GERMAN FOR ECONOMICS AND BUSINESS (EXAM)

The course aims to put students in a condition to acheive a competence in German language corresponding to B1 Level (European Framework of Reference for Languages), with special attention to the economic-commercial vocabulary (Wirtschaftsdeutsch).

Expected learning outcomes, with reference to the Dublin descriptors:
1) Knowledge and understanding: knowledge of German roughly corresponding to level B1 of the European Framework of Reference for Languages; understanding of reading texts with economic content (microeconomics and macroeconomics);
2) Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: ability to use linguistic knowledge to produce written texts appropriate to academic and professional contexts.
3) Autonomy of judgement: ability to select and use reliable sources of information at international level written in German, such as websites dedicated to study and work in an international context; ability to select a bibliography of German texts relevant to the field of economics.
4) Communication skills: ability to communicate in writing by producing small German-language texts (roughly corresponding to level B1 of the European Framework of Reference for Languages) which may be required in the academic and working world.
5) Learning skills: continuing the consolidation of language skills in academia and work, through the autonomous preparation of written texts; ability to develop autonomously the oral skills that the course, due to its brevity and the intrinsic difficulties of German, is forced to sacrifice.

In order to attend the classes with some success, students shall have previous knowledge of German corresponding to the A1+/A2 European Framefork level for foreign languages, which can be reached attending the course held by dott. Dagmar Neumann in the I semester.

The course will develope and improve four linguistic skills: oral and reading comprehension of the economics, conversation based on everyday-life and work situations, writing of letters or e-mails. especially during the mother-tongue lectures, the German grammar structures in the texts and situations will be explored.

Selected pages from

1. OECD - Wirtschaftsbericht: Deutschland (2023)
e
2. OECD - Umweltprüfbericht: Deutschland (2023)
free available at the OECD Website respectively at the followuink links after login through Institution Ca' Foscari:
1. https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/economics/oecd-wirtschaftsberichte-deutschland-2023_80df9211-de
2. https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/environment/oecd-umweltprufberichte-deutschland-2023_9a336992-de

will be read during the classes and shall constitute matter of examination. The relevant pages will be indicated before the course beginning. The text will be available also on moodle.
Students are required to have the text already for the first lecture.

Grammar texts recommended:
MONIKA REIMANN, Grundstufen-Grammatik für Deutsch als Fremdsprache, Hueber, Ismaning (last edition, with solutions book)
M. WEERNING, M. MONDELLO, Dies und das neu. Grammatica di tedesco con esercizi, Cideb, Genova 2004 (or a later edition).
H. DREYER, R. SCHMITT, Die neue Gelbe, Hueber, Ismaning 2009 (older editions are also good).

written exam consisting of a B1 level grammar test, test on economic terminology, and a reading test (no dictionary allowed), + a test of writing a mail. Reading test materials are taken directly from the German economic texts indicated during the lectures.

Those who have a German language certificate may obtain exemption from the grammar part under three conditions:
1. the certificate must not be older than two years at the time of the examination;
2. the certificate must contain a score convertible into thirtieths (which will constitute the score for the grammar part)
3. as a minimum level, the certificate must attest knowledge of German B1.

written

Grades are in thirtieths, the minimum grade for a pass is 18/30. For the purposes of the grade, it is necessary to have a sufficiency in both the written tests of the programme of the lettorato and the Leseverstehen written test.
Evaluation grid:
28-30L: excellent knowledge of German grammar roughly corresponding to level B1 of the European Framework for Languages; excellent ability to write an email using economic vocabulary and articulates sentences (main, subordinate implicit and explicit) grammatically and syntactically correct with appropriate use of the Anredewendungen required by a formal text; excellent ability to understand without dictionary an economy text based on vocabulary acquired during the course;
26-27: good knowledge of German grammar roughly corresponding to level B1 of the European Framework for Languages; good writing skills of an e-mail using economic vocabulary and articulating simple sentences syntactically correct with few grammatical errors; good general and dictionary-free understanding of an economics text based on the vocabulary acquired during lessons;
24-25: good knowledge of the most important rules of German grammar roughly corresponding to level B1 of the European Framework for Languages; good writing skills of a mail using the economic vocabulary and articulates simple sentences mostly correct with few serious errors of grammar and with sufficiently correct use of Anredewendungen; ability to understand an economy text in a comprehensive and dictionary-free manner on the basis of the vocabulary acquired during the course;
22-23: superficial knowledge of the most important rules of German grammar roughly corresponding to level B1 of the European Framework for Languages; ability to write an email using economic vocabulary that reveals some gaps in the syntactically correct formulation of sentences, contains several grammatical errors and uses in a lackluster way the Anredewendungen required by a non-colloquial text; ability to understand roughly, without a dictionary, an economics text based on the vocabulary acquired during the course;
18-21: incomplete knowledge of German grammar roughly corresponding to level B1 of the European Framework for Languages; approximate ability to write an email using economic vocabulary showing several gaps in knowledge of syntax and general vocabulary; just sufficient ability to understand without a dictionary an economics text based on the vocabulary acquired during the course.

Frontal teaching (explanation of grammatical rules and correction of exercises assigned for home); carrying out exercises in the classroom (either individually, in pairs or in groups); assimilation of the economic lexicon, reading a good part of the German economic texts indicated to prepare for the exam.

The lectures held by mother-tongue lecturer Dr. Dagmar Neumann are an integral part of the course.

Students are required to attend the "lettorato" with mother tongue teacher.

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Human capital, health, education" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development