to enhance language learning; e.g., memorize new words by repeating them silently or aloud, make personal dictionaries, recognize cognates
  • S–1.2 metacognitive
  • a. use simple metacognitive strategies, with guidance, to enhance language learning; e.g., listen or read for key words to derive general meaning
  • S–1.3 social/affective
  • a. use simple social and affective strategies, with guidance, to enhance language learning; e.g., seek assistance, understand that making mistakes is a natural part of language learning

Further examples of language learning strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.

S–2 language use
  • S–2.1 receptive
  • a. use simple reading and listening strategies, with guidance, to aid comprehension; e.g., illustrations, cognates, words with capital letters
  • S–2.2 productive
  • a. use simple speaking and writing strategies, with guidance; e.g., mimic what others say or write
  • S–2.3 interactive
  • a. use simple interactive strategies, with guidance; e.g., indicate lack of understanding verbally or nonverbally, ask for repetition

Further examples of language use strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.

S–3 general learning
  • S–3.1 cognitive
  • a. use simple cognitive strategies, with guidance, to enhance general learning; e.g., connect what they already know with what they are learning
  • S–3.2 metacognitive
  • a. use simple metacognitive strategies, with guidance, to enhance general learning; e.g., decide to attend to the learning task
  • S–3.3 social/affective
  • a. use simple social and affective strategies, with guidance, to enhance general learning; e.g., seek help from others

Further examples of general learning strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.

Grade 8
Applications (Gr. 8)
General Outcome for Applications

Students will use German in a variety of situations and for a variety of purposes.

A–1 to receive and impart information
  • A–1.1 share factual information
  • a. understand and respond to simple questions
  • b. identify activities and events
  • c. describe people, places and things
A–2 to express emotions and personal perspectives
  • A–2.1 share ideas, thoughts, opinions, preferences
  • a. ask for and identify favourite people, places or things
  • b. express a personal reaction to a variety of situations
  • A–2.2 share emotions, feelings
  • a. identify and use expressions for a variety of emotions
A–3 to get things done
  • A–3.1 guide actions of others
  • a. make a variety of simple requests
  • A–3.2 state personal actions
  • a. express ability or inability to do something
  • A–3.3 manage group actions
  • a. manage turn taking
  • b. ask for help
A–4 to form, maintain and change interpersonal relationships
  • A–4.1 manage personal relationships
  • a. make and respond to requests for personal information
  • b. apologize and refuse politely
A–5 to extend their knowledge of the world
  • A–5.1 discover and explore
  • a. ask basic questions to gain knowledge and clarify understanding
  • A–5.2 gather and organize information
  • a. organize and categorize simple information
  • A–5.3 explore opinions and values
  • a. recognize differences of opinion
A–6 for imaginative purposes and personal enjoyment
  • A–6.1 humour/fun
  • a. use German for fun; e.g., songs
  • A–6.2 creative/aesthetic purposes
  • a. use German creatively; e.g., acrostic poetry
  • A–6.3 personal enjoyment
  • a. use German for personal enjoyment; e.g., make a collection of pictures or artifacts related to German cultures
Language Competence (Gr. 8)
General Outcome for Language Competence

Students will understand and produce German effectively and competently in spoken and written forms.

LC–1 interpret and produce oral texts
  • LC–1.1 aural interpretation
  • a. understand the main points of a variety of oral texts on familiar topics, in guided situations
  • LC–1.2 oral production
  • a. produce short, simple oral texts, using familiar structures, in a variety of guided situations
  • LC–1.3 interactive fluency
  • a. interact, using a combination of phrases and simple sentences, in guided situations
LC–2 interpret and produce written texts, graphics and images
  • LC–2.1 written interpretation
  • a. understand the main points of a variety of written texts on familiar topics, in guided situations
  • LC–2.2 written production
  • a. produce short, simple written texts, using familiar structures, in a variety of guided situations
  • LC–2.3 viewing
  • a. derive meaning from a variety of visuals, in guided situations
  • LC–2.4 representing
  • a. express meaning, using a variety of visual forms, in guided situations
LC–3 attend to form
  • LC–3.1 phonology
  • a. use comprehensible pronunciation, stress and intonation when producing familiar words or phrases
  • LC–3.2 orthography
  • a. apply common spelling rules to write familiar words
  • LC–3.3 lexicon
  • a. use a repertoire of words and phrases in familiar contexts, within a variety of lexical fields, including:
Personal IdentityFamily and Home LifeSchoolLeisure and Recreation
  • name, age
  • friends and relatives
  • physical description
  • family members, relatives, occupations
  • pets, animals
  • the home
  • subjects
  • timetables
  • classroom routines
  • school facility
  • hobbies, interests
  • sports and exercises
  • entertainment
  • music
  • vacation
  • transportation
FoodLandeskundeHealth and BodyOther Areas
  • meals
  • restaurants
  • grocery shopping
  • money, currencies
  • celebrations
  • geography
  • climate, weather, seasons
  • famous people
  • body parts
  • illness
  • clothing
  • any other lexical fields that meet the needs and interests of students

Note: Teachers may rearrange groupings and vary the emphasis on lexical fields to meet the needs and interests of students.

  • LC–3.4 grammatical elements
  • a. recognize and use, in modelled situations,1 the following grammatical elements: ...
    • formal address (Sie vs. du, ihr)
    • modal verbs in present tense
    • imperative mood (all forms)
    • simple past (hatte, war)
    • perfect tense (limited selection of verbs)
    • personal pronouns (singular) in accusative
    • possessive pronouns in nominative and accusative (plural forms)
    • subordinate clauses beginning with weil, dass
    • prepositions with accusative and dative
    • comparison of adjectives (comparative forms only)
    • position of adverbs of preference and/or frequency (e.g., gern, oft)

    1Modelled Situations: This term is used to describe learning situations where a model of specific linguistic elements is consistently provided and immediately available. Students in such situations will have an emerging awareness of the linguistic elements and will be able to apply them in very limited situations. Limited fluency and confidence characterize student language.

  • b. use, in structured situations,2 the following grammatical elements: ...
    • plural of familiar nouns
    • compound nouns
    • possessive pronouns in nominative and accusative (singular)
    • negation
    • sentence structure: inversion following expressions of place and time (e.g., Heute gehe ich …)

    2Structured Situations: This term is used to describe learning situations where a familiar context for the use of specific linguistic elements is provided and students are guided in the use of these linguistic elements. Students in such situations will have increased awareness and emerging control of the linguistic elements and will be able to apply them in familiar contexts with teacher guidance. Student language is characterized by increasing fluency and confidence.

