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FOREIGN LANGUAGES
&
THE LITERARY IN THE EVERYDAY
open lessons for
L2 literacy

German

Taking Inventory

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Lesson Title: Taking Inventory
Lesson Author: Chelsea Steinert / Chantelle Warner
Instructional Language: German / English
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year / Novice
Text Title: Inventur
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Genre Play, Perspective Play

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Text

Text Title: Inventur
Text Language: German
Text Author: Günter Eich
Genre: Poetry
Topic: Talents and Interests

Lesson

Lesson Title: Taking Inventory
Instructional Language: German / English
Lesson Author: Chelsea Steinert / Chantelle Warner
Level of Activities: College / 1. year, 2. year / Novice
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Viewing
Grammar Focus: Predicative adjectives / Relational verbs
Main Objectives:

Students learn words for personal vocabulary, while reflecting on how the relative importance of these items changes in particular personal or historical moments; the featured example is the poem “Inventur” by Günter Eich

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Reading and responding to the poem “Inventur” by Günter Eich – written when he was a prisoner of war during WWII – , which takes the form of a personal inventory
  • Writing a personal poem on the model of Eich’s “Inventur”
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Analyzing the ways in which a list of possessions reflects aspects of a person and his/her priorities in a given cultural/historical moment.
  • Conceptualizing understatement and the unsaid as meaningful – especially in particular genres
  • expressing personal values attached to objects and comparing those values with those of others
Language Use & Strategies
  • poems as play with other genres
  • expressing and analyzing possessions and relations to personal objects
FLLITE Form: Genre Play, Perspective Play

Self-presentation and Contact: Personal Ads

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Lesson Title: Self-presentation and Contact: Personal Ads
Lesson Author: Chelsea Steinert / Chantelle Warner
Instructional Language: German / English
Level of Activities: High school, College / 1. year / Novice
Text Title: Personal Ad
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Genre Play, Pragmatic Play

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Text

Text Title: Personal Ad
Text Language: German
Text Author: Misc.
Genre: Portraits and Biographies
Topic: Introductions and Greetings / Family, Friendships, and Relationships

Lesson

Lesson Title: Self-presentation and Contact: Personal Ads
Instructional Language: German / English
Lesson Author: Chelsea Steinert / Chantelle Warner
Level of Activities: High school, College / 1. year / Novice
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Viewing
Grammar Focus: Predicative adjectives / Relational verbs
Main Objectives:

Students read and design German-language personal advertisements and contrast how the individuals represent themselves.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Reading and responding to personal ads
  • Designing a personal ad for a fictional character based on a profile photo
  • Transforming a response to a personal ad in the form of a text message (SMS)
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Personal ads as a literacy practice in online spaces
  • Self-presentation as situated, genre-bound, and creative
  • Self-representation and other-perception as dynamic and contextual
Language Use & Strategies
  • Vocabulary choices related to self description and other description (e.g. age, appearance, hobbies and interests, etc);
  • Multimodality of profile images and texts combined; role of the visual in in self-presentation
FLLITE Form: Genre Play, Pragmatic Play

Cultural Allusion, Humor, and Memes On- and Offline

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Lesson Title: Cultural Allusion, Humor, and Memes On- and Offline
Lesson Author: Chantelle Warner
Instructional Language: German / English
Level of Activities: College / Intermediate, Advanced
Text Title:
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Symbolic Play

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Text

Text Title:
Text Language: German
Text Author: n/a
Genre: Narratives / Social Media
Topic: Media and Technology

Lesson

Lesson Title: Cultural Allusion, Humor, and Memes On- and Offline
Instructional Language: German / English
Lesson Author: Chantelle Warner
Level of Activities: College / Intermediate, Advanced
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Listening
Grammar Focus: n/a
Main Objectives:

Students learn how memes in the form of cultural references, formulaic language, and images can create humorous, ironic, and even critical effects

