German Summary

A-level German will appeal to students looking to broaden their existing knowledge of languages, bringing out their best and helping them on their journey to further studies and the world of work. But it is much more than that! Learning a language is an insight into culture, behaviour, customs and festivals, a voyage of discovery and a breaking down of barriers. It also develops key skills which nearly every employer looks for such as verbal and written communication, analysing, independent research skills, predicting, evaluating and organising. 

You will study technological and social change, looking at the multicultural nature of Germanic society. You will study highlights of Germanic artistic culture, including a focus on German regional identity and the cultural and political aspects relating to the Reunification. You will learn about aspects of the diverse political landscape of the Germanic world and explore the influence of the EU on Germany, both past and present. Throughout your studies, you will learn the language in the context of Germanic countries and issues and influences which have shaped them. You will also study texts and film and will have the opportunity to carry out independent research on an area of your choice.  

Entry Requirements

GCSE grade 6 or higher in German

Course Duration

AS level:1 Year 

A-Level: 2 years full-time 

The A-Level qualification is linear. Students will sit their exams at the end of a two-year course. AS-Level is fully co-teachable with A-Level so we can tailor our approach to suit students who opt for the one-year course. 

Specification

AQA

How you will study

You will develop your grammar and knowledge of language in all 4 skills by immersing yourself in the language, using news articles, authentic texts and passages in German. You will research, discuss and develop your opinions on the topics we study in small groups as well as developing an in-depth knowledge of the culture, politics, history and traditions of German speaking countries. 

Component breakdown

  1. Social issues and trends 
  2. Political and artistic culture 
  3. Grammar 
  4. Works: Literary texts and films

Paper 1: Listening, reading and writing. Written exam lasting 2 hours 30 minutes based on all core content topics and grammar.  

Paper 2: Writing. A 2-hour written exam on one film and one text from the list set in the specification  

Paper 3: Speaking. Oral exam lasting 21-23 minutes (including 5 minutes preparation time).  

A language can lead you to thousands of jobs and opportunities: 

  • Airlines
  • Business Services
  • Central Government
  • Creative and Media
  • Engineering
  • Event Management
  • Financial Services
  • Health, Medicine and Social Care
  • Law
  • Local Government 
  • Teaching
  • Translation and Interpreting
  • Travel and Tourism
  • Voluntary and Charitable Sector

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