LC–4 apply knowledge of how discourse is organized, structured and sequenced in German
  • LC–4.1 text forms
  • a. identify some simple oral and print text forms; e.g., tickets, menus, radio advertisements
  • LC–4.2 patterns of social interaction
  • a. respond to simple interpersonal communication patterns
  • LC–4.3 cohesion/coherence
  • a. link words, phrases or simple sentences, using basic connectors in guided situations
LC–5 apply knowledge of the sociocultural context
  • LC–5.1 register
  • a. distinguish between formal and informal situations
  • LC–5.2 idiomatic expressions
  • a. understand and use selected idiomatic expressions
  • LC–5.3 variations in language
  • a. acknowledge and accept individual differences in speech
  • LC–5.4 social conventions
  • a. use appropriate oral forms of address in guided situations; e.g., du/Sie, Herr/Frau
  • LC–5.5 nonverbal communication
  • a. understand and imitate some common nonverbal behaviours in familiar contexts; e.g., etiquette, table manners
Global Citizenship (Gr. 8)
General Outcome for Global Citizenship

Students will acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be effective global citizens, through the exploration of the cultures of the German-speaking world.

GC–1 historical and contemporary elements of the cultures of German-speaking peoples
  • GC–1.1 gaining/applying knowledge of German cultures
  • a. observe and participate in activities and experiences that are common among German-speaking peoples; e.g., table manners
  • GC–1.2 diversity within German cultures
  • a. identify some elements that reflect diversity among the German-speaking countries; e.g., maps, flags, weather
  • GC–1.3 analyzing cultural knowledge
  • a. ask questions, in English, about patterns of behaviour or interactions typical of German people their own age; e.g., leisure time, daily routines
  • GC–1.4 valuing German cultures
  • a. show a willingness to participate in cultural activities and experiences
GC–2 affirming and valuing diversity
  • GC–2.1 awareness of English
  • a. identify similarities between English and German words; e.g., cognates, internationalisms
  • GC–2.2 general language knowledge
  • a. recognize that different languages have different writing systems
  • GC–2.3 awareness of Canadian culture
  • a. recognize and identify differences between Canadian and German cultures
  • GC–2.4 general cultural knowledge
  • a. recognize that speakers of the same language may come from different cultural backgrounds
  • GC–2.5 intercultural skills
  • a. recognize factors that contribute to culture shock; e.g., language, differing behaviours and perspectives
GC–3 personal and career opportunities
  • GC–3.1 German language and cultures
  • a. identify a variety of reasons for learning German
  • b. identify some careers for which knowledge of German is useful
  • GC–3.2 cultural and linguistic diversity
  • a. suggest some reasons for participating in activities and experiences that reflect elements of different cultures
Strategies (Gr. 8) 
General Outcome for Strategies

Students will know and use various strategies to maximize the effectiveness of learning and communication.

S–1 language learning
  • S–1.1 cognitive
  • a. use a variety of simple cognitive strategies, with guidance, to enhance language learning; e.g., associate new words or expressions with familiar ones, identify and use cognates
  • S–1.2 metacognitive
  • a. use a variety of simple metacognitive strategies, with guidance, to enhance language learning; e.g., check copied writing for accuracy, rehearse or role-play language situations
  • S–1.3 social/affective
  • a. use a variety of simple social and affective strategies, with guidance, to enhance language learning; e.g., take risks, try unfamiliar tasks and approaches

Further examples of language learning strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.

S–2 language use
  • S–2.1 receptive
  • a. use a variety of simple reading and listening strategies, with guidance, to aid comprehension; e.g., familiar words, gestures and intonation
  • S–2.2 productive
  • a. use a variety of simple speaking and writing strategies, with guidance; e.g., experiment with familiar words and structures to express own meaning
  • S–2.3 interactive
  • a. use a variety of simple interactive strategies, with guidance; e.g., use nonverbal cues to communicate

Further examples of language use strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.

S–3 general learning
  • S–3.1 cognitive
  • a. use a variety of simple cognitive strategies, with guidance, to enhance general learning; e.g., take notes, organize and review notes
  • S–3.2 metacognitive
  • a. use a variety of simple metacognitive strategies, with guidance, to enhance general learning; e.g., discover how their efforts can affect their learning
  • S–3.3 social/affective
  • a. use a variety of simple social and affective strategies, with guidance, to enhance general learning; e.g., participate in cooperative group learning tasks

Further examples of general learning strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.

Grade 9
Applications (Gr. 9)
General Outcome for Applications

Students will use German in a variety of situations and for a variety of purposes.

A–1 to receive and impart information
  • A–1.1 share factual information
  • a. ask for and provide information on a range of familiar topics
  • b. describe several aspects of people, places and things
  • c. describe series or sequences of events or actions
A–2 to express emotions and personal perspectives
  • A–2.1 share ideas, thoughts, opinions, preferences
  • a. inquire about and express preferences, and give simple reasons for preferences
  • A–2.2 share emotions, feelings
  • a. inquire about, express and respond to emotions and feelings; e.g., Ich fühle mich gut.
A–3 to get things done
  • A–3.1 guide actions of others
  • a. give a simple set of instructions
  • A–3.2 state personal actions
  • a. express a wish or a desire to do something
  • A–3.3 manage group actions
  • a. assume a variety of roles and responsibilities as group members
  • b. encourage other group members to act appropriately
A–4 to form, maintain and change interpersonal relationships
  • A–4.1 manage personal relationships
  • a. initiate relationships
  • b. extend and respond to invitations in simple ways
A–5 to extend their knowledge of the world
  • A–5.1 discover and explore
  • a. ask questions to gain knowledge and clarify understanding, and seek information
  • b. investigate the immediate environment
  • A–5.2 gather and organize information
  • a. organize, categorize and record simple information, using a variety of resources; e.g., print, audio, visual, multimedia, human
  • A–5.3 explore opinions and values
  • a. compare personal views and opinions with those of others
  • b. respond to the ideas and products of others
  • A–5.4 solve problems
  • a. recognize a problem, and choose between given alternative solutions
A–6 for imaginative purposes and personal enjoyment
  • A–6.1 humour/fun
  • a. use German for fun; e.g., games, poems, riddles
  • A–6.2 creative/aesthetic purposes
  • a. use German creatively; e.g., write simple captions for a given comic strip
  • A–6.3 personal enjoyment
  • a. use German for personal enjoyment; e.g., listen to favourite songs in German
Language Competence (Gr. 9)
General Outcome for Language Competence

Students will understand and produce German effectively and competently in spoken and written forms.

