MICHIGAN
TEST OBJECTIVES
FIELD 624: GERMAN

Reading and Vocabulary
Syntax and Usage
Cultural Understanding and Expression
Language Instruction

READING AND VOCABULARY

Apply literal comprehension skills in German.

Includes paraphrasing content; interpreting information; and drawing conclusions from arguments.

Apply skills of inference in German.

Includes drawing inferences from the context of sentences and passages; recognizing implied steps in arguments; and drawing implied conclusions from arguments.

Apply interpretive comprehension skills in German.

Includes determining the author’s point of view and purpose; recognizing cause-and-effect relationships; analyzing expository and persuasive techniques; and distinguishing fact from opinion in a written German passage.

Understand everyday German prose (e.g., instructions, newspapers, reference works).

Includes following written instructions; interpreting reference materials; interpreting newspapers and magazine articles; and interpreting popular technical language.

Understand the use of language in German literary prose.

Includes interpreting narrative elements; interpreting figures of speech; determining the author’s point of view and purpose; and analyzing the effects of compositional devices in a written German passage.

Understand the use of language in German poetry.

Includes interpreting literal and figurative meanings; interpreting figures of speech; identifying compositional devices; and identifying main ideas or themes.

Apply word-level vocabulary skills in German.

Includes interpreting multiple-meaning and uncommon words by using context clues; interpreting word formations from other words; differentiating ranges of meaning for commonly equated English and German words; and distinguishing between German words and expressions commonly confused by native English speakers.

Understand German idiomatic expressions.

Includes using idioms appropriately for various contexts; interpreting German idiomatic expressions; and using prepositions idiomatically to govern infinitives and nouns.

Understand German proverbs and proverbial expressions.

Includes interpreting German proverbs; interpreting proverbial expressions; and using proverbial expressions appropriately for various contexts.

Demonstrate breadth of German vocabulary in given contexts.

Includes using vocabulary appropriate to various and cultural contexts; using vocabulary appropriate to various functional contexts; using numerical expressions; and recognizing informal and humorous vocabulary.

Understand educational vocabulary in German.

Includes interpreting language appropriate for classroom management; and interpreting technical language used for instruction.

SYNTAX AND USAGE

Use the present tense as appropriate for given contexts.

Includes using the present tense of weak verbs, strong verbs, and mixed verbs to express present time in functional contexts.

Use the present perfect (conversational past) tense as appropriate for given contexts.

Includes using the present perfect (conversational past) tense of weak verbs, strong verbs, and mixed verbs in functional contexts.

Use the simple (narrative) past tense as appropriate for given contexts.

Includes using the simple past tense of weak verbs, strong verbs, and mixed verbs in functional contexts; and using the simple past and the present perfect in context.

Use the future, the future perfect, and the past perfect tenses as appropriate for given contexts.

Includes using the future tense, the future perfect tense, and the past perfect tense in various functional contexts; and using the present tense to express future time in functional contexts.

Use infinitives and past participles as appropriate for given contexts.

Includes using infinitive constructions with or without the use of zu in functional contexts; and using past participles with separable and inseparable prefixes.

Use modal auxiliaries as appropriate for given contexts.

Includes using modal auxiliaries in the present tense, the past tense, the perfect tense, the future tense; and in the subjunctive mood in functional contexts.

Use the subjunctive mood (I & II) and the conditional as appropriate for given contexts.

Includes using the subjunctive II in present and past time in polite expressions, wishes, contrary-to-fact statements, and hypothetical situations in context; and using the subjunctive I (indirect discourse subjunctive) in functional contexts.

Express passive notions appropriately for given contexts.

Includes using the passive voice in various tenses in functional contexts; and using substitutes for the passive voice in functional contexts.

Express commands appropriately for given contexts.

Includes expressing direct commands and negative commands by using various imperative constructions in functional contexts.

Understand usage of nouns in German.

Includes using singular and plural nouns in various cases in functional contexts; and using adjectival nouns in functional contexts.

Use ein- words and adjectives that follow ein- words as appropriate for given contexts.

Includes using ein- words in various cases in functional contexts; and using adjectives that follow ein- words in various cases in functional contexts.

Use der- words and adjectives that follow der- words as appropriate for given contexts.

Includes using der- words in various cases in functional contexts; and using adjectives that follow der- words in various cases in functional contexts.

Use adjectives that do not follow ein- or der- words as appropriate for given contexts.

Includes using adjectives that follow the numerical adjectives; unpreceded and predicate adjectives; present participles that function as adjectives; and past participles as expanded modifiers in functional contexts.

Understand usage of coordinating, subordinating, and correlative conjunctions in German (including word order).

Includes using coordinating conjunctions, subordinating conjunctions, and correlative conjunctions as appropriate for various contexts.

Understand usage of personal and possessive pronouns in German.

Includes using personal pronouns as subjects and objects in various cases and contexts; using direct and indirect objects that include a personal pronoun in various contexts; and using possessive pronouns appropriately in various contexts.

Understand usage of relative pronouns for definite and indefinite antecedents in German.

