German

GERMAN 102: Elementary German, continued                 MWF 11:10 – 12:00pm
CRN 7168
Global Studies
Susanne Myers

German 102 is the continuation of German 101. The course focuses systematically on the development of all four basic language skills (listening, speaking, reading, and writing), and aims to do this by taking advantage of the cognitive advantages adult language learners have over children. This means focusing on material that will engage learners' interest, creativity, and sense of humor, as well as on the development of effective language learning strategies. By the end of the semester, students will have been exposed to all the essentials of German grammar. Students will be able to cope with a variety of conversational situations and written texts. In particular, they will have the necessary "survival skills" for a visit to a German-speaking country, as well as a foundation for doing intellectual work in German.

GERMAN 202: Intermediate German, continued              MWF 10:10 – 11:00am
CRN 7169
Global Studies
Catherine Grimm

The most important goal of this class is to improve your ability to communicate effectively in German. We will also work towards increasing your knowledge regarding different aspects of German culture. The pace of the class will be upbeat and dynamic: active participation is a key component. The topics will generate lively discussion and deepen your understanding of contemporary culture and the history of the German speaking world. We will analyze different text genres such as poetry, prose and drama as well as different forms of media: television, radio, the internet and film. This mix of genres will give you an idea of all that is available to you as you pursue your studies of German. Our other important goal will be to review and increase your knowledge of the main topics of German grammar.

GERMAN 289: German Film                                            MW  9:10 – 10:00am
CRN 7172                                                                        T      5:10 – 7:00pm
Catherine Grimm    

Students in the course will be introduced to the rich cultural history of German cinema. We will watch, discuss and analyze influential examples of German movies from the time periods of the “Golden Twenties”, National Socialism, Post-War period, New German Cinema, the Eighties up until the present. Students will learn how to discuss and analyze movies in oral and written form. Students will acquire and use German vocabulary pertaining to films, and will also learn about German attitudes towards other countries and cultures, especially America, the birthplace of Hollywood. A major point of discussion will be the question of the artistic versus commercial value of films in general and German films in particular. This class will be taught in German.

GERMAN 302: German Conversation and Composition -       MWF 1:10 – 2:00pm
Crimes and Misdemeanors in German Context
CRN 7170
Textual Analysis
Perry Myers

This course is intended to help you improve your analytical, writing and speaking skills. The course will be built on a selection of German crime/detective stories. Brief historical content will be introduced for each story. Studying language and content through a specific theme, genre type in historical context (meaningful content- based input) will help students build vocabulary and an increased comfort level with the material for discussion and written assignments (meaningful content-based output). In written assignments attention should be given to the quality of the content, extending your vocabulary range, and consistent grammar in context. For in-class discussions more attention will be given to communicating your intent rather than strict assessment of grammar. In support of these goals we will cover select grammar points in Wells. Nevertheless, this is an upper division course and it is assumed that you have already acquired a solid foundation in grammar. All readings, course content and discussions will be in German.

GERMAN 303: German and Culture for the Professions       MWF 2:10 – 3:00pm
CRN 7586
Perry Myers

This course aims to help students improve communicative skills in German and provide knowledge for the professions. We will approach this task thematically by studying various aspects and practices of the German business world. Organized on the belief that communicative proficiency can best be enhanced through a combination of meaningful content-based input and student-based output, we will study various aspects of the German business world such as banking, marketing, and organizational structures as they are practiced in Germany. Students will also apply this knowledge by completing projects that include applying for a job, and producing a marketing strategy and start-up proposal for a company in Germany as a power-point presentation. At the completion of this course students should be prepared to apply for a “Praktikum” in Germany and make the transition easily into working in a foreign business culture. All readings, course content and discussions will be in German.

Expected level of proficiency: German 301 or equivalent, or permission of instructor

GERMAN 398: Practicum                                                 TBA
CRN 7173
Staff

Practicum offers experience in teaching German in the classroom or with individual students under the close supervision of a regular instructor. Offered on a credit/no credit basis.

Prerequisite: Permission of instructor.