LC–1 interpret and produce oral texts
  • LC–1.1 aural interpretation
  • a. understand the main points and some supporting details of a variety of oral texts on familiar topics, in guided situations
  • LC–1.2 oral production
  • a. produce simple oral texts, using familiar structures, in guided and unguided situations
  • LC–1.3 interactive fluency
  • a. interact, using a combination of phrases and simple sentences, in guided and unguided situations
LC–2 interpret and produce written texts, graphics and images
  • LC–2.1 written interpretation
  • a. understand the main points and some supporting details of a variety of written texts on familiar topics, in guided situations
  • LC–2.2 written production
  • a. produce simple written texts, using familiar structures, in guided and unguided situations
  • LC–2.3 viewing
  • a. derive meaning from a variety of visuals, in guided and unguided situations
  • LC–2.4 representing
  • a. express meaning, using a variety of visual forms, in guided and unguided situations
LC–3 attend to form
  • LC–3.1 phonology
  • a. recognize and imitate intonation patterns that affect meaning
  • b. approximate the pronunciation of unfamiliar words
  • LC–3.2 orthography
  • a. apply common spelling rules to write unfamiliar words
  • LC–3.3 lexicon
  • a. use a repertoire of words and phrases in familiar contexts, within a variety of lexical fields, including:
Personal IdentityFamily and Home LifeSchoolLeisure and Recreation
  • name, age
  • friends and relatives
  • physical description
  • family members, relatives, occupations
  • pets, animals
  • the home
  • subjects
  • timetables
  • classroom routines
  • school facility
  • hobbies, interests
  • sports and exercises
  • entertainment
  • music
  • vacation
  • transportation
FoodLandeskundeHealth and BodyOther Areas
  • meals
  • restaurants
  • grocery shopping
  • money, currencies
  • celebrations
  • geography
  • climate, weather, seasons
  • famous people
  • body parts
  • illness
  • clothing
  • any other lexical fields that meet the needs and interests of students

Note: Teachers may rearrange groupings and vary the emphasis on lexical fields to meet the needs and interests of students.

  • LC–3.4 grammatical elements
  • a. recognize and use, in modelled situations,1 the following grammatical elements: ...
    • plural of nouns
    • separable verbs
    • perfect tense
    • selected reflexive verbs (1st person singular)
    • future tense
    • personal pronouns in accusative
    • subordinate clauses beginning with weil, dass
    • prepositions with accusative and dative
    • comparison of adjectives (all forms)
    • adjectival endings (case, number, gender)

    1Modelled Situations: This term is used to describe learning situations where a model of specific linguistic elements is consistently provided and immediately available. Students in such situations will have an emerging awareness of the linguistic elements and will be able to apply them in very limited situations. Limited fluency and confidence characterize student language.

  • b. use, in structured situations,2 the following grammatical elements: ...
    • formal address
    • modal verbs in present tense
    • imperative mood (all forms)
    • simple past (hatte, war)
    • possessive pronouns in nominative and accusative (plural forms)
    • comparison of adjectives (comparative forms only)

    2Structured Situations: This term is used to describe learning situations where a familiar context for the use of specific linguistic elements is provided and students are guided in the use of these linguistic elements. Students in such situations will have increased awareness and emerging control of the linguistic elements and will be able to apply them in familiar contexts with teacher guidance. Student language is characterized by increasing fluency and confidence.

  • c. use, independently and consistently,3 the following grammatical elements: ...
    • plural of familiar nouns
    • compound nouns
    • possessive pronouns in nominative and accusative (singular)
    • negation
    • sentence structure: inversion following expressions of place and time (e.g., Heute gehe ich …)

    3Independently and Consistently: This term is used to describe learning situations where students use specific linguistic elements in a variety of contexts with limited teacher guidance. Students in such situations will have consistent control of the linguistic elements and will be able to apply them in a variety of contexts with limited teacher guidance. Fluency and confidence characterize student language.

LC–4 apply knowledge of how discourse is organized, structured and sequenced in German
  • LC–4.1 text forms
  • a. identify and use a limited variety of oral and print text forms
  • LC–4.2 patterns of social interaction
  • a. initiate interactions and respond using simple interaction patterns
  • LC–4.3 cohesion/coherence
  • a. link several sentences coherently on a single theme
  • b. sequence a series of events, using basic expressions of time; e.g., zuerst, heute, dann, morgen
LC–5 apply knowledge of the sociocultural context
  • LC–5.1 register
  • a. experiment with and use formal and informal language in familiar situations
  • LC–5.2 idiomatic expressions
  • a. use learned idiomatic expressions in new contexts
  • LC–5.3 variations in language
  • a. acknowledge and accept a variety of accents, variations in speech and regional variations in language
  • LC–5.4 social conventions
  • a. use basic forms and conventions of politeness in guided and unguided situations
  • b. use appropriate oral forms of address in guided and unguided situations
  • LC–5.5 nonverbal communication
  • a. recognize that some nonverbal behaviours may be used differently in German cultures
  • b. recognize nonverbal behaviours that are considered impolite
Global Citizenship (Gr. 9)
General Outcome for Global Citizenship

Students will acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be effective global citizens, through the exploration of the cultures of the German-speaking world.

GC–1 historical and contemporary elements of the cultures of German-speaking peoples
  • GC–1.1 gaining/applying knowledge of German cultures
  • a. identify similarities between German people their own age and themselves; e.g., music, clothing
  • GC–1.2 diversity within German cultures
  • a. explore regional differences among people living in German-speaking countries; e.g., food, dialects, costumes, celebrations
  • GC–1.3 analyzing cultural knowledge
  • a. compare the aspects of German cultures being studied with their own
  • b. recognize the existence of stereotypes about and within German cultures
  • GC–1.4 valuing German cultures
  • a. express interest in finding out about German-speaking youth
GC–2 affirming and valuing diversity
  • GC–2.1 awareness of English
  • a. identify similarities and differences between English and German; e.g., sentence structure, writing conventions
  • GC–2.2 general language knowledge
  • a. recognize that within a linguistic group people from different regions and/or social contexts may use differing pronunciation, vocabulary and structure
  • GC–2.3 awareness of Canadian culture
  • a. compare and contrast diversity in Canadian and German cultures
  • GC–2.4 general cultural knowledge
  • a. recognize that geography, climate and history affect the culture of a particular region
  • GC–2.5 intercultural skills
  • a. recognize various ways of coping with linguistically and culturally unfamiliar situations
GC–3 personal and career opportunities
  • GC–3.1 German language and cultures
  • a. recognize that knowledge of an additional language is an asset to any career
  • GC–3.2 cultural and linguistic diversity
  • a. identify some personal uses they have made of their knowledge of different languages and cultures
Strategies (Gr. 9) 
General Outcome for Strategies

Students will know and use various strategies to maximize the effectiveness of learning and communication.