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Reading memes on- and offline
  • Redesigning an existing meme
  • Responding to memes
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • interpreting and questioning cultural references and allusions as indexes to socio-ideological perspectives
  • making sense out of the often critical humor that arises in the juxtaposition elements in memes
  • “insiderliness” as a potential effect of memes
  • creating humorous effects through cultural references and allusions in original memes
  • creating juxtapositions of voices and perspectives by remixing or recontextualizing texts in social networks
  • feeling addressed or excluded by memes and cultural allusions
Language Use & Strategies
  • analyzing formulaic language, images, and format in memes as variations of a theme
  • conceptualizing and analyzing heteroglosia as a literary effect in social network discourse and in memes
  • creatively playing with formulaic language, images, and format for ironic and humorous effects
  • using juxtaposition to create a critical or humorous voice
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Symbolic Play

Social Networks, Intertextuality and Heteroglossia

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Lesson Title: Social Networks, Intertextuality and Heteroglossia
Lesson Author: Chantelle Warner
Instructional Language: German / English
Level of Activities: College / Intermediate, Advanced
Text Title:
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Symbolic Play

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Text

Text Title:
Text Language: German
Text Author: Misc.
Genre: Social Media
Topic: Media and Technology

Lesson

Lesson Title: Social Networks, Intertextuality and Heteroglossia
Instructional Language: German / English
Lesson Author: Chantelle Warner
Level of Activities: College / Intermediate, Advanced
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking
Grammar Focus: Direct and indirect speech
Main Objectives:

Students learn how to conceptualize and analyze the kinds of ironic, humorous, and affiliative effects that arise through various kinds of direct and indirect quoting practices.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Reading and participating in social network-mediated conversations, as found on Facebook
  • Designing a Facebook post around a meme or quote
  • Transforming a Facebook discussion into a reader’s theater performance
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Conceptualizing and analyzing Facebook conversations as a particular kind of literacy practice
  • Conceptualizing and analyzing heteroglossia and related effects (irony, humor, distancing) in relation to citational practices
  • Expressing affiliation and experiencing feelings of inclusion/exclusion through allusions and references
  • Expressing feelings / opinions through citation and sharing/reposting
  • Creating effects of irony, humor, distancing, etc. through citational practices
  • Experiencing and analyzing differences between online and offline discourse through the estrangement of genre transformation (from a FB post to a theater performance)
Language Use & Strategies
  • Direct and indirect quoting in social networks
  • Technological affordances of sharing and re-posting
  • Verbal and non-verbal cues (especially in relation to effect of irony, humor, distancing, etc.)
FLLITE Form: Symbolic Play

Die witzigsten WG-Anzeigen

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Lesson Title: Die witzigsten WG-Anzeigen [ The funniest Housemate Ads ]
Lesson Author: Chantelle Warner / Yannleon Chen / Patrick Ploschnitzki
Instructional Language: German / English
Level of Activities: College / 1. year / Novice
Text Title: Die witzigsten WG-Anzeigen
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Pragmatic Play

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Text

Text Title: Die witzigsten WG-Anzeigen
Text Language: German
Text Author: Joab Nist
Genre: Advertisements and Personal ads
Topic: Living Arrangements

Lesson

Lesson Title: Die witzigsten WG-Anzeigen [ The funniest Housemate Ads ]
Instructional Language: German / English
Lesson Author: Chantelle Warner / Yannleon Chen / Patrick Ploschnitzki
Level of Activities: College / 1. year / Novice
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking
Grammar Focus: n/a
Main Objectives:

Learners read and respond to humorous housemate ads, which flout genre norms and politeness conventions by portraying less than ideal housemates. Learners then write a short skit of a first meeting between the person in the ad and an imagined respondent, in order to explore the characterization of individuals in short texts of self-portrayal.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Reading and analyzing a set of housemate ads, which create humorous effects by flouting the politeness norms and cultural expectations for this genre.
  • Writing a response to a humorous housemate ad, Writing and performing a text-based skit between two prospective housemates
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Conceptualizing the norms of a genre, by recognizing moments in which those norms are flouted for humorous effects.
  • Hypothesizing about the kinds of characters portrayed through housemate ads and identifying cultural references that index these character types.
Language Use & Strategies
  • Genre play (expectations of self-portrayal in housemate ads)
  • Pragmatic play (politeness norms and taboos in housemate ads)
  • Cultural play (playful use of associations with types of people)
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Pragmatic Play

