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Second Foreign Language II, German

Code: 101175 ECTS Credits: 6
2025/2026
Degree Type Year
Tourism OB 2

Contact

Name:
Robert Fritsche
Email:
robert.fritsche@uab.cat

Teachers

Eva Maria Auracher
Ester Sola Llunell

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites. 


Objectives and Contextualisation

Knowledge-based objectives

Students acquire the language content described in section 5 of this document. They also develop communicative competences in oral and written interaction, being able to do the following at the end of the course.

  1. Use German as the regular classroom language.
  2. Understand and appropriately use simple formulaic expressions for social interaction.
  3. Assimilate the rhythm and intonation of German.
  4. Read texts written in simple language.
  5. Understand brief oral messages (news, announcements, voice-mail messages) on everyday topics, from interlocutors who use standard language forms. Take down phone messages and respond appropriately.  Pass on this information.
  6. Select the information from a longer written or spoken message that is relevant to your own needs.
  7. Give a simple description of people, places and things.
  8. Fill in forms with personal information and opinions on services.
  9. Maintain a conversation on topics of personal interest in social or work contexts.
  10. Make suggestions and invitations and give advice in everyday situations.
  11. Write notes and short personal letters.
  12. Narrate events related to personal experience.

Skills objectives

At the end of the course students should have achieved the following.

  1. Show a level of accuracy (grammar, pronunciation, vocabulary, register, etc.) and fluency (speed of production, ability to express ideas and develop the discourse), in both writing and speaking, equivalent to level A1.2-A2.1 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages.
  2. Develop strategies and skills to understand authentic written and spoken texts.
  3.  Develop strategies to continue learning independently outside the classroom.
  4.  Develop the ability touse thelanguage with great efficiency in everyday situations and in the tourism context.
  5. Use the necessary language learning resources: dictionaries, grammars, text books, practice exercises, etc.
  6.  Learn about the society and culture of German-speaking countries.

Competences

  • Communicate orally and in writing in three foreign languages within the tourism field and others related to it.
  • Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  • Implement business communication techniques used by tourism organisations: internal, external and corporate.
  • Self-assess the knowledge acquired.
  • Use communication techniques at all levels.
  • Work in a team.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Develop a capacity for independent learning.
  2. Identify vocabulary and grammar resources for use in the tourism sector, in three foreign languages.
  3. Self-assess the knowledge acquired.
  4. Use communication techniques at all levels.
  5. Use the idiomatic expressions typical of the tourism sector in three foreign languages, at upper intermediate level.
  6. Use tourism resources available on internet, in three foreign languages.
  7. Vary the discourse patterns used to fit different functions, contexts, media, activities and situations in the workplace.
  8. Work in a team.

Content

The objectives listed in section 3 are constantly combined together in the learning process, in keeping with the interconnected nature of language learning. The linguistic contents are subdivided into language functions, grammar, vocabulary and phonetics and prosody.

Language functions

The following list includes both general language functions and functions specific to the tourism field. 

a)      Socialising function

  • Say goodbye.
  • Offer thanks. Apologise. Offer congratulations. Make a toast. Ask for and make excuses.
  • Make and respond to an invitation.
  • Initiate and keep up a telephone conversation.

b)      Informational function

  • Ask for and give specific information about places: what they are like, where they are, how to get there.
  • Ask for and give information about a product.
  • Express ignorance or knowledge about something.
  • Pass on information from other people.
  • Ask for and give information about someone's  health and mood.
  • Ask for and give information on activities, facts and events: present.
  • Ask for and give information about times (when something was done, etc.).

c)      Expressive function (feelings and moods)

  • Express obligation.
  • Express wishes and preferences.
  • Express needs or interest.
  • Show a liking or dislike for someone.
  • Express disappointment or disillusionment.

d)      Evaluating function

  • Ask for and give opinions and impressions about events, people or things.
  • Show agreement or disagreement with someone or with an idea.
  • Express approval or disapproval.
  • Compare quantities and qualities.
  • Express and ask for an opinion.
  • Justify an opinion and ask for justifications.

e)      Inductive function

  • Express the need, obligation or convenience of doing something.
  • Ask for, give and refuse permission to do something.
  • Ask for and give instructions.
  • Ask someone to do something.
  • Give advice and warnings.
  • Suggest an activity.

f)       Metalinguistic function

  • Ask for and give a translation of a word or expression.
  • Explain the meaning of a word or expression.
  • Repeat questions, ask counterquestions.