S–1 language learning
  • S–1.1 cognitive
  • a. identify and use a variety of cognitive strategies to enhance language learning; e.g., group together sets of things with similar characteristics, such as nouns ending in -ung
  • S–1.2 metacognitive
  • a. identify and use a variety of metacognitive strategies to enhance language learning; e.g., reflect on learning tasks, identify own strengths and needs
  • S–1.3 social/affective
  • a. identify and use a variety of social and affective strategies to enhance language learning; e.g., work with others to solve problems, get feedback on tasks

Further examples of language learning strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.

S–2 language use
  • S–2.1 receptive
  • a. identify and use a variety of reading and listening strategies to aid comprehension; e.g., make inferences based on prior knowledge and experience
  • S–2.2 productive
  • a. identify and use a variety of speaking and writing strategies; e.g., compensate for avoiding difficult structures by rephrasing
  • S–2.3 interactive
  • a. identify and use a variety of interactive strategies; e.g., ask for confirmation that a form used is correct

Further examples of language use strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.

S–3 general learning
  • S–3.1 cognitive
  • a. identify and use a variety of cognitive strategies to enhance general learning; e.g., use mental images to remember new information
  • S–3.2 metacognitive
  • a. identify and use a variety of metacognitive strategies to enhance general learning; e.g., make a plan about how to approach a task
  • S–3.3 social/affective
  • a. identify and use a variety of social and affective strategies to enhance general learning; e.g., encourage themselves to try even though they might make mistakes

Further examples of general learning strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.

10-6Y
Applications (10-6Y)
General Outcome for Applications

Students will use German in a variety of situations and for a variety of purposes.

A–1 to receive and impart information
  • A–1.1 share factual information
  • a. seek out and provide information on several aspects of a topic; e.g., give a simple report
  • b. understand and use definitions, comparisons and examples
A–2 to express emotions and personal perspectives
  • A–2.1 share ideas, thoughts, opinions, preferences
  • a. inquire about and express agreement and disagreement, approval and disapproval, satisfaction and dissatisfaction, interest and lack of interest
  • A–2.2 share emotions, feelings
  • a. inquire about, express and respond to emotions and feelings in a variety of contexts
A–3 to get things done
  • A–3.1 guide actions of others
  • a. suggest a course of action in a variety of situations
  • A–3.2 state personal actions
  • a. state personal actions in the past, present or future
  • A–3.3 manage group actions
  • a. express disagreement in an appropriate way
  • b. encourage other group members to participate
A–4 to form, maintain and change interpersonal relationships
  • A–4.1 manage personal relationships
  • a. give and respond to compliments
  • b. justify and explain own actions
A–5 to extend their knowledge of the world
  • A–5.1 discover and explore
  • a. explore and express meaning in a variety of ways; e.g., drawing a diagram, making a model, rephrasing
  • A–5.2 gather and organize information
  • a. compose questions to guide research, and gather information using a prepared format; e.g., interview
  • A–5.3 explore opinions and values
  • a. examine differing perspectives on an issue
  • b. make connections between behaviour and values
  • A–5.4 solve problems
  • a. identify a problem, and propose a solution
A–6 for imaginative purposes and personal enjoyment
  • A–6.1 humour/fun
  • a. use German for fun and to interpret humour; e.g., cartoons, stories
  • A–6.2 creative/aesthetic purposes
  • a. use German creatively; e.g., write poems based on simple, repetitive and modelled language
  • A–6.3 personal enjoyment
  • a. use German for personal enjoyment; e.g., find a personal pen pal and exchange e-mail messages
Language Competence (10-6Y)
General Outcome for Language Competence

Students will understand and produce German effectively and competently in spoken and written forms.

LC–1 interpret and produce oral texts
  • LC–1.1 aural interpretation
  • a. understand the main points and some specific details of a variety of oral texts on familiar topics, in guided and unguided situations
  • LC–1.2 oral production
  • a. produce simple oral texts on familiar topics, in guided and unguided situations
  • LC–1.3 interactive fluency
  • a. initiate and manage short interactions, with pauses for planning and repair
LC–2 interpret and produce written texts, graphics and images
  • LC–2.1 written interpretation
  • a. understand the main points and some specific details of a variety of written texts on familiar topics, in guided and unguided situations
  • LC–2.2 written production
  • a. produce simple written texts on familiar topics, in guided and unguided situations
  • LC–2.3 viewing
  • a. derive meaning from a variety of visuals and other forms of nonverbal communication, in guided situations
  • LC–2.4 representing
  • a. express meaning using a variety of visuals and other forms of nonverbal communication, in guided situations
LC–3 attend to form
  • LC–3.1 phonology
  • a. pronounce unfamiliar words correctly
  • b. identify and reproduce some critical sound distinctions that are important for meaning; e.g., Wien vs. Wein
  • LC–3.2 orthography
  • a. apply basic spelling rules consistently
  • b. use mechanical conventions; e.g., use of comma
  • LC–3.3 lexicon
  • a. use a repertoire of words and phrases in familiar contexts, within a variety of lexical fields, including:
Personal RelationshipsPersonal ImageHealth and RecreationPopular Culture
  • friendship
  • character description
  • relationships
  • personal style
  • fashion
  • careers
  • future plans
  • sports and exercise
  • health and lifestyle
  • nutrition
  • environment
  • music
  • mass media
  • advertising
  • literature
German CivilizationEuropean ContextContemporary Life and IssuesOther Areas
  • history
  • famous people
  • literature
  • architecture
  • myths/legends
  • geography/topography
  • travel
  • the European Union
  • housing
  • institutions and systems (e.g., schools)
  • science and technology
  • current events
  • any other lexical fields that meet the needs and interests of students

Note: Teachers may rearrange groupings and vary the emphasis on lexical fields to meet the needs and interests of students.

  • LC–3.4 grammatical elements
  • a. recognize and use, in modelled situations,1 the following grammatical elements: ...
    • simple past
    • reflexive verbs (all forms)
    • nominative, accusative and dative case as a concept
    • sentence structure: time/manner/place
    • personal pronouns in dative
    • possessive pronouns preceding dative objects
    • adjectival endings
    • infinitive phrases and clauses (e.g. Ich plane nach Deutschland zu reisen. Oma geht in die Stadt, um das Museum zu besuchen.)
    • relative clauses in nominative and accusative

    1Modelled Situations: This term is used to describe learning situations where a model of specific linguistic elements is consistently provided and immediately available. Students in such situations will have an emerging awareness of the linguistic elements and will be able to apply them in very limited situations. Limited fluency and confidence characterize student language.