Kleider machen Leute

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Lesson Title: Kleider machen Leute [ Clothes Make People ]
Lesson Author: Chantelle Warner
Instructional Language: German / English
Level of Activities: College / 1. year / Novice
Text Title: Hilfe! Ich bin ein Junge film poster, synopsis and trailer
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Perspective Play

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Text

Text Title: Hilfe! Ich bin ein Junge film poster, synopsis and trailer
Text Language: German
Text Author: n/a
Genre: Advertisements and Personal ads / TV and Film
Topic: Clothing / School and University

Lesson

Lesson Title: Kleider machen Leute [ Clothes Make People ]
Instructional Language: German / English
Lesson Author: Chantelle Warner
Level of Activities: College / 1. year / Novice
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Speaking / Viewing
Grammar Focus: Separable prefix verbs / Temporal adverbs
Main Objectives:

In working with an advertising poster, a written synopsis, and a trailer for a popular German family film, students describe the clothing and daily activities of the two main figures and consider the relationship between these aspects of everyday life and identity, especially gender identity, and how these are played with in these texts that represent the movie.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Viewing and responding to paratext – i.e. a poster, a synopsis, and and a film clip – for a family film with a formulaic/familiar plot line (switched identity).
  • Writing a poster for an imagined film in which another aspect of identity is switched and Describing other students’ posters.
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Identifying and discussing the ways in which clothing and daily routines index aspects of identity, such as gender. Analyzing the realization of these aspects in films and their marketing.
  • Comparing formulaic plot lines in German and American films—in this case, the identity swap—and interpreting the potential morals or messages of those films.
  • Expressing and comparing cultural expressions of identity.
Language Use & Strategies
  • Symbolic play (juxtapositions)
  • Cultural play (gender norms, formulaic plots)
FLLITE Form: Perspective Play

Alles offen: Öffentliche Verkehrsmittel und Weltoffenheit

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Lesson Title: Alles offen: Öffentliche Verkehrsmittel und Weltoffenheit [ It’s all open: Public Transportation and Cosmopolitanism ]
Lesson Author: John Benjamin / Devon Donohue-Bergeler / Katrin Fuchs / Alexander Lorenz (all authors contributed equally)
Instructional Language: German / English
Level of Activities: High school, College / 1. year / Novice
Text Title: “Is mir egal” (Dez. 2015)
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Pragmatic Play, Sound Play

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Text

Text Title: “Is mir egal” (Dez. 2015)
Text Language: German
Text Author: BVG / Kazim Akbogu
Genre: Advertisements and Personal ads / Music and Music Videos
Topic: Travel and Vacation / Literature, Music, Art

Lesson

Lesson Title: Alles offen: Öffentliche Verkehrsmittel und Weltoffenheit [ It’s all open: Public Transportation and Cosmopolitanism ]
Instructional Language: German / English
Lesson Author: John Benjamin / Devon Donohue-Bergeler / Katrin Fuchs / Alexander Lorenz (all authors contributed equally)
Level of Activities: High school, College / 1. year / Novice
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Listening
Grammar Focus: n/a
Main Objectives:

Students watch, decode, and transform a music video/advertisement for the Berlin public transportation system in which the protagonist, a rhythmic BVG employee, promotes tolerance and multiculturalism by not caring about anything. In doing so, students analyze and transform humorous content; use the describe, analyze, and relate framework to ground interpretations in observations and textual evidence; and question genre conventions. Students will consider Berlin’s liberal reputation through social and individual reflection.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Analyzing the genre and content of a viral music video/ advertisement
  • Using the describe, analyze, and relate framework to ground interpretations in observations and textual evidence
  • Transforming the text into students’ own context
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Public transportation and who uses it
  • Multiculturalism
  • Liberalism: live and let live
  • Transculturalism and translingualism
Language Use & Strategies
  • Choice of informal “du” with unknown customers in Berlin
  • Minimal catchy beat, rhythm, rhymes
  • Visual and verbal depictions of unusual situations
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Pragmatic Play, Sound Play

