Covid Info
We follow the College’s Covid-Plan, particularly when it comes to visitors on campus and in our course. I will also require masks to be worn in the classroom for the whole trimester. I will update you on any changes to this policy.
If you are in isolation or if we have to meet online, please use this zoom link.
If you are in isolation or if we have to meet online, please use this zoom link.
Learning Objectives
In this class, you can improve your decoding skills (reading words accurately and fluently), increase your knowledge in several domains (vocabulary, linguistic structure, and discourse as well as world knowledge), and hone your cognitive processing capacities (memory for text, accessing relevant background knowledge, drawing justified inferences). You will also work with various phenotypes of the German language (formal/informal, fiction/non-fiction…) and grammar issues.
Responsibilities of Instructor
As instructor of this class, I will
- provide you with a challenging and supportive environment for discussions where even difficult topics can be addressed in an appropriate matter.
- offer you relevant texts about the topic that will help you expand your own knowledge and language skills.
- facilitate discussions and provide you with background information where needed.
- help the class in general and students individually to improve their language skills.
- be open to constructive feedback and dedicated to your scholarly and personal advancement.
- work together with you to build an inclusive and respectful classroom that values diversity of all kinds. I hope that our differences enrich and enhance our understanding of one another and of the world around us. I am working hard to normalize and recenter diverse voices in this discourse that have always been part of the German-speaking world.
Responsibilities of Students to Succeed in Class
To be successful in this class, you
- come prepared to class for each session and attend actively with curiosity and engagement.
- annotate the readings and take notes about the questions I pose for each session so you can participate in class discussions. I have found that students who complete the readings before class are better equipped to participate in class discussions, integrate the readings with the lectures, and do better on assignments.
- participate frequently in class discussions and take notes about the discussions that are useful to your learning. I have experienced that particularly through conversations in class, your learning improves and motivation increases.
- submit assignments by the deadline (see below) so you can get timely feedback on your progress and are prepared to move on to the next assignment that will improve your skills and expand your knowledge about the topic.
- ask questions when things are unclear (there are no stupid questions!).
- keep me informed when life happens and you may have to miss/postpone class sessions or assignments.
Class Citizenship
This class will be led like a Hauptseminar, where active learning and conversations in class are the key to successful sessions. This is your class. Take responsibility for your part in the class and be courteous and respectful of each other. The class is more rewarding when students engage with each other, ask questions, comment, respond, and listen actively. It does not matter if your comments/answers are correct - we will think through our ideas together. Our discussions rely on your contributions to make the material helpful to your learning. The most exciting part of this class are the discussions among participants about the topic at hand. Class language is (mostly) German.
Note-Taking Needs
Please bring a “device” to take notes on (that can be an analog notebook or a laptop or a tablet). Please also bring the texts we discuss with you each day, either as a print out or in digital form. Reading on a smartphone and taking notes inside a text is tough and time-consuming, so I do not recommend this strategy. Having notes on your computer/tablet can be helpful. I encourage course-related use of technology.
Take notes while you read, especially for the questions I pose for each session. Highlight the document and also write out notes for the most important passages. Unless you have a photographic memory, you will not be able to participate fully in class without proper notes. Read passages multiple times, particularly for shorter texts. This will help you not only with your vocabulary knowledge, but also to find nuances in the text that were hiding from you during the first reading. When something gets hard - take a break and return an hour or two later. Seek help from your classmates, me, our Language Associate, and other resources on campus.
Take notes while you read, especially for the questions I pose for each session. Highlight the document and also write out notes for the most important passages. Unless you have a photographic memory, you will not be able to participate fully in class without proper notes. Read passages multiple times, particularly for shorter texts. This will help you not only with your vocabulary knowledge, but also to find nuances in the text that were hiding from you during the first reading. When something gets hard - take a break and return an hour or two later. Seek help from your classmates, me, our Language Associate, and other resources on campus.
Trigger/Content Warnings
Some of our class material will incorporate sensitive material. Research shows that trigger warnings can be most harmful to the very individuals they were designed to protect. Check out this helpful video by two Carleton professors about trigger warnings. I want to emphasize one point they make in particular: I do not have the moral authority to decide which trigger warnings to include, and, by extension, to decide whose pain matters most. In my classes, I hope that we can face difficult moments together and help each other with provocative, destabilizing, and disturbing material. After all, this is how people can change the world when the world needs to be changed.
Accommodations
The Office of Accessibility Resources (Henry House, 107 Union St) promotes access and equity for all students of Carleton. They value full access to the wide range of academic, organizational, residential, and work opportunities for Carleton students, regardless of disability status. Contact them if you need their assistance.
Academic Integrity
This course abides by the policies for Academic Integrity at Carleton. Any suspected violations of the academic integrity code will be forwarded to the Academic Standing Committee. Please familiarize yourself with the definitions on this website. Any effort to present someone else’s work as your own is considered plagiarism, even if it is in another language.
Covid Info
We follow the College’s Covid-Plan, particularly when it comes to visitors on campus and in our course. For now, I will require masks to be worn in the classroom. I will update you on any changes to this policy.