German 1 Course Description    

Grades: 7-12
Credit: One
Prerequisite: None

Course Description

Students develop the ability to communicate about themselves and their immediate environment using simple sentences containing basic language structures. This communication is evidenced in all four language skills—listening, speaking, reading and writing—with emphasis on the ability to communicate orally and in writing.

Students begin to explore and study the themes of Personal and Family Life, School Life, Social Life, and Community Life.

This course’s primary goals, aligned with Virginia and national standards, are to:

Communicate in German

• Students function in a variety of practical settings using listening, speaking, reading,
and writing skills as well as knowledge of the target culture(s).

Understand other cultures

• Students demonstrate an understanding of traditions, customs, beliefs, and cultural
contributions and how these elements relate to language.

Connect with other disciplines and acquire information

• Students connect information about the language and cultures they are learning with
concepts studied in other subject areas.

Develop insight into their own language and culture

• Through study of language and culture, students recognize, compare, and contrast
language concepts as well as cultural perspectives, practices, and products.

Participate in the global community

• Students use the foreign language to communicate with speakers of that language,
both at home and around the world, to improve their own communication skills and to
enhance their view of themselves as citizens of the world.

Each topic addressed in the Program of Studies has progress indicators defining what
students will be able to do. For example, under the theme Personal and Family Life,
the topic Greetings and Introductions specifies that students will be able to perform
introductions; use appropriate salutations with friends, family, and strangers;
compare forms of address in the U.S. and in German-speaking countries; and be able
to introduce themselves to a native speaker of German. Essential vocabulary and
language structures are presented to students within the context of the themes and
topics.

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) has developed and uses the Performance
Assessment for Language Students (PALS) program. Performance assessments are
conducted routinely throughout the year and are rated using PALS criteria (rubrics)
developed by FCPS foreign language teachers. The end-of-year assessment again
uses the PALS performance criteria.

For additional information, including resources for students, see the FCPS Foreign
Language Home Page at: http://www.fcps.edu/DIS/OHSICS/forlang/.