FOREIGN LANGUAGES 110: International House Program
CRN 7158
Dianne Guenin-Lelle

Includes residency in the Gerstacker International House for one semester and active participation in weekly programs in the student’s respective language house as well as in cultural events for all International House residents

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JAPANESE

JAPANESE 102: Elementary Japanese, continued         MWF 1:10–2:00pm
CRN 7176
Global Studies
Staff

This course is an interdisciplinary communicative Japanese language class aiming at the improvement of four basic skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. This course will cover a range of topics and situations where students will carry out conversation in a meaningful way. The aims of this course are not only to enhance the linguistic abilities of students but also to increase awareness of different cultural values in light of their own. This course will integrate Japanese tangible pop-culture, such as food, music, and art with the language lesson in the most effective ways.

JAPANESE 202: Intermediate Japanese, continued       MWF 2:10–3:00pm
CRN 7587
Global Studies
Staff

This course is an interdisciplinary communicative Japanese language class aiming at the improvement of four basic skills: speaking, listening, reading, and writing. Students will learn more kanji or Chinese letters to enhance their reading and writing skills. This course will introduce a variety of speech patterns: formal, informal and honorific expressions. Students will learn appropriate time, place, and occasions as to use these expressions. This course will be the integration of language learning with discussions on different values and beliefs as well as tangible culture, such as Japanese “anime,” and “manga.”

JAPANESE 289: Japanese for the Professions               MWF 12:10-1:00pm
CRN 7574
CANCELED

This course will provide students with strategies and tactics as to how to communicate in Japanese in business situations. Starting with the introduction of self and the exchange of business cards, students will learn the language and the appropriate manners necessary for the business encounters. The textbook we use in this course is Japanese for Busy People which has a variety of business topics and situations. Students will learn how to function in various situations, such as asking for preferences and opinions, asking for and offering advice for future careers, etc.

FOREIGN LANGUAGES 110: International House Program
CRN 7158
Dianne Guenin-Lelle

Includes residency in the Gerstacker International House for one semester and active participation in weekly programs in the student’s respective language house as well as in cultural events for all International House residents

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SPANISH

SPANISH 101: Elementary Spanish                               MWF 2:10-3:00pm
CRN 7177
Global Studies
Rebecca Whitehead-Schwarz

This course is designed for students who have never formally studied Spanish. Students will acquire the basic vocabulary and grammatical structure in appropriate contexts to communicate in real world situations. They will learn to identify related words and to deduce the meaning of unfamiliar words. As students progress in the acquisition of the language, they will answer questions related to readings, describe/paraphrase what has been seen, read, or heard, respond in more complex sentences, and improve fluency through vocabulary building, grammar reinforcement and oral practice. Students will be exposed to various historical, cultural, and sociopolitical aspects of the communities that speak Spanish.

SPANISH 102 I: Elementary Spanish, cont.                  MWF 9:10 – 10:00am
CRN 7178
Global Studies
Kalen Oswald

SPANISH 102 II: Elementary Spanish, cont.                 MWF 12:10 – 1:00pm
CRN 7179
Kalen Oswald

This course is designed for students who completed Spanish 101 at Albion College OR who have some high school experience in the language. The goal of Spanish 102 is to continue to develop the four skills necessary to acquire a second language at a basic level (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and to learn crucial and interesting information about the cultures that serve as context for the Spanish language. As a significant part of this goal you will be provided the opportunity to study different Hispanic countries and cultures through various in-class and extra curricular activities (movies, fiestas, lessons, concerts, interviews, etc.). Since this course will count for Global Studies Category, the students should be prepared and excited to learn the Spanish language in its global context.

Prerequisite: Spanish 101, placement exam or recommendation of the professor.

SPANISH 202 I: Intermediate Spanish, cont.               MWF 9:10 – 10:00am
CRN 7180
Global Studies
Julia Medina

SPAN. 202 II: Intermediate Spanish, cont.                  MWF 12:10–1:00pm
CRN 7181
Rebecca Whitehead-Schwarz

This course continues to review the language structure learned in previous Spanish courses, with particular emphasis on developing conversational skills. All assignments, quizzes and exams are designed to stimulate discussion in Spanish. Much of the second language input comes from authentic Hispanic sources (literary texts, film, TV, newspaper and magazine articles, etc.) that deal with social, political, geographical, historical, artistic and otherwise cultural issues from the Hispanic world. The constant use of Spanish in the classroom will significantly improve fluency. Tutorials with teaching assistants are integrated into the course.