  • b. use, in structured situations,2 the following grammatical elements: ...
    • plural of nouns
    • separable verbs
    • perfect tense
    • modal verbs in simple past
    • future tense
    • personal pronouns in accusative
    • subordinate clauses
    • prepositions with accusative and dative
    • comparison of adjectives (all forms)

    2Structured Situations: This term is used to describe learning situations where a familiar context for the use of specific linguistic elements is provided and students are guided in the use of these linguistic elements. Students in such situations will have increased awareness and emerging control of the linguistic elements and will be able to apply them in familiar contexts with teacher guidance. Student language is characterized by increasing fluency and confidence.

  • c. use, independently and consistently,3 the following grammatical elements: ...
    • formal address
    • modal verbs in present tense
    • imperative mood (all forms)
    • possessive pronouns in nominative and accusative (plural)
    • comparison of adjectives (comparative forms only)
    • simple past (hatte, war)

    3Independently and Consistently: This term is used to describe learning situations where students use specific linguistic elements in a variety of contexts with limited teacher guidance. Students in such situations will have consistent control of the linguistic elements and will be able to apply them in a variety of contexts with limited teacher guidance. Fluency and confidence characterize student language.

LC–4 apply knowledge of how discourse is organized, structured and sequenced in German
  • LC–4.1 text forms
  • a. identify and use a variety of oral and print text forms
  • LC–4.2 patterns of social interaction
  • a. initiate, respond to and close interactions, using a variety of social interaction patterns; e.g., agreement/disagreement – reaction, request – acceptance/nonacceptance
  • LC–4.3 cohesion/coherence
  • a. link sentences, using basic connectors, in guided and unguided situations
LC–5 apply knowledge of the sociocultural context
  • LC–5.1 register
  • a. recognize and use formal and informal language appropriately in familiar situations
  • LC–5.2 idiomatic expressions
  • a. use learned idiomatic expressions in a variety of contexts
  • LC–5.3 variations in language
  • a. experience individual differences in spoken German; e.g., region, age, individual speech patterns
  • LC–5.4 social conventions
  • a. use basic forms and conventions of politeness
  • b. use appropriate oral forms of address
  • LC–5.5 nonverbal communication
  • a. understand and use some common nonverbal behaviours in familiar contexts; e.g., length of eye contact
Global Citizenship (10-6Y)
General Outcome for Global Citizenship

Students will acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be effective global citizens, through the exploration of the cultures of the German-speaking world.

GC–1 historical and contemporary elements of the cultures of German-speaking peoples
  • GC–1.1 gaining/applying knowledge of German cultures
  • a. explore and identify some social aspects of German life; e.g., festivals, sports and communities
  • b. apply knowledge of German cultures to interpret behaviour that is different from their own; e.g., use of public transportation, involvement in part-time jobs
  • GC–1.2 diversity within German cultures
  • a. recognize the ethnic diversity and multicultural nature of German-speaking countries
  • GC–1.3 analyzing cultural knowledge
  • a. use basic research skills to find out about German cultures
  • b. explore some common stereotypes of German cultures, and explore their origins
  • GC–1.4 valuing German cultures
  • a. identify some contributions of German cultures to global society
GC–2 affirming and valuing diversity
  • GC–2.1 awareness of English
  • a. identify some English words that have been adopted from German (e.g., angst), and identify some German words that have been adopted from English (e.g., Handy)
  • GC–2.2 general language knowledge
  • a. identify regional and/or social differences in pronunciation and vocabulary in various languages within their personal experience
  • GC–2.3 awareness of Canadian culture
  • a. use new understanding of German cultures to reflect on and clarify aspects of Canadian culture
  • GC–2.4 general cultural knowledge
  • a. recognize that people of a specific culture may have perspectives that differ from those of people in other cultures
  • b. identify the limitations of adopting a single perspective
  • GC–2.5 intercultural skills
  • a. apply interpersonal skills to cope with linguistically and culturally unfamiliar situations
GC–3 personal and career opportunities
  • GC–3.1 German language and cultures
  • a. identify some personal uses they have made of their knowledge of German language and culture
  • GC–3.2 cultural and linguistic diversity
  • a. identify some careers for which knowledge of different languages and cultures is useful
Strategies (10-6Y) 
General Outcome for Strategies

Students will know and use various strategies to maximize the effectiveness of learning and communication.

S–1 language learning
  • S–1.1 cognitive
  • a. identify and use a variety of cognitive strategies to enhance language learning; e.g., find and apply information, using reference materials like dictionaries, textbooks and grammars
  • S–1.2 metacognitive
  • a. identify and use a variety of metacognitive strategies to enhance language learning; e.g., make a plan in advance about how to approach a language learning task
  • S–1.3 social/affective
  • a. identify and use a variety of social and affective strategies to enhance language learning; e.g., work cooperatively with peers in small groups

Further examples of language learning strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.

S–2 language use
  • S–2.1 receptive
  • a. identify and use a variety of reading and listening strategies; e.g., make inferences based on contextual clues
  • S–2.2 productive
  • a. identify and use a variety of speaking and writing strategies; e.g., apply grammar rules to improve accuracy
  • S–2.3 interactive
  • a. identify and use a variety of interactive strategies; e.g., ask for clarification, use other speakers’ words

Further examples of language use strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.

S–3 general learning
  • S–3.1 cognitive
  • a. identify and use a variety of cognitive strategies to enhance general learning; e.g., look for patterns and relationships
  • S–3.2 metacognitive
  • a. identify and use a variety of metacognitive strategies to enhance general learning; e.g., identify own needs and interests
  • S–3.3 social/affective
  • a. identify and use a variety of social and affective strategies to enhance general learning; e.g., use support strategies to help peers persevere at learning tasks

Further examples of general learning strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.

20-6Y
Applications (20-6Y)
General Outcome for Applications

Students will use German in a variety of situations and for a variety of purposes.

