Develop your German language skills to talk about places and environments

On this four-week course, you’ll take an in-depth look at different regions of Germany, guided by the people who live there.

You’ll gain authentic insights into the landscapes of Germany as you listen to native speakers talk about their favourite places. You’ll discover facts about the physical geography and population of the areas including the cities of Hamburg and Passau, and learn to talk about a wider variety of rural and urban places in more depth.

Improve your understanding of German grammar and vocabulary through research

You’ll build your language skills through reading a variety of authentic German online source materials to research a region of your choice. You’ll revisit prepositions, and improve your ability to use superlatives to talk about the features of a region or country. You’ll also discover a range of new ways to talk about your preferences, likes and dislikes of the areas you’ve researched.

Develop your German pronunciation through practical activities

Engaging activities throughout the course will help you to develop your listening skills and to understand authentic spoken German. There will be plenty of opportunities to engage with others on the course to practise and discuss your learning.

By the end of this course, you’ll have developed your linguistic skills, whilst also contextualising your cultural knowledge of countries where German is spoken.

What topics will you cover?

Describing the physical geography of a country or region
Discovering waters and rivers in German-speaking countries and their influence on the landscape and local people, in particular the rivers flowing through Passau and the Elbe river in Hamburg
Discovering the cities of Hamburg and Passau - their geographical location and what they have to offer
Talking about likes, dislikes and preferences

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

Communicate with enhanced confidence in written and spoken German
Apply your knowledge of basic German grammar and use a wider range of vocabulary
Draw on new insights into the physical and human geography of German-speaking countries

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for those with a good basic knowledge of German (fully at Level A2 of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages ‘Elementary’) who want to improve their German language skills and deepen their knowledge of German culture.

This course will be useful to those who wish to improve their competence in German to help further their career or have a general interest in contemporary German-speaking societies and cultures.

Who will you learn with?

Susanne Winchester

Dr Susanne Winchester is an Associate Lecturer in German at The Open University and has authored on various German modules. She has a special interest in learning theory and vocabulary learning.

Who developed the course?

The Open University

As the UK’s largest university, The Open University (OU) supports thousands of students to achieve their goals and ambitions via supported distance learning, helping to fit learning around professional and personal life commitments.

Established
1969
Location
Milton Keynes, UK
World ranking
Top 510Source: Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020

Learning on FutureLearn

Your learning, your rules

Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
Join the conversation by reading, @ing, liking, bookmarking, and replying to comments from others

Map your progress

As you work through the course, use notifications and the Progress page to guide your learning
Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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