Current Events in German Media (207-0-20)

Instructors

Franziska Lys
847/491-8298
1880 Campus Drive, Kresge Hall, Rm 3317

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-329: Tues, Thurs 12:30PM - 1:50PM

Overview of class

This course explores current events in the German-speaking world through a variety of media, including newspapers and magazines, television, and online sources. Topics include politics, music, film, sports, entertainment, and contemporary cultural issues. Media content is selected with the interests of college students in mind and focuses on current developments in Germany that shape everydaylife, youth culture, public debate, and social trends. Students will gain insight into contemporary German society, thereby strengthen theirability to participate confidently in discussions about current events. The course develops B1/B2-level reading, listening, speaking, and writing skills while working with authentic media texts. It systematically reviews and practices key grammatical structures as they appear in the media, such as verb tenses, word order, passive voice, reported speech, as well as common sentence patterns used in news reporting.

Registration Requirements

Prerequisite: GERMAN 102-3 or permission of the instructor.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to: • Demonstrate improved reading and listening comprehension at the B1/B2 level when engaging with news reports, interviews, commentaries, and cultural media. • Participate actively and confidently in discussions about current events, expressing opinions, reactions, and arguments clearly and appropriately in spoken German. • Produce short written texts (summaries, responses, and brief analyses) related to media content, using appropriate register and structure. • Expand topic-specific vocabulary and idiomatic expressions related to politics, culture, media, and everyday life in Germany. • Apply key grammatical structures accurately in context, including verb tenses, word order in main and subordinate clauses, passive voice, reported speech (Konjunktiv I), and common sentence patterns used in newsreporting. • Develop media literacy and cultural awareness by comparing how current events and social issues are presented in German media and by reflecting on their significance in contemporary German society.

Evaluation Method

Attendance, Class participation, Homework, Presentations, Quizzes,Readings, Writing assignments

Class Materials (Required)

Will be distributed by the instructor