German A Level

Ideal course for those students who have an interest in German language, history, arts and culture and who have completed a GCSE in German. The course is about much more than learning to speak German as during the A Level course students will learn a lot about the German speaking world.

The course is made up of 4 themes plus a literary text and film study. Students will also carry out an independent research project which forms the basis of the speaking exam.

Theme 1 - Social issues and trends in Germany.

Theme 2 - Political and artistic culture expressed through music, festivals and traditions in German-speaking countries and communities.

Theme 3 - Immigration and the multi-cultural society in Germany.

Theme 4 - The reunification of Germany.

Lessons are similar to GCSE in that the skills of listening, speaking, reading, writing and translation are still a major focus. However, these skills are taken to the next level, and it is during the A Level lessons where students find their understanding of the language starts to ‘click’. Grammar learnt at GCSE level is looked at in more depth and students develop a deeper understanding of how the language actually works. Studying the themes gives students an insight into German society and history. Teaching groups tend to be small so there is a lot of individual attention from teachers and in many ways, we can tailor the activities carried out in class to the needs of our students. There is an expectation of regular independent study and wider reading and research around the topics covered.

Assessment Examinations are taken at the end of the two-year course.

Paper 1: (40%) Listening, reading and translation to English

Paper 2: (30%) Written response to works (literary text and film) and translation to German

Paper 3: (30%) Spoken discussion of a theme followed by a presentation and discussion based on students’ independent research project

GCSE in German grade 6 or above