Das Modalverbengedicht

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Lesson Title: Das Modalverbengedicht [ The modal verbs poem ]
Lesson Author: Trez Norwood and Chantelle Warner
Instructional Language: German / English
Level of Activities: College / 1. year / Novice
Text Title: Modalverben-Gedicht
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Grammar Play, Perspective Play

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Text

Text Title: Modalverben-Gedicht
Text Language: German
Text Author: Unknown
Genre: Poetry
Topic: Wants, Needs, and Obligations

Lesson

Lesson Title: Das Modalverbengedicht [ The modal verbs poem ]
Instructional Language: German / English
Lesson Author: Trez Norwood and Chantelle Warner
Level of Activities: College / 1. year / Novice
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking
Grammar Focus: modal verbs / subordinate clauses (with wenn)
Main Objectives:

In this lesson, learners work with the poem “Wenn ich nur darf…” in order to explore the range of meanings that modal verbs can convey and the ways in which modality can express a particular point of view.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Viewing and responding to a poem that plays with the meaning of modal verbs.
  • Writing a version of the model verb poem based on their own wants, needs, and obligations.
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Discussing the relationship between wants and obligations in everyday life.
Language Use & Strategies
  • Grammar Play (model verbs)
  • Perspective play (modality and the expression of point of view)
FLLITE Form: Grammar Play, Perspective Play

#ExplainAFilmPlotBadly

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Lesson Title: #ExplainAFilmPlotBadly
Lesson Author: Matthew Sherman
Instructional Language: German
Level of Activities: College / 3. year, 4. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Text Title: ExplainAFilmPlotBadly hashtag
Text Language: German/English
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Perspective Play

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Text

Text Title: ExplainAFilmPlotBadly hashtag
Text Language: German/English
Text Author: Social media users
Genre: Social Media
Topic: Literature, Music, Art

Lesson

Lesson Title: #ExplainAFilmPlotBadly
Instructional Language: German
Lesson Author: Matthew Sherman
Level of Activities: College / 3. year, 4. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing
Grammar Focus: Subordinate Clauses and Complex Sentences in Expository/Explanatory Prose
Main Objectives:
  • Enhance comprehension of genre as describing forms of expository prose
  • Enhancing awareness of the role of the audience in reading and writing
  • Fostering use of complex sentences as necessary to expository prose; focus on subordinate conjunction difficulties and subordinate clause word order (particular problems in German acquisition; adaptable to other languages, like which conjunctions use subjunctive in Spanish)
Texts, Genres & Practices
  • analyzing, and categorizing tweeted plot blurbs
  • distinguishing blurbs, summaries, and synopses
  • Identifying “bad” versus “good” one-sentence film summaries, in both English and German.
  • Explain how “accuracy” in genre depends on genre convention
  • identify formulae and conventional short forms
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • How to read and understand bias / perspective in summarizing vis-à-vis audience
  • How to correlate content to audience (horizon of expectation)
  • publication sources for blurbs: the hashtags: #ExplainAFilmPlotBadly and https://twitter.com/shiny1jux/status/941299435870609408?lang=en sources for summaries: imdb.com and https://www.amazon.de/)
  • cultural positions of film viewers (and possible cross-cultural comparisons)
Language Use & Strategies
  • markers for point of view and audience in expository prose
  • Identifying and contrasting formal and grammatical elements of long and short-form plot summaries (especially subordinate clauses, use of sentence fragments) = awareness of formulae within and register of genre
  • Correlation of “accuracy” in plot replication with genre conventions, in both lexical choice and grammar
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Perspective Play

“Ein Tisch ist ein Tisch” – eine deutsche Kurzgeschichte

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Lesson Title: “Ein Tisch ist ein Tisch” – eine deutsche Kurzgeschichte
Lesson Author: Sina Colditz
Instructional Language: German / English
Level of Activities: High school, College / 1. year, 2. year / Novice, Intermediate
Text Title: Ein Tisch ist ein Tisch
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Grammar Play, Perspective Play

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Text

Text Title: Ein Tisch ist ein Tisch
Text Language: German
Text Author: Peter Bichsel
Genre: Narratives
Topic: Living Arrangements

