AP German Language and Culture

1. AP German Language and Culture What to expect and what to do

2. the class - 2014 / 15 • 36 students enrolled in AP 12 students in German 4 • I plan to have 2 classes,mixed AP and German 4 students, with about 24 students each. • This is a teacher’s dream!!!

3. the AP class - general stuff • The AP German class is a fun, board-approved, college level course. • It is conducted almost entirely in German but that is ok! • It feels very challenging (especially at first), but every student is successful!

4. the AP class - how it works • Weekly topics, posted on my website • Weekly homework packets (1 hour, due at the end of the semester) • Participation is super important! • Weekly quizzes, 1st semester project • Lots of culture and yes, more soccer!

5. examples for weekly topics • politics and politicians • the German economy - characteristics and top 30 companies • working in Germany - professions, jobs, and how to get them • the new German identity - 25 years after the fall of the Wall • what Germans do for fun - beyond soccer • inventions and inventors - the idea behind German engineering • the environment - renewable energies and why the Germans love them • German city life versus life in the country side - both fun • art, film, and music - important figures and concepts

6. the AP test - what to know • one of the toughest AP tests • at YLHS: 85% passing rate! Yeah! • only 30% of AP students take the test • at YLHS: German is biggest AP group • Test is at the level of a native speaker • reading, listening, writing, speaking

7. what? only 30% take the test? • Yes, that’s right. • Normal for World Languages • Don’t forget: the test is very difficult! • It is ok to just take the class, not the test. • We take practice tests with lots of feedback, so students know by February where they stand.

8. so, why should I take the class? • Taking the German AP class looks great on transcripts - hello college application • This class counts - hello GPA • Passing the AP test gives major college credit - hello early graduation • Taking the class lets you pass college entrance exams - hello internal credit

9. what is taught in the class? • Understanding native speakers • reading and listening • Expressing yourself entirely in German • speaking / pronunciation • writing/spelling, conventions, grammar • Understanding (!) the culture

10. My goals • Students explore topics that matter to them through the German language. • Students understand German and European culture and thinking. • Students are able to pass important tests • Students see German as an opportunity!

11. What to do - starting tomorrow • Sorry, no official summer homework. • Check out my website for a list of links • reading, videos, podcasts, culture • magazines, online courses, public TV • Try to speak as much as possible.Traffic lights are gifts!!!

12. what students are saying • 91% rank the class between somewhat easy and somewhat difficult (nobody called it very difficult!) • 50% say this class causes them no stress. That’s good! • 57% say this class made a substantial difference in making them a better student (96% say it made a difference) • 60% felt well or very well prepared to take the class • 100% say the content learned is valuable (40%), very valuable (40%) or extremely valuable (20%) • 100% highly or very highly recommend the class. Wow!

13. Quote of the Day • “German changed my life!”Are you ready for it?