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• VCDEU132

  Notice and apply elements of German grammar such as gender and singular/plural forms, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns and word order in simple spoken and written texts

  Elaborations

  • recognising the link between a noun’s gender and its definite/indefinite article and nominative pronoun in relation to people, for example, der Bruder, ein Bruder, er
  • using the nominative and accusative indefinite articles to denote an unspecified person or object, for example, Rotkäppchen hatte einen Korb.
  • comparing pluralisation of nouns in German and English, and using die for plural nouns in German, for example, der Apfel/die Äpfel
  • describing a relationship using a possessive adjective, for example, mein/e, dein/e, sein/e, ihr/e
  • understanding and using pronouns to refer to people, for example, ich, du, er, sie (singular); wir, ihr, sie (plural); Sie heißt Anna. Sie heißen Ben und Sarah.
  • using the correct verb form associated with a noun or pronoun or combination thereof, for example, Die Lehrerin singt ein Lied; Herr Schwarz trinkt Kaffee; Sie spielt Tennis; Mein Freund und ich sprechen Englisch.
  • using present tense forms of irregular verbs such as haben and sein and recognising similarities to the English verbs ‘to have’ and ‘to be’
  • describing capabilities and preferences using limited forms of the modal verbs können and mögen, for example, Ich kann gut schwimmen. Er mag Cricket. Wir möchten eine Party machen.
  • understanding and describing current and recurring actions using verbs such as essen, fliegen, fressen, laufen, leben, schwimmen, sprechen and trinken
  • understanding and describing past events using the simple past tense of familiar verbs such as war, hatte, ging, sah, spielte and machte
  • joining words, phrases and sentences using und, oder and aber
  • understanding the meaning of and using common time phrases and cohesive devices, for example, gestern, heute, dann and zuerst
  • understanding and formulating questions using subject–verb inversion, for example, Magst du Sport?
  • understanding and using a range of question words and the intended/related answer, for example, woher, welcher and wie viel
  • locating events in time with regard to days, months, seasons and ‘half past’ time, for example, Ich spiele im Winter Fußball. Die Schule beginnt um halb neun.
  • describing location formulaically using prepositional phrases such as im Wasser, in der Luft, auf dem Land, neben dem Tisch or auf der linken Seite
  • using ordinal numbers to give the date, for example, Heute ist der dritte Juli. Er hat am siebten August Geburtstag.
  • referring to quantities of people and things (including money) using cardinal numbers up to 100

  VCDEU132 | Languages | German | F–10 Sequence | Levels 3 and 4 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCDEU013

  Develop knowledge of elements of the German grammatical system, including gender and number, nominative and accusative cases, present tense of regular and some irregular verbs, personal pronouns, possessive adjectives and word order, to describe people, objects, actions, events and relationships

