German (Version 8.4)

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Context statement

The place of the German language and culture in Australia and in the world
German is an official language of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Belgium, Luxembourg and in South Tyrol in Italy.

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PDF documents

Resources and support materials for the Australian Curriculum: Languages - German are available as PDF documents. 
Languages - German: Sequence of content
Languages - German: Sequence of Achievement - F-10 Sequence
Languages - German: Sequence of …

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Foundation to Year 2

Foundation to Year 2 Band Description

The nature of the learners

Children enter the early years of schooling with established oracy skills in one or more languages and varying degrees of early literacy capability. For young students, learning typically focuses on their immediate world of family, home, school, friends and neighbourhood. They are learning how to socialise with new people, share with others and participate in structured routines and activities at school. Typically they have little to no experience of German language and culture.

German language learning and use

At this stage, games, music, movement, familiar routines, and imaginative activities such as role-plays provide essential scaffolding and relevant contexts for language development. Learners engage with the sounds, shapes and patterns of German through activities such as rhymes, songs, clapping and action games. They identify and use simple formulaic expressions, one- or two-word responses to prompts and cues, and non-verbal German communication strategies. They learn to write by tracing and copying, forming letters legibly. They learn to write words and simple sentences independently using modelled language, for example, by matching pictures with single words, labels or captions.

Contexts of interaction

The primary context of interaction is the language classroom, as learners interact with the teacher and with one another. Their use of German relates primarily to classroom routines and activities, draws on curiosity about the world around them, and engages their interest in play, movement and games.

Texts and resources

Learners engage with a variety of spoken, written and digital texts. They listen and respond to teacher talk, share ideas, and join in stories, songs, play and simple conversations. Physical, virtual and digital resources provide access to additional German language and cultural interactions, connecting learners’ social worlds with those of their peers in other German-speaking contexts.

Features of German language use

Learners become familiar with the sounds and rhythms of German, approximating the pronunciation and phrasing of single words and short phrases, including distinctive sounds such as ch, r, th, u and z, and diphthongs such as au, ei, eu and ie. They use simple basic sentence structures and familiar vocabulary for everyday functions such as greetings, asking and answering questions, responding to instructions, and participating in games, performances and simple shared tasks. They learn to write single words and simple phrases, noticing the use of the Eszett and how an Umlaut changes the sound of vowels. They notice similarities and differences between German and English. They use modelled language to produce their own short texts and to interact. They begin to notice that language behaves differently in different situations and that German speakers communicate in some ways that are different from their own. As they communicate about differences and similarities, they begin to understand that they are part of a connected world. This introduction to the reflective dimension of intercultural language learning begins to develop an understanding of culture.

Level of support

Support is provided through visual and tactile materials such as pictures, realia, objects and charts, and through the use of gesture and movement. The teacher provides prompts, cues, and opportunities for repetition and recycling to help learners identify and remember frequently used words and simple phrases. Learners rely on modelled language, scaffolded tasks, feedback and encouragement to build their language capability.

The role of English

Learners are encouraged to use German whenever possible, particularly when engaging in classroom interactions and routines. The teacher uses German as much as possible for instruction. English is used for explanation and discussion, allowing learners to communicate about differences and similarities they notice between German and their own language(s), to ask questions about language and culture, and to consider their experience of learning German.


Foundation to Year 2 Content Descriptions

Socialising

Interact and socialise with peers and teacher to exchange greetings and information about self and family, and express likes and dislikes

[Key concepts: self, family; Key processes: interacting, greeting, thanking] (ACLGEC103 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • exchanging simple greetings, thanks and good wishes using formulaic expressions, adjusting language to suit the situation, for example, Ich heiße ... und du? Guten Morgen! Auf Wiedersehen! Danke! Alles Gute zum Geburtstag! Frohe Weihnachten! Guten Appetit!
  • using simple statements to describe themselves and to express likes and dislikes, for example, Ich bin fünf. Ich wohne in … Ich mag … (nicht).
  • sharing ideas about people and belongings, for example, Mein Teddy heiβt … Das ist meine Schwester/mein Ball.
Participate in guided group activities using simple repetitive language in songs, rhymes, games and transactions

