Portland Community College | Portland, Oregon

Welcome to German 201! I look forward to a great term with you!

Basic information: GER 201 is the first term of a three term second-year German sequence. It continues the work of GER 103. 

All course materials (syllabus, required class materials, handouts, lecture recordings, weekly lessons and assignments, as well as your grades will be available in D2L, PCC’s online learning system.

Class modality: GER 201 will be meeting via Zoom every Monday and Wednesday @ 6:00pm-7:50pm.  The class is taught in German immersion, so students hear and speak German as much as possible. It's the best proven way to learn a language and become orally proficient--it is also so much fun! 

Each class session includes lots of in-class practice with other students (with a partner, in groups, and as an entire class). Improving speaking, reading, writing, and listening skills is a primary goal of this class, and we’ll have fun practicing together while incorporating cultural components, games, videos, short storied, and music…all in German!

Attendance at these classes is required, although some flexibility and make-up options are built-in.  *Please note: 3 (three) absences are allowed, no questions asked. You can make up a total of 3 absences (I will explain how in class),  and 4 (four) or more "unexcused" absences will result in an automatic non-passing grade.

As an extra resource and extra help for you, I will post videos of my grammar lectures for you to refer back to after coming to class, should you need more clarification. Students find these videos very helpful, and I know you will, too.

Assignments are posted weekly and always due by the end of the week, on Sunday by midnight. Assignments will consist of vocabulary and grammar exercises, listening comprehension exercises, writing exercises, discussion boards, recordings, and watching the weekly lectures. In class we will be working together, in groups, and with partners, practicing spoken German while learning about German culture, playing games, listening to music -- TONS of fun! :) 

Time commitment: The time commitment for this course consists of 4 hours a week classroom time in person (4 hours per week for a 4-credit course) plus another 3-4 hours a week spent on studying and completing two homework assignments per week (both due on Sunday by midnight).

Textbook requirements:

1. If you already have your class materials from GER 101/102/103 (that is, if you bought the code for two calendar years), you will not need to buy anything new. Just use this link below to register for the 201 section in Connect (it is free!): 

           Register for the Connect 201 class section HERE. 

2. If you are new to our program at PCC and have learned German somewhere else, OR if you bought the materials only for 1 year (for GER 101-102-103), you will need to buy the class materials. Please see instructions below:

2. Click HERE for the course URL--this will take you to our class section on the web platform.

Please note that GER 201 is offered ONLY in the fall.

Please also note: completion of 2 years of a language at the college level is required for a Bachelor of Arts degree and 2 terms will count towards the Gen Ed requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree. Please consult with an advisor from a 4 year university if you have questions about transferring credits (e.g. PSU, U of O, etc.).

Placement: If you have experience with German and are unsure if GER 201 is the right class for you, please email me about taking a placement test. Florence Deutsch at: fdeutsch@pcc.edu

Student Success: 

Students who have taken German classes at PCC really appreciate how we make learning German in immersion accessible and fun and how much they can understand and say even after just one week of classes ! I’m happy to report that students attain excellent levels of oral, written, and listening proficiency and are very successful in higher level classes at a 4-year university.  

Students who have taken remote German classes love interacting as a class and with partners during breakout rooms and getting immediate feedback from me during the live Zoom classes. They also appreciate the option to attend the live Zoom class or watch the asynchronous class video and do the make-up assignments. This combination of synchronous and asynchronous formats provides flexibility and allows you to fit GER 201 into your busy schedule. Students in our remote classes consistently attain the same levels of oral, written, and listening proficiency as they do in face-to-face classes. This isn’t surprising because everything about the remote German courses is the same as with in-person classes, except we meet over Zoom instead of in a classroom on campus. So, please do not let learning German remotely deter you from continuing your German language journey this term! I would love to have you as part of this class!

I am looking forward to seeing you in class! I will have office hours and tutors will also be available, so rest assured that you will be in good hands. Please email me with any questions (fdeutsch@pcc.edu[opens in new window]) and once you are registered for the class, expect a welcome email from me a few days before the term begins.

If you decide to buy ONLY the access code, which includes the Ebook, you will need a computer or tablet in class. You will need to have a camera and a mic, and please have the camera on during class.

If you decide to also buy the loose leaf book (at a discounted price, through the same website), that might be easier to use when you study, or even during class.