  Elaborations

  • understanding that German has multiple words for ‘the’ and ‘a/an’ according to the gender of the relevant noun, and noticing that the articles for masculine nouns sometimes change (nominative to accusative), for example, Die Frau hat einen BMW.; Der Film hat ein Happy End
  • comparing pluralisation of nouns in German and English, for example, die for plural nouns
  • using post-nominal (predicative) adjectives, for example, Unsere Deutschlehrerin ist intelligent.; Die Berge in Österreich sind sehr schön.; Meine Augen sind blau.
  • noticing the relationship between gender, article, adjective and case when using pre-nominal (attributive) adjectives to describe people, objects, places and events, for example, Ich habe einen kleinen Bruder.
  • noticing that as well as the articles (for masculine nouns), some pronouns change after certain verbs (accusative direct object), for example, Wir sehen heute den Film.; Es gibt einen neuen Schüler in Klasse 8A.; Ich mag dich.
  • noticing that articles and pronouns change after particular prepositions (dative), such as those associated with location and destination, for example, Wir sind in der Stadt.; Die Party ist im Garten.; Wie kommst du zur Schule?
  • using common prepositional phrases formulaically, for example, nach Hause, zu Hause
  • using personal pronouns to refer to people and things, for example, Was kostet die App? Sie kostet… .
  • understanding the three German pronouns for ‘you’ (du/ihr/Sie) and when to use them
  • expressing a relationship to a person or object using some possessive adjectives in the nominative and accusative case, for example, Seine Familie kommt aus Afrika.; Ich liebe meinen Hund .
  • recognising that in German a subject + verb can have multiple English translations, for example, wir spielen can mean ‘we play’, ‘we are playing’, ‘we do play’, ‘we shall/will play’ and ‘we’re going to play’, and applying this understanding when formulating own German sentences
  • understanding the concept of regular and irregular verbs (spielen and lesen) and noticing that this is a feature of both German and English (and other languages, such as French, Italian and Spanish)
  • conjugating the present tense of regular verbs and some common irregular verbs, including sein and haben
  • understanding structures to express likes, dislikes and preferences, for example, Ich mag Tennis. Ich spiele nicht gern Fuβball. Ich spiele lieber Kricket.
  • using common modal verbs such as können to describe capabilities (Ich kann gut schwimmen., and Ich möchte and Darf ich… ?) or to make polite requests
  • gaining awareness of a limited number of routine past tense expressions including some with war and hatte and the present perfect, for example, Sabine war gestern krank. Das hat Spaβ gemacht. Habt ihr ein schönes Wochenende gehabt?
  • negating verbs and adjectives using nicht and nouns using kein/e, for example, Nein, Marcus hat keine Geschwister.
  • describing frequency using adverbs and adverbial expressions such as oft, manchmal, jeden Tag, ab und zu, nie
  • understanding the subject-verb-object (SVO) word order, for example, Ich spiele Basketball., and the need for subject-verb inversion to keep the verb as the second idea/element in the sentence, for example, Heute Abend spiele ich Basketball.
  • joining words, phrases and sentences using the coordinating conjunctions und, oder, aber
  • understanding how to form a question, using subject-verb inversion, for example, Hast du Geschwister? and with interrogatives such as wann, was, wer, wie, wie viel, wie viele, wo, woher, warum, welche(-r/s/n) and wohin
  • locating people, places and objects using adverbs such as rechts, links, oben, unten, hier, dort
  • using ordinal numbers to give the date or a birthday, for example, Heute ist der erste Ma.i; Seine Mutter hat am 22. April Geburtstag.
  • understanding and locating events in time (days, months, seasons), including the use of the 24-hour clock, prepositions such as nach and vor, and adverbs and formulaic expressions such as heute, vorgestern, früher, später, am Wochenende, in den Ferien
  • referring to quantities of people and things, including money, using cardinal numbers up to a billion, as well as decimals, common fractions and negative numbers, for example, Deutschland hat 81,9 Millionen Einwohner.; Die Tagestemperatur liegt bei minus 3 Grad.; Ich habe eine Halbschwester.
  • building metalanguage to comment on grammar and vocabulary (for example, Nomen, Verben, Zahlen, Fragewörter, groβ/klein schreiben), comparing with equivalent English terms

  VCDEU013 | Languages | German | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Systems of language

• German - F–10 Sequence: Levels 3 and 4 description

  Students notice features of German communication such as the use of gestures, facial expressions and intonation patterns. They become familiar with the idea of grammatical gender and become familiar with how to use singular and plural forms. As they encounter German language and culture they make...

  Level description | Languages | German | F–10 Sequence

• German - 7–10 Sequence: Levels 7 and 8 description

  Students become familiar with the sounds of German, including pronunciation, rhythm, intonation and stress. They recognise similarities with many English words, noting differences in pronunciation (Computer, Buch, Auto). They approximate the pronunciation and phrasing of single words and short...

  Level description | Languages | German | 7–10 Sequence

• German - 7–10 Sequence: Levels 9 and 10 achievement standards

  By the end of Level 10, students initiate and maintain interactions in written and spoken German to communicate ideas, thoughts, feelings and information related to relationships, school experiences, the community and future plans. They interact with others to make decisions, solve problems, and...