A–1 to receive and impart information
  • A–1.1 share factual information
  • a. present detailed information on a specific topic; e.g., report, biography
A–2 to express emotions and personal perspectives
  • A–2.1 share ideas, thoughts, opinions, preferences
  • a. inquire about, express and support opinions
  • b. express probability and certainty; e.g., vielleicht, wahrscheinlich, bestimmt
  • A–2.2 share emotions, feelings
  • a. discuss emotions and feelings in a variety of situations
A–3 to get things done
  • A–3.1 guide actions of others
  • a. give advice and warning
  • A–3.2 state personal actions
  • a. express intention
  • b. make a promise in a variety of situations
  • A–3.3 manage group actions
  • a. negotiate in a simple way with peers in small-group tasks
A–4 to form, maintain and change interpersonal relationships
  • A–4.1 manage personal relationships
  • a. offer and respond to congratulations
  • b. express regret
A–5 to extend their knowledge of the world
  • A–5.1 discover and explore
  • a. explore connections among and gain new insights into familiar topics
  • A–5.2 gather and organize information
  • a. organize and manipulate information; e.g., transform information from texts into other forms, such as tables or diagrams
  • A–5.3 explore opinions and values
  • a. express positions on an issue, and provide supporting reasons
  • A–5.4 solve problems
  • a. generate and evaluate alternative solutions to problems
A–6 for imaginative purposes and personal enjoyment
  • A–6.1 humour/fun
  • a. use German for fun and to interpret and express humour; e.g., video clips, jokes
  • A–6.2 creative/aesthetic purposes
  • a. use German creatively; e.g., experiment with the sounds and rhythms of German, create a poem or rap
  • A–6.3 personal enjoyment
  • a. use German for personal enjoyment; e.g., use the Internet to explore German cultures
Language Competence (20-6Y)
General Outcome for Language Competence

Students will understand and produce German effectively and competently in spoken and written forms.

LC–1 interpret and produce oral texts
  • LC–1.1 aural interpretation
  • a. understand short oral texts on a variety of topics
  • LC–1.2 oral production
  • a. produce oral texts on familiar topics, in guided and unguided situations
  • LC–1.3 interactive fluency
  • a. initiate and manage simple interactions without undue difficulty, asking for repetition or clarification when necessary
LC–2 interpret and produce written texts, graphics and images
  • LC–2.1 written interpretation
  • a. understand short written texts on a variety of topics
  • LC–2.2 written production
  • a. produce written texts on familiar topics, in guided and unguided situations
  • LC–2.3 viewing
  • a. derive meaning from the visual elements of a variety of media, in guided situations
  • LC–2.4 representing
  • a. express meaning using visual elements in a variety of media, in guided situations
LC–3 attend to form
  • LC–3.1 phonology
  • a. use intonation, stress and rhythm appropriately in familiar situations
  • LC–3.2 orthography
  • a. apply spelling rules and mechanical conventions consistently and accurately
  • b. verify the spelling of unfamiliar words
  • LC–3.3 lexicon
  • a. use a repertoire of words and phrases in familiar contexts, within a variety of lexical fields, including:
Personal RelationshipsPersonal ImageHealth and RecreationPopular Culture
  • friendship
  • character description
  • relationships
  • personal style
  • fashion
  • careers
  • future plans
  • sports and exercise
  • health and lifestyle
  • nutrition
  • environment
  • music
  • mass media
  • advertising
  • literature
German CivilizationEuropean ContextContemporary Life and IssuesOther Areas
  • history
  • famous people
  • literature
  • architecture
  • myths/legends
  • geography/topography
  • travel
  • the European Union
  • housing
  • institutions and systems (e.g., schools)
  • science and technology
  • current events
  • any other lexical fields that meet the needs and interests of students

Note: Teachers may rearrange groupings and vary the emphasis on lexical fields to meet the needs and interests of students.

  • LC–3.4 grammatical elements
  • a. recognize and use, in modelled situations,1 the following grammatical elements: ...
    • sentence structure: position of subject and objects
    • genitive case as a concept
    • possessive pronouns in genitive
    • prepositions with genitive
    • relative clauses in dative and genitive

    1Modelled Situations: This term is used to describe learning situations where a model of specific linguistic elements is consistently provided and immediately available. Students in such situations will have an emerging awareness of the linguistic elements and will be able to apply them in very limited situations. Limited fluency and confidence characterize student language.

  • b. use, in structured situations,2 the following grammatical elements: ...
    • simple past
    • reflexive verbs
    • nominative, accusative and dative case as a concept
    • sentence structure: time/manner/place
    • personal pronouns in dative
    • possessive pronouns preceding dative objects
    • prepositions with accusative and dative
    • adjectival endings
    • infinitive phrases and clauses
    • relative clauses in nominative and accusative

    2Structured Situations: This term is used to describe learning situations where a familiar context for the use of specific linguistic elements is provided and students are guided in the use of these linguistic elements. Students in such situations will have increased awareness and emerging control of the linguistic elements and will be able to apply them in familiar contexts with teacher guidance. Student language is characterized by increasing fluency and confidence.

  • c. use, independently and consistently,3 the following grammatical elements: ...
    • plural of nouns
    • separable verbs
    • perfect tense
    • modal verbs in simple past
    • future tense
    • personal pronouns in accusative
    • subordinate clauses
    • comparison of adjectives (all forms)

    3Independently and Consistently: This term is used to describe learning situations where students use specific linguistic elements in a variety of contexts with limited teacher guidance. Students in such situations will have consistent control of the linguistic elements and will be able to apply them in a variety of contexts with limited teacher guidance. Fluency and confidence characterize student language.

LC–4 apply knowledge of how discourse is organized, structured and sequenced in German
  • LC–4.1 text forms
  • a. use knowledge of text forms to enhance comprehension and production of texts
  • LC–4.2 patterns of social interaction
  • a. use a range of social interaction patterns to deal with routine interactions
  • LC–4.3 cohesion/coherence
  • a. understand and use referents within texts; e.g., Opa liegt im Bett; er ist müde.
LC–5 apply knowledge of the sociocultural context
  • LC–5.1 register
  • a. recognize and use formal and informal language in a variety of contexts
  • LC–5.2 idiomatic expressions
  • a. use selected proverbs and sayings to enhance communication
  • LC–5.3 variations in language
  • a. experience regional and other differences in German as spoken throughout the world
  • LC–5.4 social conventions
  • a. interpret social conventions encountered in oral and written texts and situations
  • LC–5.5 nonverbal communication
  • a. understand and use some common nonverbal behaviours in a variety of contexts; e.g., norms of personal space
Global Citizenship (20-6Y)
General Outcome for Global Citizenship

Students will acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be effective global citizens, through the exploration of the cultures of the German-speaking world.