 Grammar

Students must be able to recognise and appropriately use the following grammatical structures.

The clause

— Components of the clause.

— Types of clause: declarative, interrogative, exclamative, affirmative and negative.

— Subordinate clauses: indirect interrogatives (wann, was, ob, etc.) and causal clauses (clauses introduced by weil).

— Order of the components of the clause: subject, direct and indirect object, complement of place and time.

— Coordinate clauses.

Determiners

 — Determinate articles: den, das, die.

— Indeterminate articles:  einen, ein, eine.

— Negative articles:  keinen, kein, keine.

— Possessives: mein, meine; dein, deine; sein, seine...

— Declination of the determiners: nominative, accusative, dative.

— Ordinal numbers.

Pronouns

— Indefinite: einem,einen, eins, eine; jedem, jeden, jedes, jede.

— Demonstrative: dem, den, das, die; diesen, dieses, diese.

— Interrogative: welchem, welchen, welches, welch; wem, wen, was.

— Indefinite: man, einen.

Nouns

— Inflection for gender and number.

— Declination of the noun: dative.

— The genitive: function as a complement of the noun.

Verbs

— Conjugation of the verbs in the past (formation of the verb participles).

— Preterite of the modal verbs: müssen, können, wollen.

— Preterite of the auxiliary verbs: haben, sein.

— Modal verbs: sollen, müssen, dürfen, können, wollen...

— Factitive verbs: legen, liegen, stehen, stellen...

— Verbs with the dative: gefallen, passen, gehören...

Adverbs

— Of quantity: ganz, ziemlich, genug.

— Of manner: lieber, mehr, anders.

— Of time: damals, schon, noch, da, lange.

— Of place and direction: oben, unten, daneben, dorthin, her, hin.

Prepositions

— that introduce local meaning: bei, zu, aus, von, an ....vorbei, entlang, bis...zu.

— That introduce temporal meaning: vor, nach, in, für, bei.

— That introduce modal meaning: als.

— Other prepositions: Wechselpräpositionen in, an, auf, neben... unter.

— Cases governed by the prepositions: dative, accusative.

Conjunctions

— weil, ob.

Vocabulary

Students must be able to recognise, name, recall, explain and choose the appropriate term and use it in the communicative situation where it is required. The vocabulary content falls mainly into the following areas:

  1. Jobs and work.
  2. Leisure activities.
  3. Travel: means of transport, accommodation, catering (gastronomy), souvenirs, shopping, diets, types of organisation.
  4. Daily life in the city.
  5. People's characters and behaviour.
  6. Weather and climate.
  7. The body and health.

Phonetics and prosody

Students must recognise and appropriately use the prosodic features (intonation, rhythm, etc.) of the language. They must also recognise and appropriately use the basic sounds and sound symbols of German, as specified below.

  1. Discriminating between b-p, d-t, g-k.
  2. Consonant endings (r, n, t, d, g, k, s, f, p, b).
  3. The consonant h.
  4. Word stress.
  5. Sentence stress.

Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Classroom-based 56.5 2.26 5, 7, 2, 4, 8, 6
Non-classroom based 56 2.24 5, 1, 7, 2, 4, 3, 6
Type: Supervised      
On line 5 0.2 3
Tutorials classroom-based 3 0.12 3
Type: Autonomous      
Activities 10 0.4 5, 1, 7, 2, 4, 3, 6
Theory 10 0.4 5, 1, 7, 2, 4, 3, 6

Students are encouraged to use the language actively in class and when practising outside the classroom, to carry out communication tasks similar to those we engage in in real life, in a wide range of situations. To this end, class activities are designed to maximise students' participation and help them take responsibility for their own learning.