  Level description | Languages | German | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10

• VCDEC143

  Present, reinterpret or create alternative versions of imaginative texts, adapting events, characters or settings

  Elaborations

  • creating and performing a new version of a familiar song or poem, for example, using digital tools and apps for movie making and voice recording
  • creating dialogue/lines for characters from a text, describing in spoken or written form their opinions and emotional responses, for example, as an interview, email or diary entry
  • creating and presenting an adapted text such as a story, for example, by introducing new elements (changing the gender of the main character or the setting, adding a new character or dilemma), and presenting it to a younger audience

  VCDEC143 | Languages | German | F–10 Sequence | Levels 5 and 6 | Communicating | Creating

• VCDEU186

  Understand the influence of language on people’s actions, values and beliefs, and appreciate the scale and importance of linguistic diversity

  Elaborations

  • examining how language can reinforce stereotypes, such as those related to gender, and how changes in the language occur over time to combat this, for example, die Krankenschwester → der Krankenpfleger, die Krankenpflegerin; die Stewardess → der Flugbegleiter, die Flugbegleiterin
  • considering how language indicates respect, values and attitudes, and includes and excludes, for example, the use of titles or first names (Herr Doktor Schmidt, Herr Schmidt, Georg), different words for the same entity (foreigner/immigrant/refugee), the gendered nature of professional titles (der Lehrer, die Lehrerin; das Kindermädchen), and access to community information for non-English speakers
  • reflecting on the impact of language in relation to own and others’ experience, for example, winning an argument or working out the meaning of unfamiliar German words; being locked out of conversations, or being a newcomer or an outsider in a social group
  • establishing a deeper understanding of diversity and reflecting on own experience of what linguistic and cultural diversity means

  VCDEU186 | Languages | German | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCDEC164

  Consider how personal experiences, family origins, traditions and beliefs impact on identity and shape intercultural experiences

  Elaborations

  • mapping their own linguistic and cultural profile, for example, by creating a chart, timeline or web profile to highlight formative elements such as family languages, key relationships and intercultural experiences
  • reflecting on the experience of learning and using German, considering how it might add a further dimension to own sense of identity
  • discussing how they would represent Australia in a cultural forum, for example, what they would wear or take along to an International Students Day function held in Austria
  • discussing in English the issue of identity and gender-inclusive language in German, for example, Schüler; Schüler und Schülerinnen; SchülerInnen

  VCDEC164 | Languages | German | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Reflecting

• German - 7–10 Sequence: Levels 7 and 8 achievement standards

  By the end of Level 8, students share information about their personal worlds, including personal details, family, friends, interests, likes, dislikes and preferences. They interact with others to carry out transactions, participate in class routines and socialise. They use modelled language and...

  Level description | Languages | German | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8

• Languages | German: Learning in German

  German language learning

  German is an official language of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, Belgium, Luxembourg and in South Tyrol in Italy. It is also used as an official regional or auxiliary language in a number of other countries in Europe, and in Namibia in Africa. As one of...

  Overview material | German

• VCDEU117

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

  Elaborations

  • 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.

  VCDEU117 | Languages | German | F–10 Sequence | Foundation to Level 2 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCDEC011

  Reflect on experiences of learning and using another language, and share aspects of own identity, such as age, interests and family background, reflecting on how these impact on intercultural exchange

  Elaborations

  • sharing ideas about the experience of learning and using German, including any perceived changes in levels of confidence, or in attitudes to culture and intercultural communication, for example, ‘How did I feel when I first heard/spoke German? How do I feel now?’
  • preparing a class profile to exchange with German-speaking students, showing cultural backgrounds, languages used in the home, interests and values, and using resources such as photos, captions, quotes and symbols
  • annotating a family tree with information about family members, such as significant places or languages spoken, identifying own heritage (Ich bin Australier/-in. Mein Opa kommt aus Griechenland.), and reflecting on how own background has shaped identity
  • participating in a discussion in English about an aspect of identity, for example, considering the impact of a school uniform on personal identity and exploring how German students might view wearing a school uniform
  • comparing aspects of identity that may be important across cultures, such as state, country, ethnic group, language, religion, age, gender, and position in family