Lesson

Lesson Title: “Ein Tisch ist ein Tisch” – eine deutsche Kurzgeschichte
Instructional Language: German / English
Lesson Author: Sina Colditz
Level of Activities: High school, College / 1. year, 2. year / Novice, Intermediate
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Listening
Grammar Focus: Nouns, Case
Main Objectives:

“Ein Tisch ist ein Tisch” is a favorite of German language textbooks. This lesson, designed for beginning to intermediate learners, pushes learners to reflect on the disconnect of grammatical accuracy and meaning, and to think about language as a sociocultural system. Peter Bichel’s short story.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Reading and listening to a German short story.
  • Writing a creative end to the story.
Cultural Knowledge & Mindset
  • Reflecting on language as a shared system of meanings – not simply a set of grammatical rules – and on how communication mediates our relationships with things and people in our world.
Language Use & Strategies
  • The text engages in word play in that the meaning of words is denaturalized to humorous effects. This word play leads to perspective play, because it reveals that words only gain meaning through a shared sense of what they mean; awareness of parts of speech (e.g. verbs, nouns).
FLLITE Form: Grammar Play, Perspective Play

Ich hätte gerne Ihre Hilfe! – wie man Ratschläge benutzt, um Probleme zu lösen

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Lesson Title: Ich hätte gerne Ihre Hilfe! – wie man Ratschläge benutzt, um Probleme zu lösen [ I would like your help! – how to use advice to solve problems ]
Lesson Author: Emily Claire Krauter
Instructional Language: German/English
Level of Activities: High school, College / 2. year, 3. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Text Title: Schluss machen: 12 Dinge, die du beachten solltest / How to Break Up With Someone in the Kindest Possible Way
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Pragmatic Play

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Text

Text Title: Schluss machen: 12 Dinge, die du beachten solltest / How to Break Up With Someone in the Kindest Possible Way
Text Language: German
Text Author: Simone Sauter / Candice Jalili
Genre: Personal Blogs and Journals / Social Media
Topic: Family, Friendships, and Relationships

Lesson

Lesson Title: Ich hätte gerne Ihre Hilfe! – wie man Ratschläge benutzt, um Probleme zu lösen [ I would like your help! – how to use advice to solve problems ]
Instructional Language: German/English
Lesson Author: Emily Claire Krauter
Level of Activities: High school, College / 2. year, 3. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Cultural Understanding
Grammar Focus: Imperative, subjunctive, modal verbs
Main Objectives:

The goal of this lesson is for students to connect important grammar concepts, e.g., modal verbs, the imperative, and the subjunctive to their everyday usage in advice giving as represented through online sites. The incorporation of advice giving also aims to build connections and draw contrasts between English and other languages of the learners and German, with regards to how advice is given.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • This lesson includes a blog post from a German “self-help” guru and an article from a US-American newspaper website. Students engage with the articles and form meaning, both linguistic, pragmatic and cultural. The students will have to think critically and compare the C1 to the C2 as well as the L1 and the L2 to form new reflections about language use and its cultural implications for everyday life.
Cultural Knowledge & Perspectives
  • The text conveys the importance of self-help gurus in societies today and how they give advice. The text also works to build connections between the L1/C1 and L2/C2 by showing that relationships are an important part of each environment. Culturally, the article breaks stereotypes by showing that Germans are as versatile as US-Americans and do not always fit into the “direct” and/or “cold” mold, as they are often portrayed in the media.
Language Use & Language Play
  • Modal verbs, subjunctive and imperative are central to this lesson. Additionally, forms of address, e.g., advice giving, informal writing, formal vs. informal register, and imperatives are parts of the image and central to its comprehension and to the assignment following the lesson. Visually, the students will be working with a blogpost from an American and German author, which should not be novel to them.
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Pragmatic Play

Märchenhafter Poetry Slam

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Lesson Title: Märchenhafter Poetry Slam
Lesson Author: Sina Colditz
Instructional Language: German
Level of Activities: College / 2. year, 3. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Text Title: “Der Froschkönig oder auch: Lügen haben dicke Schenkel“
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Sound Play, Word Play