GC–1 historical and contemporary elements of the cultures of German-speaking peoples
  • GC–1.1 gaining/applying knowledge of German cultures
  • a. explore and identify some important aspects of German imagination; e.g., fairy tales, stories, movies
  • GC–1.2 diversity within German cultures
  • a. recognize the existence of stereotypes about and within German cultures
  • GC–1.3 analyzing cultural knowledge
  • a. identify and use a variety of sources of information to find out about German cultures
  • b. analyze own assumptions about German cultures
  • GC–1.4 valuing German cultures
  • a. recognize and describe some contributions of German cultures to global society and to their own society
GC–2 affirming and valuing diversity
  • GC–2.1 awareness of English
  • a. recognize the existence of cognates whose meanings vary in English and German (false friends); e.g., to become/bekommen
  • GC–2.2 general language knowledge
  • a. identify how and why languages borrow from one another
  • GC–2.3 awareness of Canadian culture
  • a. identify shared references and significant events that have had an impact on both Canadian and German cultures
  • GC–2.4 general cultural knowledge
  • a. recognize that communication can be affected by different cultural practices; e.g., gestures, perspectives and values
  • b. explore and seek out information about other cultures through the medium of German
  • GC–2.5 intercultural skills
  • a. explore various strategies for enhancing communication with people from German cultures
GC–3 personal and career opportunities
  • GC–3.1 German language and cultures
  • a. explore opportunities for further studies or careers related to German
  • GC–3.2 cultural and linguistic diversity
  • a. identify some countries where there is significant linguistic and cultural diversity
Strategies (20-6Y)
General Outcome for Strategies

Students will know and use various strategies to maximize the effectiveness of learning and communication.

S–1 language learning
  • S–1.1 cognitive
  • a. select and use a variety of cognitive strategies to enhance language learning; e.g., seek the precise term, look for patterns and relationships
  • S–1.2 metacognitive
  • a. select and use a variety of metacognitive strategies to enhance language learning; e.g., evaluate own performance or comprehension at the end of a task
  • S–1.3 social/affective
  • a. select and use a variety of social and affective strategies to enhance language learning; e.g., brainstorm, reread familiar self-chosen texts

Further examples of language learning strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.

S–2 language use
  • S–2.1 receptive
  • a. select and use a variety of reading and listening strategies; e.g., skimming, scanning, rereading
  • S–2.2 productive
  • a. select and use a variety of speaking and writing strategies; e.g., use a variety of resources to correct texts
  • S–2.3 interactive
  • a. select and use a variety of interactive strategies; e.g., start again, using a different tactic, when communication breaks down

Further examples of language use strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.

S–3 general learning
  • S–3.1 cognitive
  • a. select and use a variety of cognitive strategies to enhance general learning; e.g., formulate key questions to guide inquiry
  • S–3.2 metacognitive
  • a. select and use a variety of metacognitive strategies to enhance general learning; e.g., reflect upon own thinking processes and how they learn
  • S–3.3 social/affective
  • a. select and use a variety of social and affective strategies to enhance general learning; e.g., take part in group problem-solving processes

Further examples of general learning strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.

30-6Y
Applications (30-6Y)
General Outcome for Applications

Students will use German in a variety of situations and for a variety of purposes.

A–1 to receive and impart information
  • A–1.1 share factual information
  • a. comprehend and recount events that took place in the past; e.g., historical, cultural
A–2 to express emotions and personal perspectives
  • A–2.1 share ideas, thoughts, opinions, preferences
  • a. react to the opinions of others
  • b. express, support and discuss own opinions
  • A–2.2 share emotions, feelings
  • a. compare the expression of emotions and feelings in a variety of situations
A–3 to get things done
  • A–3.1 guide actions of others
  • a. lodge a complaint
  • A–3.2 state personal actions
  • a. accept or decline an offer or invitation, with explanations
  • A–3.3 manage group actions
  • a. express appreciation, support and respect for contributions of others
A–4 to form, maintain and change interpersonal relationships
  • A–4.1 manage personal relationships
  • a. initiate and participate in casual exchanges with others
A–5 to extend their knowledge of the world
  • A–5.1 discover and explore
  • a. compare their own insights and understandings with those of classmates
  • A–5.2 gather and organize information
  • a. identify key ideas, and summarize and paraphrase
  • A–5.3 explore opinions and values
  • a. explore opinions and values related to specific situations; e.g., describe motivations of characters in literature
  • b. explore how values influence behaviour
  • A–5.4 solve problems
  • a. use information collected from various sources to solve problems
A–6 for imaginative purposes and personal enjoyment
  • A–6.1 humour/fun
  • a. compare, contrast and appreciate differences in the interpretation and expression of humour in the German cultures and in own culture
  • A–6.2 creative/aesthetic purposes
  • a. use German creatively; e.g., write a story
  • A–6.3 personal enjoyment
  • a. use German for personal enjoyment; e.g., watch video clips, films or television programs
Language Competence (30-6Y)
General Outcome for Language Competence

Students will understand and produce German effectively and competently in spoken and written forms.

LC–1 interpret and produce oral texts
  • LC–1.1 aural interpretation
  • a. understand oral texts on a broad variety of topics
  • LC–1.2 oral production
  • a. produce a variety of oral texts, with guidance
  • LC–1.3 interactive fluency
  • a. engage, spontaneously, in routine and nonroutine interactions
LC–2 interpret and produce written texts, graphics and images
  • LC–2.1 written interpretation
  • a. understand written texts on a broad variety of topics
  • LC–2.2 written production
  • a. produce a variety of written texts, with guidance
  • LC–2.3 viewing
  • a. identify the purposes, intended audiences, messages and points of view in a variety of visual media, in guided and unguided situations
  • LC–2.4 representing
  • a. communicate thoughts, ideas and feelings for specific purposes and audiences through a variety of visual media, in guided and unguided situations
LC–3 attend to form
  • LC–3.1 phonology
  • a. use intonation, stress and rhythm appropriately in a variety of situations
  • LC–3.2 orthography
  • a. apply spelling rules and mechanical conventions consistently and accurately
  • LC–3.3 lexicon
  • a. use a repertoire of words and phrases in familiar contexts, within a variety of lexical fields, including:
Personal RelationshipsPersonal ImageHealth and RecreationPopular Culture
  • friendship
  • character description
  • relationships
  • personal style
  • fashion
  • careers
  • future plans
  • sports and exercise
  • health and lifestyle
  • nutrition
  • environment
  • music
  • mass media
  • advertising
  • literature
German CivilizationEuropean ContextContemporary Life and IssuesOther Areas
  • history
  • famous people
  • literature
  • architecture
  • myths/legends
  • geography/topography
  • travel
  • the European Union
  • housing
  • institutions and systems (e.g., schools)
  • science and technology
  • current events
  • any other lexical fields that meet the needs and interests of students

Note: Teachers may rearrange groupings and vary the emphasis on lexical fields to meet the needs and interests of students.