The methodology is highly interactive. The students put  all their knowledge of the language into practice in order to accomplish a set of oral and written tasks, both of a general nature and specifically related to tourism. In other words, the emphasis is placed on the learning process rather than on theoretical input from the teachers.

(1) Teaching language: German

(2) Teacher-directed activities include problem solving, exercises, writing tasks and case studies.

(3) Online tutorials comprise not only email exchanges between teachers and students but also the compulsory viewing of the assessment documents that the teachers post in a virtual environment throughout the semester.

(4) Self-directed study involves learning the theory corresponding to the subject plus the (teacher-directed) practical work on problem solving, exercises, case studies and projects (information search, writing, presentation to an audience).

(5) Gender perspective.  In this subject:

− Classes include a gender perspective to promote equality between women and men and avoid producing gender stereotypes.

− Strategies to promote the participation of women in the classroom are used and they promote equal gender relations.

− Knowledge of the social and cultural differences between men and women and gender inequalities in the structure of society and in cultural production is offered.

− Knowledge is also offered on sexual and emotional diversity, gender identity and expression, knowledge and reflection on feminist thought and movements, the history of movements for womern’s rights, its evolution and critical repercussions in society, culture and philosophical and scientific thought, and the knowledge of the values of gender equality in professional practices.

− Non-sexist and non-androcentric language is used in written, visual and audiovisual documents and other class materials. Since this is a langauge class specific resources are also provided in the language being studied for non-sexist language and critical reflection is encouraged on non-sexist language and its uses.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Attitude and participation 10% 0 0 5, 1, 7, 2, 4, 3, 6
Final exam 40% 1.5 0.06 5, 1, 7, 2, 4, 6
Mid-course tests 10% 1 0.04 5, 1, 7, 2, 4, 6
Portfolio 20% 5 0.2 5, 1, 7, 2, 4, 3, 6
Speaking activities 5% 0.5 0.02 5, 1, 7, 2, 4, 8, 6
Writing tasks 15% 1.5 0.06 5, 1, 7, 2, 4, 6

ASSESSMENT SYSTEM

The course is assessed by continuous assessment or single assessment. At the beginning of the course, students must choose the assessment system they want to undertake and this cannot be modified later. The two assessment systems are detailed below: 

1.   Continuous assessment system 

For continuous assessment, students must certify a minimum attendance at classes of 80%.  

The continuous assessment system is divided into:  

  • Activities: 60% of the grade 
  • Final examination: 40% of the grade 

The grade for the subject will be NOT EVALUABLE when the student attends less than half of the assessment activities and/or does not attend the final exam.

A.     Continuous assessment activities: 60% of the grade

Writing. Between 2 and 5 essays are done. The teaching staff may request the correction of the original wording by the students if they wish.

Dossier. The dossier contains between 6 and 8 activities, which can assess the four language skills. The activities can be done at home or in class. Below are examples of activities that can be included as dossier activities:

Transformation of sentences 

Mini tests  

Exercises 

Information search  

Document production 

Speaking activities. Throughout the course, there is at least one speaking activity and a maximum of two. This activity can be individual or in group. Depending on the level speaking activities can be monologues, dialogues, presentations, etc.  

Control tests. During thecourse, one or more tests are held, which can be a written expression test and an oral expression test.

Attitude and participation. Student effort, attitude and participation are assessed.

B.       Final continuous assessment examination: 40% of the grade.

This final examination consists of two parts: oral expression and written expression. It is held on the same day and time as the final examination for single assessment.

To pass the course, a minimum overall grade of 50% must be obtained between continuous assessment activities and a final examination. If this grade is not attained, you may have the right to resit (see conditions).