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Text

Text Title: “Der Froschkönig oder auch: Lügen haben dicke Schenkel“
Text Language: German
Text Author: Max Gebhard
Genre: Poetry
Topic: Literature, Music, Art

Lesson

Lesson Title: Märchenhafter Poetry Slam
Instructional Language: German
Lesson Author: Sina Colditz
Level of Activities: College / 2. year, 3. year / Intermediate, Advanced
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Listening / Viewing / Cultural Understanding
Grammar Focus: “Wo …” sentences
Main Objectives:

Students learn about the genre of Poetry Slam and its specific way of discussing cultural aspects while playing with language (slang words, word play, cultural references etc.).

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Reading / Listing to a Poetry Slam
  • Comparing the content of the Poetry Slam to (the) traditional fairytale(s) and characterizing similarities and differences
  • Potentially: Writing your own Poetry Slam
Cultural Knowledge & Perspectives
  • Understanding and interpreting socio-cultural references
  • Brainstorming and collecting aspects and characteristics about fairytales
  • Applying creatively new knowledge by writing a Poetry Slam (optional: including socio-cultural references)
Language Use & Language Play
  • Raising awareness of and making sense out of the word play (puns, slang words, etc.), the use of language (rhythm, rhyming, etc.), insider references and how these shape the genre of poetry slam
  • In this particular poem, play with the genre of fairy tale is also central
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Genre Play, Sound Play, Word Play

„Begrenzte Unmöglichkeiten“ – Was kann man, wenn man nur will?

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Lesson Title: „Begrenzte Unmöglichkeiten“ – Was kann man, wenn man nur will? [ Limited Impossibilities – Can you have it all if you really want to? ]
Lesson Author: Patrick Ploschnitzki and Chelsea Timlin
Instructional Language: German
Level of Activities: College / 1. year / Novice
Text Title: Müssen nur wollen
Text Language: German
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Grammar Play

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Text

Text Title: Müssen nur wollen
Text Language: German
Text Author: Wir sind Helden
Genre: Music and Music Videos
Topic: Wants, Needs, and Obligations / Jobs and Professions / Literature, Music, Art

Lesson

Lesson Title: „Begrenzte Unmöglichkeiten“ – Was kann man, wenn man nur will? [ Limited Impossibilities – Can you have it all if you really want to? ]
Instructional Language: German
Lesson Author: Patrick Ploschnitzki and Chelsea Timlin
Level of Activities: College / 1. year / Novice
Pedagogical Practices: Reading / Writing / Speaking / Listening / Viewing / Cultural Understanding
Grammar Focus: Modal verbs
Main Objectives:

Students will be able to reflect on and express their own associations with the concepts of possibility, impossibility, and motivation and how these are shaped by the cultures within which we live; compare and contrast these ideas to the perspectives expressed in a popular song; understand and interpret the use of modal verbs and other markers of modality as a means of expressing possibility (especially in the form of wishes, needs, and obligations); and express personal and professional motivation(s) in the form of other popular media, e.g. a motivational poster, a meme, or an email signature.

Texts, Genres & Practices
  • Listening to and viewing the music video for “Müssen nur wollen” by Wir sind Helden, a song which plays with modal verbs in order to express a critical view on expectations and obligations placed on individuals in society;
  • Analyzing and interpreting key phrases in the lyrics through the use of translation;
  • Designing a motivational poster, meme, and / or an email signature, which expresses a belief or value about possibilities and opportunities.
Cultural Knowledge & Perspectives
  • Comparing and contrasting beliefs and values surrounding possibilities, opportunities, and motivation as expressed in German and American popular media, including a pop song, motivational posters, memes, etc.
  • Play with cultural expectations, beliefs and values about personal and professional motivations and the limits of opportunity.
Language Use & Language Play
  • Grammar play with modal verbs and other expressions of modality as they are used to express wants, desires, abilities, and opportunities, and with intended meanings.
  • Culture play with intended meaning in varying phrases and cultural values associated with desires and opportunities.
FLLITE Form: Culture Play, Grammar Play

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