  VCDEC011 | Languages | German | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Reflecting

• VCDEC008

  Translate and interpret texts such as greetings, signs, emails and conversations, from German to English and vice versa, noticing similarities and differences

  Elaborations

  • translating short personal texts, identifying words and phrases that can be translated literally and those that cannot, for example, Guten Appetit! Guten Tag! Ohrwurm
  • using German–English cognates to predict meaning, for example, Brot/‘bread’, kalt/‘cold’, trinken/‘to drink’
  • recognising compound words, and collecting and analysing interesting examples (der Schulsport, die Realschule, babyleicht), noting that compound nouns take the gender of the last noun in the compound
  • translating public signs from German to English and vice versa, noticing similarities and differences
  • interpreting for and explaining to peers and family members aspects of German language and culture (in texts such as emails and conversations) that are interesting and/or different, for example, that when addressing teachers in German you use family names after the titles Frau and Herr, unlike the English use of just ‘Miss’ or ‘Sir’

  VCDEC008 | Languages | German | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Communicating | Translating

• VCDEU033

  Understand that language has power and changes over time as a result of contact with other languages and with influences such as globalisation and new technologies and knowledge

  Elaborations

  • considering how language marks values and attitudes such as respect and equality, and includes and excludes, for example, the use of titles or first names (Herr Doktor Schmidt, Herr Schmidt, Georg), different words for the same entity (foreigner/immigrant/refugee), the gendered nature of professional titles (der Lehrer, die Lehrerin; das Kindermädchen), and access to community information fornon-English speakers
  • noting that although German grammar has not changed as much as English over the centuries, it did relatively recently undergo changes in spelling and punctuation in the official Rechtschreibreform, requiring, for example, β to be used only after long vowel sounds or diphthongs (Fuβball, Spaβ, weiβ), and ss to be used after short vowels (dass, Klasse)
  • investigating and reporting on evidence of current and historical influences of German language and culture in the local and broader Australian community, for example, German/Austrian/Swiss place names (Heidelberg, Hahndorf, Leichhardt, Grindelwald), food (cafés, restaurants, bakeries, market stalls), festivals and celebrations (German Film Festival, Swiss Festival, Weihnachtsmarkt), and organisations (Goethe-Institut, SBS German Radio, clubs, churches, companies)
  • considering the concept of ‘ecology’ in relation to German and other languages; that is, the interaction of the language with constantly changing environments due to globalisation, technology, and language shifts and exchange

  VCDEU033 | Languages | German | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCDEU015

  Recognise some of the common variations in German as it is used in different contexts and locations by different people

  Elaborations

  • using appropriate forms of address and greetings/salutations for peers and teacher, depending on gender (Lieber/Liebe… and Dein/Deine/Eure … in a letter) and social status (Guten Morgen, Herr Schiller; Hallo, Tim!) of participants, and recognising the effects of inappropriate choices, for example, greeting peers with Guten Morgen, Frau Mary!
  • observing telephone interactions in film clips and real life and practising telephone etiquette when answering mobile phones in comparison with the family landline (surname only) and ending phone call with Auf Wiederhören
  • noticing that in public announcements and/or on the phone certain words are pronounced differently or varied slightly to ensure clarity, for example, zwei/zwo, Juli (pronounced as Julei)
  • recognising different registers, such as the different words for ‘you’, for example, Was machst du, Peter? Was macht ihr, Kinder (Klasse 7)? Setz dich, Peter! Setzt euch Kinder! Kommen Sie bitte herein, Herr Berger!
  • being aware of some regional variations in language, such as in greetings (the Swiss Grüezi and Austrian Servus) or the lack of the Eszett in Switzerland
  • comparing written and spoken modes of a particular language function such as an invitation, noticing language structures used and varying levels of formality
  • comparing the concept of diversity in accents, dialects and vocabulary in German-speaking communities with similar diversity in the use of English within and beyond Australia