The equivalences of the overall grade are set out in the table below:

 

Overall grade

Numerical grade out of 10 on SIGMA

Pass grade

92.45-100

10

A

87.46-92.45

9.5

A

83.46-87.45

9

A

80.46-84.45

8.5

B

76.46-80.45

8

B

72.46-76.45

7.5

B

69.46-72.45

7

B

64.46-69.45

6.5

C

59.46-64.45

6

C

54.46-59.45

5.5

C

50-54.45

5

C

44.46-49.45

4.5

Fail with right to resit

39.46-44.45

4

Fail with right to resit

34.46-39.45

3.5

Fail with right to resit

29.46-34.45

3

Fail

24.46-29.45

2.5

Fail

19.46-24.45

2

Fail

14.46-19.45

1.5

Fail

9.46-14.45

1

Fail

4.46-9.45

0.5

Fail

0-4.45

0

Fail

 

Reassessment of continuous assessment

Students who obtain an overall grade between 3.5 and 4.999 are entitled to recovery, which consists of retaking the parts of the final continuous assessment exam in which the student obtained a grade below 60%. 

 

2.        Single assessment system

Single assessment is based on a two-part final examination: an oral expression part and a writing part that are held on the same day and time as the final examination for the continuous assessment.

The written part consists of a written expression test and a test of grammatical and lexical knowledge.  

To pass the final exam and pass the course, the following is required:

Obtain a minimum grade of 50% in each part of the exam. 

Obtain a minimum total grade of 60% between all parts of the final examination.

If these grades are not attained in the examination, you may have the right to resit (see conditions).

With this system, the final grade of the subject is assigned in accordance with the following equivalence table:

 

Overall grade

Numerical grade out of 10 on SIGMA

Pass grade

92.45-100

10

A

87.46-92.45

9.5

A

83.46-87.45

9

A

80.46-84.45

8.5

B

76.46-80.45

8

B

72.46-76.45

7.5

B

69.46-72.45

7

B

64.46-69.45

6.5

C

59.46-64.45

6

C

54.46-59.45

5.5

C

50-54.45

5

C

44.46-49.45

4.5

Fail with right to resit

39.46-44.45

4

Fail with right to resit

34.46-39.45

3.5

Fail with right to resit

29.46-34.45

3

Fail

24.46-29.45

2.5

Fail

19.46-24.45

2

Fail

14.46-19.45

1.5

Fail

9.46-14.45

1

Fail

4.46-9.45

0.5

Fail

0-4.45

0

Fail

 

Resit for single assessment 

When students opt for single assessment, the resit will be the same as that for the rest of the students, that is, you have to obtain between 3.5 and 4.999 in the set of tests and work submitted for the single assessment.  

Resit consists of repeating those parts of the exam in which students have obtained a grade below the overall average, that is, those parts that are below 60%. 

Change of exam date 

Examinees who are unable to attend the exams on the established dates for medical, work (travel or other similar obligations) or humanitarian reasons may request a change of date from the teaching staff, providing the necessary documentation and (except in extreme cases such as accidents) at least seven calendar days in advance. Where this change is permitted, the exams will always take place within the period established by the University School of Tourism and Hotel Management. 

Other aspects of assessment

No level certificates are issued.

 


Bibliography

Classbooks German - Tourism

Ja, gerne ! A1 , llibre de curs i exercicis, Editorial Cornelsen

Menschen im Beruf, Tourismus, A1, Editorial Hueber

U. Cohen, N. Grandi, Zimmer frei, A1, Deutsch im Hotel, Lehr- und Arbeitsbuch,  Editorial Langenscheidt

Alltag, Beruf, A1/1 Kurs- und Arbeitsbuch, Editorial Hueber

Grammar

Level A1 – B1

Andreu Castell, Brigitte Braucek: Gramàtica bàsica de la llengua alemanya – con ejercicios, Editorial Idiomas - Hueber

Level A1 – C2

Brigitte Corcoll, Roberto Corcoll: Programm – Gramática A1-C2. Alemán para hispanohablantes -  Herder

Brigitte Corcoll, Roberto Corcoll: Programm – Ejercicios A1-C2. Alemán para hispanohablantes -  Herder

On line

Networked multimedia materials for learning.

Websites recommended by the teachers.

Dictionary

Langenscheidts Universalwörterbuch: Diccionario Moderno Alemán Spanisch-Deutsch/Deutsch-Spanisch – Langenscheidt

Langenscheidts Universalwörterbuch: Katalanisch: Katalanisch-Deutsch / Deutsch-Katalanisch - Langenscheidt


Software

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Groups and Languages

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(TE) Theory 1 German annual morning-mixed