Curriculum
This specification will first be taught from September 2024.
Why study GCSE German?
The aims of the course are to enable students to develop an understanding of German in a variety of contexts. It also allows students to increase their knowledge of German vocabulary and structures, to transfer language learning skills and to communicate effectively in German. Finally, the course aims at helping students to understand countries and communities where German is spoken.
GCSE German FAQ's
What will I learn?
Students study all of the following themes on which the assessments are based:
Theme 1 : People and lifestyle
Theme 2 : Popular culture
Theme 3 : Communication and the world around us
Each of these broad themes is broken down further into sub-topics which we cover over the 2-year course. Many of the topics will have been covered briefly in Years 7-9, allowing us to study and analyse a topic in much more depth over the GCSE.
A new feature of the GCSE is the emphasis placed on cultural awareness. Students will be learning about the customs and traditions of German speaking countries alongside the more traditional language structures, vocabulary and grammar.
What course will I follow?
AQA GCSE German (8662)
How will I be assessed?
There are two tiers of entry: Foundation (Grades 1-5) or Higher (Grades 4-9)
(25% of GCSE)
What’s assessed
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How it’s assessed
Recording controlled by the invigilator with built-in repetitions and pauses. Each exam includes 5 minutes’ reading time at the start of the question paper before the listening material is played and 2 minutes at the end of the recording for students to check their work. |
Questions
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(25% of GCSE)
What’s assessed
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How it’s assessed
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Questions The format is the same at Foundation tier and Higher tier, but with different stimulus materials for the Role-play and the Reading aloud task. For the Photo card task, the same photos are used at both tiers.
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(25% of GCSE)
What’s assessed
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How it’s assessed
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Questions
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(25% of GCSE)
What’s assessed
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How it’s assessed
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Questions Foundation tier
Higher tier
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What skills or equipment will I need?
The qualification requires students to:
- Develop the ability to listen to and understand spoken German in a range of contexts and variety of style
- Communicate in speech for a variety of purposes
- Read and respond to different types of written language
- Communicate in writing for a variety of purposes
- Understand and apply a range of vocabulary and structures
- Develop language learning and communication skills which can be applied broadly
Where can GCSE German lead to?
Not only is Germany one of the UK’s most important trading partners but German itself is spoken by 120 million people as a first language and by many millions as a second and third language.
German is the second most commonly used scientific language in the world and many of the Western world’s most important works of philosophy, literature, music, art history, chemistry, physics, engineering and medicine are written in German and continue to be produced in German.
Studying German can also lead to careers in translation – for business and communities - and education – Primary, Secondary and Higher.
We are not just thinking about the global arena either: BMW manufactures engines on the outskirts of Birmingham and Thomas Dudley, a local company, does the majority of its trade with Germany so there are opportunities here in our own region for students with German as an additional language.
How can i support my child with German?
- Revision Guide and Workbooks
- Log onto German radio stations and TV online
- Language apps