  VCDEU015 | Languages | German | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Language variation and change

• VCDEU183

  Understand and apply in complex sentences a range of vocabulary and grammatical structures, including future tense, imperative mood and some relative pronouns, for the purposes of interaction, narration, description, persuasion, argument and exposition

  Elaborations

  • specifying and describing people, places and objects by applying knowledge of the case system to articles, common demonstratives, and possessives followed by adjectives, for example, Jedes deutsche Kind isst gern Kartoffelpuffer.; Ich habe mit meinem neuen Computer große Probleme.
  • recognising instances of the genitive case mainly in written texts, for example, Omas Leben, die Rolle der Frau, der Gebrauch des Genitivs, understanding its function to indicate possession and using the more common ‘von + dative case + noun’ as an alternative, for example, das Haus von meinen Eltern/das Haus meiner Eltern
  • noticing that relative pronouns have gender and case and are usually the same as definite articles, and understanding the difference in function, for example, Der Mann, der am Tisch sitzt, ist Koch.; Das ist der Beruf, den ich am interessantesten finde.
  • understanding and using the appropriate tense (present, present perfect, simple past, future) with a range of regular and irregular verbs, including:
    • common reflexive verbs, including some with dative reflexive pronoun and noun direct object, for example, Ich wasche mir die Hände.
    • transitive and intransitive verbs
    • modal verbs
    • verbs with separable and inseparable prefixes
  • describing plans and aspirations using werden and a single infinitive, for example, In der Zukunft werde ich mehr Sport treiben.
  • using the different imperative forms of verbs for peers and adults, for example, SpielSpielt/Spielen Sie mit! Sei/Seid/Seien Sie willkommen!
  • indicating contradiction using doch
  • connecting and contrasting ideas, events and actions using a variety of conjunctions and cohesive devices, including embedded clauses such as relative clauses, and noticing the word order, for example, Um Geld zu haben, muss man einen Job finden.; Entweder werde ich Klempner oder Elektriker. Der Film, den du sehen willst, läuft jetzt im Kino
  • understanding the difference between interrogatives which incorporate a preposition and refer to people and those which refer to objects, for example, Mit wem gehst du zur Party?; Worüber schreibst du deinen Englischaufsatz?
  • noticing and experimenting with compound forms such as common da- and wo(r)- constructions, for example, Was machst du damit? Woran erinnerst du dich?
  • understanding and using the accusative, dative and ‘two-way’ prepositions accurately with regard to case and meaning, including a limited range of common idiomatic prepositional phrases, for example, Meine Eltern sind mit 21 aus Deutschland ausgewandert. Sie denkt oft an ihre Kindheit
  • modifying meaning through the use of adverbs and adverbial phrases, for example, Das haben sie schon gemacht. Lauft so schnell wie möglich zum Supermarkt!
  • using a range of expressions for indefinite quantities, for example, einige, manche, mehrere
  • understanding and using formulaically common subjunctive forms (Konjunktiv II) such as hätte and wäre and würde + infinitive, for example, Wenn ich reich wäre, würde ich ein schnelles Auto kaufen. Er tut so, als ob er keine Zeit hätte

  VCDEU183 | Languages | German | F–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCDEU030

  Extend grammatical knowledge, including of cases, demonstrative and interrogative adjectives, prepositions, common subordinating conjunctions, and past and future tenses, to describe, situate and link people, objects and events in time and place