Includes using the correct form of the relative pronouns der, die, das in various contexts; using the relative pronoun or adverb that corresponds to an antecedent in context; using correct word order in relative clauses; and using interrogative pronouns appropriately in various contexts.

Understand usage of demonstrative, indefinite, and interrogative pronouns in German.

Includes using demonstrative and indefinite pronouns appropriately in various contexts; and using interrogative pronouns appropriately in all four cases.

Understand usage of prepositions in German.

Includes using the correct preposition in functional contexts; using the correct case following a preposition in functional contexts; using contractions of prepositions correctly; and using wo- and da- compounds correctly in context.

Use conventions of spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and format as appropriate for given contexts.

Includes spelling words correctly in various contexts; using capitalization and punctuation appropriately for various contexts; and using conventions appropriate for various contexts.

Construct sentences from specified elements in German (e.g., phrases, clauses).

Includes forming sentences by combining words, phrases, and clauses; forming complex sentences by subordinating one of two independent clauses; and forming sentences using correct order of time, manner, and place.

Transform sentences or passages in German according to given instructions.

Includes transforming sentences and passages from the active voice to the passive voice (or vice versa) and from the declarative to the interrogative (or vice versa); transforming sentences and passages from direct to indirect discourse (or vice versa); and transforming the mood, tense, or number of sentences and passages.

Understand usage of reflexive constructions in German.

Includes using accusative and dative reflexive pronouns correctly in various contexts; using reflexive verbs correctly in various contexts; and using reflexive and nonreflexive verbs to express various meanings in functional contexts.

Use positive, comparative, and superlative forms of adjectives and adverbs in German.

Includes using positive forms of adjectives and adverbs in context; and using comparative and superlative adjectives and adverbs appropriately for various contexts.

Use negation in German in context.

Includes forming negative statements using nicht; using forms of kein to express negation; and using niemand, niemals, weder . . . noch, nie, and other expressions of negation.

CULTURAL UNDERSTANDING AND EXPRESSION

Understand historical and geographical features of the culture of German-speaking nations and regions.

Includes German-speaking regions of Europe; historical figures and events in German-speaking nations and regions, and their cultural significance; geographical features in German-speaking nations and regions, and their cultural significance; and the relationship of historical events and figures in German-speaking nations and regions to other events and figures in the world.

Understand economic features of the culture of German-speaking nations and regions.

Includes developments in the economic history of German-speaking nations and regions; major industries in German-speaking nations and regions with their regions; and features of today’s economies in German-speaking nations and regions.

Understand political features of the culture of German-speaking nations and regions.

Includes major developments in the political history of German-speaking nations and regions; features of recent national politics in German-speaking nations and regions; and the role of German-speaking nations and regions in international politics.

Understand the arts as features of the culture of German-speaking nations and regions.

Includes major writers of German-speaking nations and regions, and their works; major artists and architects of German-speaking nations and regions, and their works; major musicians and composers of German-speaking nations and regions, and their works; and the artistic contributions of German-speaking nations and regions to world and U.S. culture.

Understand scientific and technological features of the culture of German-speaking nations and regions.

Includes scientific and technological achievements of German-speaking nations and regions; and scientists and inventors of German-speaking nations and regions.

Understand governmental and social institutions in German-speaking nations and regions.

Includes features of governmental and social institutions in German-speaking nations and regions.

Understand aspects of daily life and leisure activities in German-speaking nations and regions.

Includes aspects of family life in German-speaking nations and regions; leisure activities in German-speaking nations and regions; and features of daily life in German-speaking nations and regions.

Understand influences of German culture on the United States.

Includes features of U.S. culture and their origins in the culture of German-speaking nations and regions; the cultural contributions of persons and events of German-speaking nations and regions; and the cultural contributions of immigrants from German-speaking nations and regions.

Understand cultural behavior and communication patterns in German-speaking nations and regions.

Includes nonverbal elements of communication appropriate for various contexts; and basic differences in the German spoken by natives of different German-speaking nations and regions.

Use language in a German cultural context.

Includes language appropriate for travel situations, various social environments, and communicative purposes.

LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION

Understand theories and principles of foreign language instruction.

Includes methodologies for foreign language instruction; techniques, materials, and equipment used for foreign language instruction; and methods and approaches for foreign language instruction appropriate for various learning situations.

Understand classroom techniques and activities appropriate for the development of the four communicative skills (i.e., listening, speaking, reading, and writing).

Includes teacher activities appropriate for the development of the four communicative skills; appropriate student goals for the development of the four communicative skills; and student activities appropriate for the four communicative skills.

Understand techniques for foreign language assessment and evaluation.

Includes appropriate evaluative techniques for assessing students’ listening skills, reading skills, writing skills, and speaking skills.

Use language appropriate for classroom management in German.

Includes appropriate language for adjusting climate in the classroom and for controlling learning processes in the classroom.

Use technical language appropriate for foreign language instruction.

Includes grammatical terminology, language appropriate for literary and cultural analyses, and appropriate terminology for teaching equipment and materials.