Prerequisite: Spanish 201, placement exam or permission of the instructor.

SPANISH 302:                                                             MWF 1:10 – 2:00pm
Advanced Oral and Written Expression through Hispanic Cinema
CRN 7182
Global Studies
Julia Medina

Development of communication skills in Spanish relative to grammar, syntax, appropriate registers, necessary vocabulary, non-verbal cues and culturally specific idiomatic usage. Also includes the processes of conversation development, thesis formation and strategies for argumentation operating within Hispanic cultural norms, as well as key contemporary issues of importance to the Spanish-speaking world. This course is designed to improve fluency through the viewing, analysis and interpretation of Hispanic film. Conducted in Spanish.

Expected level of proficiency: Spanish 301 or permission of instructor.

SPANISH 303: Spanish for the Professions                MWF 2:10 – 3:00pm
CRN 7183
Kalen Oswald

Designed for students who are interested in studying Spanish in the context of activities related to the professional world. This course will focus on domestic and international issues related to business and commerce, education, and social and service work and includes topics related to cultural considerations, generalized and specific professional concerns, correspondence, and translation. Spanish 303 emphasizes the specialized vocabulary of the professional world and requires a working knowledge of Spanish grammar. Conducted in Spanish.

Expected level of proficiency: Spanish 301 (highly recommended) or permission of instructor.

SPANISH 350: Women in Hispanic Literature           MWF 10:10-11:00am
CRN 7184
Gender Studies
Rebecca Whitehead-Schwarz

This course will allow students to become acquainted with the wide-ranging field of Hispanic Women Writers and will deal exclusively with canonical and non-canonical Latin American Women Writers. By studying narrative, drama, poetry, and film composed by Latin American Women, the students will reflect on issues of gender, culture, and history beyond the framework of an Anglo-American context. This course will also strengthen students’ reading and analytical abilities within the target language, with special attention given to improving their oral and discursive abilities in Spanish. An overarching theme of the course will be the relationship of woman and nation, including the concepts of Republican motherhood and female sexual transgression. The course will include works by Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, Gertrudis Gómez de Avellaneda, Delmira Agustini, Gabriela Mistral, Alfonsina Storni, Clorinda Matto de Turner, Claribel Alegría, Alejandra Pizarnik, Rosario Castellanos, Luisa Valenzuela, Elena Poniatowska, Sabina Berman, and Lucrecia Martel. Students in the course will also learn to apply various theories and concepts derived from the fields of feminism, psychoanalysis, and cultural, film, and performance studies.

Expected level of proficiency: Spanish 315 or permission of the instructor.

SPANISH 362:                                                           MWF 11:10 – 12:00pm
Latino Literature And Cultures in the United States
CRN 7185
Ethnicity Studies
Julia Medina

In this interdisciplinary course, students will be exposed to a wide array of cultural production from the Latino communities in the United States including fiction, film, testimony, poetry, theater, music, visual arts, popular culture and foods. Students will critically engage texts from the standpoint of key sociopolitical moments in order to explore the effects of history in the migratory fluxes that continue to shape the demographic, political and cultural reality of the Unites States. Rather than presenting the different Latino identities in isolation from each other, the course is designed thematically so that students can trace the intersecting commonalities and despairing contrasts in regards to, borderlands, migration, “acculturation”, labor, gender issues, popular culture, “minorities of the minorities” (ei: indigenous, and afro-latin), spanglish, etc. The study of the bilingual and multicultural nature of Latinos will serve as a gateway to understanding past and present. This course will strengthen student’s analytical skills, as well as competency in writing, reading and oral ability in Spanish. It is meant so that future professionals can be prepared to culturally understand today’s changing world.

Expected level of proficiency: Spanish 315 or permission of the instructor.

FOREIGN LANGUAGES 110: International House Program
CRN 7158
Dianne Guenin-Lelle

Includes residency in the Gerstacker Internation-al House for one semester and active participation in weekly programs in the student’s respective language house as well as in cultural events for all International House residents.