  Elaborations

  • specifying a person, object or place using knowledge of the German case system (nominative, accusative and dative), and using definite and indefinite articles, personal pronouns (including man), and possessive, demonstrative and interrogative adjectives such as ihr, sein, unser, dieser, jeder and welcher
  • noticing use of the genitive case mainly in written texts, for example, Deutschlands Schulen, die Rolle der Frau, der Gebrauch des Genitivs
  • understanding the relationship between gender, article and case and the adjectival ending when describing people, objects, places and events, for example, Mein Freund hat lange, schwarze Haare und trägt einen kleinen Ohrring.; Es gibt kein groβes Einkaufszentrum in dieser Stadt.
  • selecting the correct personal pronoun for ‘it’ (er/sie/es; ihn) for objects, for example, Woher hast du den Hut? Er ist sehr schön. Ich habe ihn bei … gekauft.
  • comparing the meanings and use of the German modal verbs with their English equivalents, for example, Wir müssen eine Schuluniform tragen. Man darf hier nicht essen. Du musst das nicht essen.
  • describing current, recurring and future actions using regular, irregular, modal, separable and inseparable verbs, for example, Er sieht viel fern.; Ich muss meine Hausaufgaben machen.; Morgen ist unser letzter Schultag. Wir werden nächstes Jahr in der 11. Klasse sein.
  • describing past events and experiences in the present perfect and/or simple past tense using a limited range of common verbs, for example, Ich bin gestern Skateboard gefahren.; Als Kind trank ich gern Milch.
  • using reflexive verbs in present tense with their appropriate reflexive pronouns to describe daily routines and express emotions and interests, for example, Ich dusche mich morgens.; Interessierst du dich für Geschichte?; Wir freuen uns auf die Ferien.; Erinnerst du dich an … ?
  • noticing that some verbs can be combined with a separable or inseparable prefix which alters the meaning, for example, Er kommt um 17.15 Uhr.; Kommst du mit?; Ich bekomme manchmal Geld zum Geburtstag.
  • understanding and giving instructions, applying the different forms for single/plural addressees and informal/formal register, for example, Mach dein Buch zu, Angela! Freunde, helft mir! Hilf mir! Machen Sie das Fenster bitte zu, Frau Berger!
  • linking and sequencing events and ideas using a range of cohesive devices, including adverbs (dann, früher, danach, vorher) and common subordinating conjunctions (als, dass, obwohl, wenn, weil), usually with the subordinate clause after the main clause
  • expressing opinions using, for example, meiner Meinung nach; Ich glaube, dass ... ; Wir sind dagegen/dafür, denn ...
  • asking and answering questions using a range of interrogatives, including warum to elicit reasons and wozu to clarify purpose
  • understanding and applying the ‘verb as second element’ and ‘subject-time-object-manner-place’ (STOMP) word order rules for main clauses and realising that German word order is flexible, allowing other elements apart from the subject to begin the sentence, for example, Langsam verstehe ich mehr Deutsch.; In der Schule gibt es viele Umweltaktionen.
  • understanding and using dative and accusative prepositions with their core meanings, for example, Ich komme aus Australien.; Das Eis ist für mich.; Der Junge geht zum Bahnhof.
  • understanding the meaning of and using ‘two-way‘ prepositions (Wechselpräpositionen), for example, Wir gehen ins Kino.; Sie wohnen in der Schweiz.
  • making comparisons using a range of structures, for example, Ich esse lieber Salat als Fleisch. Welches Auto ist am sichersten?; Kaffee ist nicht so gesund wie Wasser. using appropriate units of measurement, for example, for height/length, area, time and velocity (Meter, Kilometer; Quadratmeter, Quadratkilometer; Jahrzehnt, Jahrhundert, Jahrtausend; Stundenkilometer)
  • extending metalanguage to communicate in German and English about case, word order, verb tenses and moods (for example, Dativ, Wechselpräpositionen, das Imperfekt, der Imperativ, Hilfsverben, trennbare Verben)

  VCDEU030 | Languages | German | 7–10 Sequence | Levels 9 and 10 | Understanding | Systems of language

• VCDEU166

  Extend knowledge of elements of the German grammatical system, including prepositions, reflexive verbs, adverbial phrases and subordinating conjunctions, to specify and describe people, objects and places, sequence events and qualify opinions

  Elaborations

  • specifying a person, object or place using knowledge of the German case system (nominative, accusative and dative), and using definite and indefinite articles, kein, personal pronouns (including man), and possessive, demonstrative and interrogative adjectives such as sein, unser, dieser, jeder and welcher
  • noticing the relationship between gender, article and case and the adjectival ending when describing people, objects, places and events, for example, Mein bester Freund hat lange, schwarze Haare und trägt einen kleinen Ohrring.; Es gibt hier keinen Sportplatz.
  • selecting and using the appropriate form of ‘you’ (du, ihr, Sie) and its possessive adjective equivalents (dein, euer, Ihr) according to the audience, for example, Sind Sie Frau Wagner?; Hast du dein Geld mit?
  • selecting the correct personal pronoun for ‘it’ (er/sie/es; ihn) for objects, for example, Woher hast du den Hut? Er ist sehr schön; Ich habe ihn bei … gekauft.
  • comparing the meanings and use of the German modal verbs with their English equivalents, for example, Wir müssen eine Schuluniform tragen. Man darf hier nicht essen.
  • noticing that some verbs can be combined with a separable or inseparable prefix which alters the meaning of the base verb, for example, Er kommt um 17.15 Uhr.; Kommst du mit?; Ich bekomme manchmal Geld zum Geburtstag.
  • describing current, recurring and future actions using regular, irregular, modal, separable and inseparable verbs in the present tense, for example, Wir spielen morgen nicht mit., Er sieht viel fern. Ich muss meine Hausaufgaben machen. Nächstes Jahr bekommen wir neue Laptops.
  • describing past events and experiences in present perfect and/or simple past tense using a limited range of common verbs, for example, Ich habe meine Hausaufgaben nicht gemacht, denn ich war am Wochenende krank.
  • using reflexive verbs in present tense with their appropriate accusative reflexive pronouns to describe daily routines and express emotions and interests, for example, Ich dusche mich morgens. Interessierst du dich für Geschichte? Wir freuen uns auf die Ferien.
  • understanding and applying the ‘verb as second element’ (Wir kommen morgen or Morgen kommen wir) and ‘subject-time-object-manner-place’ (STOMP) word order rules for main clauses (Ich spiele jetzt Basketball.), and realising that German word order is flexible, allowing other elements apart from the subject to begin the sentence, for example, Langsam verstehe ich mehr Deutsch. Zu Hause ist es oft sehr laut.
  • linking and sequencing events and ideas using a range of cohesive devices, including adverbs (danach, vorher, dann, früher) and common conjunctions (als, dass, obwohl, wenn, weil), usually with the subordinate clause after the main clause
  • expressing opinions using, for example, meiner Meinung nach; Ich glaube, dass … Wir sind dagegen/dafür
  • understanding and using wozu? to clarify purpose
  • understanding and using dative and accusative prepositions with their core meanings, for example, Ich komme aus der Stadt. Der Kuchen ist für dich.
  • describing destinations using prepositions including some ‘two-way’ prepositions (Wechselpräpositionen), for example, Wir fahren nach Adelaide. Der Junge geht zum Bahnhof. Sie sind in die Stadt gefahren.
  • experimenting (using models) with different structures to make comparisons, for example, Englisch ist schwieriger als Mathe. Welches Auto ist am sichersten? Kaffee ist nicht so gesund wie Wasser
  • referring to quantities of people and things using cardinal numbers up to a billion, for example, Deutschland hat 81,9 Millionen Einwohner.
  • extending metalanguage to communicate in German and English, for example, about case, word order and verb tenses (Dativ, Wechselpräpositionen, das Imperfekt, Hilfsverben, trennbare Verben)

  VCDEU166 | Languages | German | F–10 Sequence | Levels 7 and 8 | Understanding | Systems of language