[Key concepts: play, performance, action learning; Key processes: participating, taking turns] (ACLGEC104 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • participating in songs, rhymes and chants by singing and using actions, for example, Kopf, Schulter, Knie und Fuß; 1, 2, Polizei
  • playing games such as Hatschi Patschi, Hier ist Platz, Lotto and Stille Post and using associated language, for example, related to turn-taking (Wer ist dran? Ich bin dran) and forming groups using numbers or colours (Blau ist hier; Gruppe 2 ist hier)
  • following a model to create a shared digital/online text, such as adding key information on a class invitation (Wann? Was? Wer? Wo?)
  • making choices in routine activities such as the selection of a song from the class songbook, for example, responding to the question Was singen wir heute?
Recognise and respond to instructions and questions about activities, games and classroom routines, and make polite requests

[Key concepts: roles, routines; Key processes: following instructions, participating, listening] (ACLGEC105 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • responding with actions/gestures to questions such as Wo ist … ? and instructions such as Bitte aufstehen, (Klasse 1)! Hände auf den Kopf! Alle zusammen! Achtung!
  • recognising and responding to simple questions, using supporting intonation and gestures, for example, Wer/Was ist das? Das ist ? Ist das … ? Nein, das ist ...
  • using German for everyday routines such as roll call (Hier bin ich) or naming the day of the week (Es ist Montag)
  • following simple directions supported by gestures to locate items in the classroom or playground, for example, links, rechts, auf dem Boden, hinter Peter, unter dem Tisch
  • responding to and making polite requests, for example, Ich möchte … , bitte. Bitte schön!

Informing

Identify key words and information in simple shared texts related to personal worlds

[Key concepts: literacy, text; Key processes: locating, matching, ordering] (ACLGEC106 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • recognising symbols, words and phrases of written German, for example, labels, titles and captions
  • recognising key words in stories, rhymes or songs, using intonation and visual cues such as gestures and facial expressions to assist understanding
  • demonstrating understanding by labelling, pointing, matching, clicking, dragging, drawing, miming, facial expressions and actions
  • locating specific words and expressions, for example, in spoken texts by clapping or raising hands, and in written texts by pointing to or highlighting the word(s)
  • ordering/matching items of information in relation to different texts, such as responding to questions about story, for example, Wer ist das? Er hat drei Brüder und wohnt in …
Convey factual information about self, family and possessions through pictures, labels, captions and short descriptions, using familiar words and modelled language

[Key concepts: identity, belonging; Key processes: naming, labelling, describing] (ACLGEC107 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • using key words and simple phrases to annotate a picture, diagram or photo for public display
  • contributing to a digital photo story on Meine Klasse, for example, writing and recording captions to own photos (Das bin ich. Ich heiße… und ich bin… Das ist meine Mami. Sie ist nett)
  • using simple sentence structures, familiar vocabulary, supporting resources and gestures to communicate about self and the immediate environment, for example, Ich bin im Kindergarten. Ich bin in Klasse 1. Das ist mein Kissen.
  • conveying aspects of shared knowledge about German language and culture, such as by pointing to places on a map or pictures of symbols or typical foods, for example, Das ist Deutschland. Die Flagge ist Schwarz-Rot-Gold.

Creating

Engage with a range of imaginative texts through action, dance, singing, drawing, shared reading and collaborative retelling

[Key concepts: imagination, performance, setting; Key processes: participating, responding] (ACLGEC108 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • responding to imaginative print and digital texts, such as stories, rhymes or cartoons, by performing excerpts of texts or creating their own texts, using repetitive actions, gestures and words/sentences, and sequencing pictures from the text to reflect the correct order of events
  • expressing a personal opinion of a text, for example, Das ist lustig/komisch/langweilig
  • drawing their favourite character or scene from stories, rhymes, songs or cartoons such as Schnappi and attaching/writing a simple evaluative statement, for example, … ist fantastisch. Ich mag …
  • performing the story of a book, for example, Wir gehen auf Bärenjagd, Der Baum und das Mädchen, Weißt du wie lieb ich dich hab?
  • reading or viewing English and German versions of a familiar print or digital text such as ‘Spot’/Flecki or ‘Bob the Builder’/Bob der Baumeister, and noticing similarities and differences
  • responding in German or English to questions about a text, for example, Wer ist das?; War das eine gute Idee?; Und dann … ?
  • contributing to a collaborative retelling of a text using prompts such as pictures, cut-outs or puppets
Express ideas and experiences in a variety of ways using familiar words and modelled language, such as through imaginative role-play, mime, drawing, oral discussion or scaffolded writing activities

[Key concepts: role-play, discussion, imagination; Key processes: performing, expressing] (ACLGEC109 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • using story maps to share an imaginative experience such as what they would eat over a week, for example, like the caterpillar in Die kleine Raupe Nimmersatt, using digital technologies
  • creating and presenting own Big Books in German based on a familiar Australian text such as ‘Tiddalick’ or ‘Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree’
  • creating short dialogues, for example, between dolls, puppets and toys, using familiar modelled language

Translating

Share with peers and family what they know in German, identifying different words and expressions, moving between languages depending on the audience

[Key concepts: representation, difference; Key processes: noticing, comparing] (ACLGEC110 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • distinguishing between German and English in spoken and written form (Ist das Deutsch oder Englisch?), considering factors such as pronunciation, capitalisation of nouns, and the use of cursive script in some texts for children
  • comparing greetings and terms for numbers, family members and familiar objects in German, English and other known/common languages, and noting similarities
  • comparing the words on bilingual signs around the school, such as Spielplatz/playground, Schulkantine/tuckshop
  • interpreting/translating from German into English greetings and other learnt language items for new students or non-German speakers
  • teaching a family member some German, for example, greetings, how to play a German game or sing a German song
Create print or digital texts such as labels, posters, word banks and wall charts for the immediate learning environment in both German and English

[Key concepts: vocabulary, representation; Key processes: sorting, matching, noticing] (ACLGEC111 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • collecting German and English words that are similar or identical in spelling and have the same meaning but are pronounced differently, for example, Baby, singen, braun, Klasse
  • making and displaying labels for common objects in the classroom and home
  • compiling and displaying illustrated class German–English and English–German dictionaries or alphabet posters of classroom language and key vocabulary

Reflecting

Notice similarities and differences when using German compared to own language, such as how it feels, sounds and looks, and involves behaviours as well as words

[Key concepts: language, culture, difference; Key processes: noticing, comparing, observing] (ACLGEC112 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • recognising that some German language use is similar to English, such as greetings used according to the time of day and the formality of a situation, for example, Guten Morgen and Morgen! Tag! Hallo!
  • noticing similarities and differences in cultural practices and stating own reactions to the language used, for example, Das ist anders/gleich when noticing such things as how a child beginning school is celebrated in a German-speaking country with a Schultüte or how a German speaker wishes others luck with Daumen drücken
  • describing how it feels to use German, such as when singing a song or hearing German spoken by others, and noticing differences in behaviour, voice or body language when speaking German
  • comparing aspects of Australian and German children’s lifestyles, for example, ways of playing games, buying or eating food, interacting with family members and participating in school life
Express aspects of self, such as family, school/class, age and language(s), noticing how these are part of one’s sense of identity

[Key concepts: self, identity; Key processes: expressing, describing, noticing] (ACLGEC113 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • identifying self as part of a family, class or peer group, and representing these relationships in a variety of ways, such as through drawing pictures or by adding captions to photos
  • describing what languages they know and are learning, for example, Ich kann Englisch und Arabisch. Ich lerne Deutsch
  • eliciting and giving personal information that signals identity within home and school contexts, including age and appearance, characteristics, class and school, for example, Ich bin sechseinhalb.; Ich habe braune Haare. Ich bin in Klasse 1F
  • investigating the question ‘Where do I belong at school?’ by analysing and describing various ways that schools identify different groups within a school, such as by class levels (Foundation to Year 6), different classroom teachers, different play areas, wearing of school uniform, or changing rights and responsibilities

Systems of language

Recognise and reproduce the sounds and rhythms of spoken German, including distinctive sounds

[Key concepts: pronunciation, intonation; Key processes: listening, imitating, recognising] (ACLGEU114 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • building phonic awareness by recognising and experimenting with sounds and rhythms, focusing on those that are novel and initially difficult such as ch (ich or acht), u (du), r (rot) and z (zehn)
  • developing pronunciation, phrasing and intonation skills by singing, reciting and repeating words and phrases in context
  • developing familiarity with the German alphabet and sound–letter correspondence through singing das Alphabetlied, identifying and naming letters, tracing words, and playing alphabet and spelling games such as Ich sehe was, was du nicht siehst using initial sounds or Galgenmännchen
  • understanding that although German and English use the same alphabet there are additional symbols in German: the Umlaut to alter the pronunciation of particular vowels (ä, ö, ü) and the Eszett (β)
  • noticing that all nouns are capitalised in German
Understand some first elements of German grammar, such as simple verb forms, definite articles and pronouns, to identify and describe people and objects in the family and school domains

[Key concepts: word order, connections, gender; Key processes: noticing patterns, making connections, selecting] (ACLGEU115 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • noticing that German has multiple words for ‘the’ and ‘a/an’
  • identifying people, animals and things using an article and a concrete noun (der Lehrer, eine Freundin) or a pronoun (ich, du, er, sie, es, wir)
  • using the possessive adjectives mein/e and dein/e or a form of haben and an indefinite article to express a relationship to a person or object, for example, Das ist mein Bleistift; Ich habe einen Bruder
  • describing people, animals or objects using bin/bist/ist and an adjective, for example, Ich bin klein; Der Bär ist braun; Das Buch ist neu
  • understanding and describing actions using verbs such as gehen, kommen, machen, malen, lesen, schreiben, sehen, singen, spielen and wohnen
  • negating verbs and adjectives using nicht
  • understanding and using some question words and the intended/related answer in limited contexts, including was (an object), wer (a person), wie (manner), wo (a place), wann (a time) and wie viele (quantity)
  • understanding the location or origin of a person or object, such as hier, links and rechts, and prepositions such as auf, aus, hinter, in, neben and unter
  • gaining awareness of vocabulary referring to time, such as days, months, time of day (Morgen, Nachmittag, Mittag) and o’clock time, for example, Es ist drei Uhr.
  • gaining awareness of terms referring to quantities of people and things, including cardinal numbers (0–20) and mehr, viel/e, nichts and kein/e
Understand that language is organised as ‘texts’, which take different forms and use different structures and features to achieve their purposes

[Key concepts: structure, form; Key processes: noticing, recognising, comparing] (ACLGEU116 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Numeracy
  • Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Capability
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • understanding that texts can be spoken, written, digital, visual or multimodal, and that they can be very short (Stopp!, or a hand gesture to signal Komm her!) or much longer
  • recognising that different types of texts have different features, for example, rhythm and repetition in action songs and rhymes
  • comparing similar texts in German and English, such as counting games or simple maps, identifying elements in the German texts which look or sound different
  • identifying familiar text types such as songs, rhymes, picture books, games, family trees and tables, and naming key features, for example, Titel, Seite and Bild

Language variation and change

Recognise that in German, as in English and other languages, there are different ways of greeting and interacting with people

[Key concepts: register, language conventions, social practice; Key processes: noticing, comparing] (ACLGEU117 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • recognising different forms of address and greeting, depending on time of day and the gender and social status of participants, for example, first names with peers (Tag, Luke!) and Guten Morgen, Frau Stein! for the teacher
  • recognising that there can be different forms of address for the same person, for example, Mama, Mutti, Mami, Mutter
  • understanding that the level of detail required can vary depending on the context, for example, Ich bin 5; Ich bin 6 Jahre und 3 Monate alt; Ich bin fast 7.
Recognise that Australia has speakers of many different languages, including German, and that German and English borrow words and expressions from each other

[Key concepts: multilingualism, culture, community; Key processes: observing, exploring, recognising] (ACLGEU118 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • exploring the range of languages spoken in Australia, including Aboriginal languages and Torres Strait Islander languages, Asian languages and world languages
    • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Histories and Cultures
    • Asia and Australia’s Engagement with Asia
  • exploring the different languages used by their family or peers, for example, by creating a language map with greetings in each language represented in the class
  • recognising that German is an important world language spoken in many countries in the world apart from Germany, including Australia
  • recognising that English and other languages have borrowed German words, for example, Hamburger, Kindergarten and Glockenspiel, and that many words are shared across languages, for example, ‘computer’, ‘bus’, ‘taxi’ and ‘auto’

Role of language and culture

Notice that the languages people use relate to who they are and where and how they live

[Key concepts: place, culture; Key processes: noticing, exploring] (ACLGEU119 - Scootle )

  • Literacy
  • Critical and Creative Thinking
  • Personal and Social Capability
  • Ethical Understanding
  • Intercultural Understanding
  • exploring the meaning of ‘culture’, how it involves visible elements, such as ways of eating or symbols such as flags, and invisible elements, such as how people live, what they value, and how they think about themselves and others
  • understanding that learning German involves ways of using language that may be unfamiliar, for example, using Guten Appetit before commencing a meal or using danke when refusing an offer
  • noticing expressions and terms that are used in Australian contexts, such as for foods, animals, sports and activities, for example, ‘sausage roll’, ‘Vegemite’, ‘joey’, ‘possum’, ‘Little Athletics’
  • understanding that gestures differ across cultures, for example, shaking hands is generally more common in German-speaking countries than in Australia and omission to do so may be considered impolite from a German perspective

Foundation to Year 2 Achievement Standards

By the end of Year 2, students interact with teachers and peers through action-related talk and play. They introduce themselves, exchange greetings and farewells, for example, Ich heiße … Auf Wiedersehen! and express likes and dislikes. When interacting, they use short formulaic expressions, for example, Morgen! Danke! Alles Gute zum Geburtstag! Frohe Weihnachten! Guten Appetit! and make simple statements, such as Das ist … Ich wohne in … Ich mag … They use repetitive language and respond to simple instructions when participating in games, shared activities and classroom routines. They use visual, non-verbal and contextual cues such as intonation, gestures and facial expressions to help make meaning, and reproduce some distinctive sounds and rhythms of spoken German, including ch, u, r and z. Students identify specific words and information, such as names of people, places or objects, in simple shared texts related to personal worlds. They convey factual information about self, family and possessions at word and simple sentence level. They respond to and create simple spoken and written texts, using modelled examples and formulaic language. They use short phrases and simple sentences to identify and describe people and objects in the family and school domains such as der Lehrer, eine Freundin, Das ist mein Stift, including some pronouns, for example, ich, du, er, sie, es, wir and possessive adjectives, mein/e, dein/e. They use nein and nicht for negation, and verb forms bin, bist and ist, with an adjective. Students explain the meaning and use of different German words and expressions, and create texts in German and English for their immediate learning environment. They identify similarities and differences between German and their own language(s) and culture(s), noticing that using a language involves behaviours as well as words.

Students identify ways that German sounds different to English but recognise that it uses the same alphabet. They identify some words that are written the same in both German and English but pronounced differently. They identify features of different types of texts. They give examples of words that German and English borrow from each other and from other languages, and identify different ways of greeting and interacting with people. They make connections between the languages people use and who they are and where they live. 


Foundation to Year 2 Work Sample Portfolios