Level Description

The nature of the learners

At this level, students bring to their learning existing knowledge of German language and culture and a range of learning strategies and experiences. They are increasingly aware of the world beyond their own and are engaging with youth-related and social and environmental issues. They require continued guidance and mentoring but work increasingly independently to analyse, reflect on and monitor their language learning and intercultural experiences. They are considering future pathways and options, including how German could be part of these.

German language learning and use

Learners interact with peers, teachers and other German speakers in immediate and local contexts relating to their social and learning worlds, and with unfamiliar German-speaking communities and cultural resources through a range of physical, virtual and online environments. This is a period of language exploration and vocabulary expansion, and of experimentation with a wider range of modes of communication, for example, digital, collaborative performance and group discussions. Greater control of language structures and systems, and understanding of the variability of language use increase confidence and interest in communicating in a growing range of contexts. Learners use German to initiate, sustain and extend interactions in situations such as negotiating a resolution to a disagreement; to access and exchange information; to express feelings and opinions; to participate in imaginative and creative experiences; to develop, analyse, interpret and translate a wider range of texts and experiences; and to reflect on and evaluate learning experiences. They use German more fluently, with a greater degree of self-correction and repair, and reference the accuracy of their target language use against a stronger frame of knowledge of grammar. They demonstrate understanding of language variation and change; of how intercultural experience, technology, media and globalisation influence language use and forms of communication. Task characteristics and conditions are more complex and challenging. They provide opportunities for collaborative language planning and performance, the development of translating and interpreting tools, and strategic use of language and cultural resources.

Contexts of interaction

The contexts for learning and using German are regularly extended beyond the classroom. Learners interact with teachers, peers and members of German-speaking communities face-to-face and via online technologies. They have opportunities to engage with German speakers and cultural events in the wider community, such as in the media, guest speakers, exchange assistants/students, film festivals, community events or in-country travel.

Texts and resources

Learners build on and extend their knowledge of different types of text and language functions through balancing focused attention to language forms and structures with text creation and performance. They work with a wider range of fiction and nonfiction texts, which allows for exploration of themes of personal and societal relevance, for example, global issues, identity and relationships, diversity and inclusivity. They develop additional analytical tools, including consideration of literary form and devices, and ways in which language choices empower, build identity and are influenced by audience, context and purpose. They identify how texts shape perspectives and meaning.

Features of German language use

Learners expand their knowledge and control of grammatical elements such as register, future tense, reflexive verbs and subordinate clauses. In-depth investigation of the links between German, English and other languages they know strengthens learners’ intercultural capability. They examine the processes involved in learning and using a different language, recognising them as cognitive, cultural and personal as well as linguistic. They explore the reciprocal nature of intercultural communication: how moving between different languages and cultural systems impacts on ways of thinking and behaving; and how successful communication requires flexibility, awareness and openness to alternative ways. They develop the capacity to ‘decentre’ from normative ways of thinking and communicating, to consider themselves through the eyes of others, and to communicate in interculturally appropriate ways.

Level of support

Learners are increasingly aware of and responsible for their own learning, working independently and collaboratively to address their learning needs. Resources are required to support this process, such as technological support for vocabulary expansion, graphic organisers, modelled texts, dictionaries and teacher feedback. Students require continued explicit instruction on the grammatical system and opportunities to discuss, practise and apply their knowledge. They monitor their own progress and learning, such as through the use of e-journals or folios, using these to reflect on their language learning and intercultural experience.

The role of English

While sustained use of German is expected at this level, English continues to be used when necessary for substantive discussion, explanation and analysis. This allows learners to communicate in depth and detail about their experience of learning German and to express ideas, views and experiences at a level beyond their current level of proficiency in German. English may be used in conjunction with German to conduct research, to translate or to communicate bilingually.

Achievement Standard

By the end of Year 10, students use written and spoken German to initiate and sustain interactions with teachers, peers and others in a range of settings and for a range of purposes. They use language spontaneously in the classroom environment to seek clarification and advice, assist others, initiate conversations and discussions, debate a course of action, share learning strategies and comment on the contribution of others, for example, Meinen Sie, dass …? Was würdest du an meiner Stelle tun? Simon hat Unrecht. Meiner Meinung nach ist Kims Geschichte am lustigsten. Ich sehe deutsche Filme, um meine Aussprache zu verbessern. They describe plans and aspirations using future tense, for example, Wir werden bald in Deutschland sein. Ich werde sicher die 12. Klasse zu Ende machen, und dann werde ich hoffentlich studieren. They state facts and relate experiences, such as, Wir haben fast alle unsere Lernziele für das Halbjahr erreicht. Mit 5 Jahren spielte ich mit Puppen und konnte lesen., using past tense forms, Perfekt and Imperfekt, of regular and irregular verbs. When speaking, they use appropriate pronunciation, intonation and stress in a range of sentence types, including variations such as contractions. They locate, synthesise and evaluate information on local and global issues from a range of perspectives and sources. They present ideas, information and views in a range of texts selected to suit audience, purpose and context. They analyse the main ideas and themes in imaginative texts and use evidence to support their views. They plan, draft and present imaginative texts using literary devices (imagery, similes, onomatopoeia) to engage a range of audiences. When creating informative, persuasive and imaginative texts, students use a variety of conjunctions, relative clauses and other cohesive devices to build cohesion, for example, Ich skype oft mit den Austauschschülern, die letztes Jahr bei uns waren. They specify and describe people, places and objects by applying knowledge of the case system to articles, common demonstratives and possessives followed by adjectives, for example, Ich habe mit meinem neuen Computer große Probleme. They interpret and/or translate excerpts from German texts, identifying and explaining culture-specific aspects, and create texts that reflect and explain aspects of culture and language for different German-speaking and Australian audiences. They identify and challenge their own assumptions and take responsibility for modifying language and behaviours in relation to different cultural perspectives.

Students identify ways that language influences people’s actions, values and beliefs, and appreciate the scale and importance of linguistic diversity. They explain the roles of different German cases (nominative, accusative, dative and genitive) and tenses, and variations in spoken and written German in relation to pronunciation, spelling and punctuation. They explain the relationship between text type, audience and purpose. They identify the role culture plays in the creation and interpretation of texts, and explain how language and text features (layout, structure and formal/informal register) are used differently in a range of texts. They explain ways in which language and culture are interrelated and influence each other.