  • LC–3.4 grammatical elements
  • a. recognize and use, in modelled situations,1 the following grammatical elements: ...
    • sentence structure: subject–object inversion
    • da- and wo- compounds (e.g., dafür, wofür, worauf)

    1Modelled Situations: This term is used to describe learning situations where a model of specific linguistic elements is consistently provided and immediately available. Students in such situations will have an emerging awareness of the linguistic elements and will be able to apply them in very limited situations. Limited fluency and confidence characterize student language.

  • b. use, in structured situations,2 the following grammatical elements: ...
    • reflexive verbs
    • sentence structure: position of subject and objects
    • genitive case as a concept
    • possessive pronouns in genitive
    • prepositions with genitive
    • adjectival endings
    • relative clauses in all cases

    2Structured Situations: This term is used to describe learning situations where a familiar context for the use of specific linguistic elements is provided and students are guided in the use of these linguistic elements. Students in such situations will have increased awareness and emerging control of the linguistic elements and will be able to apply them in familiar contexts with teacher guidance. Student language is characterized by increasing fluency and confidence.

  • c. use, independently and consistently,3 the following grammatical elements: ...
    • simple past
    • nominative, accusative and dative case as a concept
    • sentence structure: time/manner/place
    • personal pronouns in dative
    • possessive pronouns preceding dative objects
    • prepositions with accusative and dative
    • infinitive phrases and clauses

    3Independently and Consistently: This term is used to describe learning situations where students use specific linguistic elements in a variety of contexts with limited teacher guidance. Students in such situations will have consistent control of the linguistic elements and will be able to apply them in a variety of contexts with limited teacher guidance. Fluency and confidence characterize student language.

LC–4 apply knowledge of how discourse is organized, structured and sequenced in German
  • LC–4.1 text forms
  • a. use a variety of familiar text forms and media in their own productions
  • LC–4.2 patterns of social interaction
  • a. use a range of social interaction patterns to deal with routine and some nonroutine interactions
  • LC–4.3 cohesion/coherence
  • a. organize texts to indicate logical progression; e.g., time sequencing, cause and effect, instructions
  • b. use common writing conventions such as titles, subtitles and paragraphs
LC–5 apply knowledge of the sociocultural context
  • LC–5.1 register
  • a. explore formal and informal uses of language in a variety of contexts
  • LC–5.2 idiomatic expressions
  • a. identify unfamiliar idiomatic expressions in a variety of contexts
  • b. explore and interpret idiomatic expressions in popular, contemporary culture
  • LC–5.3 variations in language
  • a. recognize and adapt to regional and other differences in German as spoken throughout the world
  • LC–5.4 social conventions
  • a. interpret and use social conventions in oral and written texts and situations
  • LC–5.5 nonverbal communication
  • a. recognize nonverbal behaviours that are considered to be inappropriate in certain contexts
Global Citizenship (30-6Y)
General Outcome for Global Citizenship

Students will acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes to be effective global citizens, through the exploration of the cultures of the German-speaking world.

GC–1 historical and contemporary elements of the cultures of German-speaking peoples
  • GC–1.1 gaining/applying knowledge of German cultures
  • a. explore and identify some important aspects of German culture and history; e.g., key events and their lasting impact
  • GC–1.2 diversity within German cultures
  • a. recognize and explore the impact of diversity on contemporary German-speaking communities
  • GC–1.3 analyzing cultural knowledge
  • a. organize and present information about elements of German cultures in a variety of ways
  • GC–1.4 valuing German cultures
  • a. seek out and use opportunities to interact with German-speaking people in the community and throughout the world
GC–2 affirming and valuing diversity
  • GC–2.1 awareness of English
  • a. analyze the ways that English and German are significantly different and the ways that they are the same
  • GC–2.2 general language knowledge
  • a. recognize that languages and their status evolve/change over time
  • GC–2.3 awareness of Canadian culture
  • a. recognize ethnocentric perspectives in Canadian and German texts
  • GC–2.4 general cultural knowledge
  • a. recognize that different cultures may have different interpretations of texts, cultural practices or products
  • GC–2.5 intercultural skills
  • a. identify and use a variety of strategies for enhancing relations with people from different cultures
GC–3 personal and career opportunities
  • GC–3.1 German language and cultures
  • a. identify aspects of German culture that are of personal interest; e.g., history, literature
  • GC–3.2 cultural and linguistic diversity
  • a. identify aspects of the history, literature, arts and crafts of different cultures that are of personal interest
  • b. identify some careers that use knowledge of international languages and cultures, and intercultural skills
Strategies (30-6Y)
General Outcome for Strategies

Students will know and use various strategies to maximize the effectiveness of learning and communication.

S–1 language learning
  • S–1.1 cognitive
  • a. select and use appropriate cognitive strategies to enhance language learning in a variety of situations; e.g., use word maps or other graphic representations
  • S–1.2 metacognitive
  • a. select and use appropriate metacognitive strategies to enhance language learning; e.g., monitor own speech and writing to check for persistent errors, evaluate own performance
  • S–1.3 social/affective
  • a. select and use appropriate social and affective strategies to enhance language learning; e.g., experiment with various forms of expression

Further examples of language learning strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.

S–2 language use
  • S–2.1 receptive
  • a. select and use appropriate reading and listening strategies; e.g., use key content words or discourse markers to follow an extended text
  • S–2.2 productive
  • a. select and use appropriate speaking and writing strategies; e.g., experiment with multiple ways of expressing meaning
  • S–2.3 interactive
  • a. select and use appropriate interactive strategies; e.g., use fillers, hesitation devices and gambits, sustain conversations by requesting further details

Further examples of language use strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.

S–3 general learning
  • S–3.1 cognitive
  • a. select and use appropriate cognitive strategies to enhance general learning; e.g., seek information using a variety of sources
  • S–3.2 metacognitive
  • a. select and use appropriate metacognitive strategies to enhance general learning; e.g., take responsibility for planning, monitoring and evaluating learning experiences
  • S–3.3 social/affective
  • a. select and use appropriate social and affective strategies to enhance general learning; e.g., take risks, try unfamiliar tasks and approaches

Further examples of general learning strategies are available in the Strategies Overview section.





Resources to support: