From the Editors: A Pluricentric Approach to Teaching German

Arnett, Carlee; Levine, Glenn S.

doi:10.1111/j.1756-1221.2012.00127.x

Cited by 2 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…That changed somewhat when a growing body of research called attention to treating and teaching German as a pluricentric language (Hägi, 2006;Wiesinger, 1996). Of particular importance was the 2012 special issue of Unterrichtspraxis, which emphasized pluricentricity and called for exposing students to more German varieties (Arnett & Levine, 2012). Some academics responded to that call by creating modules to teach students about Austrian and Swiss German (Hägi, 2015;Moser-Pacher, 2014;Pabisch, 2012;Schweiger, 2014;van Kerckvoorde, 2012).…”

Section: Language Variation In Germanmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional Language Variation in the German Curriculum

Pittman

2022

Die Unterrichtspraxis

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German is a pluricentric language with many standard and nonstandard varieties. Students of German are usually unaware of its rich regional variation, and studies attribute this to limited resources and instructional time (van Kerckvoorde, 2012). The “DACH” model of teaching German, which includes linguistic and cultural elements from Germany (D), Austria (A), and Switzerland (CH), has constituted an effort to go somewhat beyond a model that exclusively teaches Standard German, from Germany. However, when not contextualized properly, DACH itself oversimplifies language variation, shifting the attention from one standard version of German to three. This article proposes that German's variation should be taught to students at all levels and may be considered in the framework of the ACTFL Guidelines and Standards. These strongly support learners' successful functioning in real‐world and authentic situations, including in dealing with varying dialects. This article will offer an overview of German language variation, it will outline how its integration is aligned with the ACTFL Guidelines (2012), and it will discuss some current instructional challenges. Finally, it will offer concrete examples for instructors by using existing sections from popular college German textbooks and by presenting several worksheets on dialect teaching for the novice, intermediate, and advanced levels.

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Section: Language Variation In Germanmentioning

confidence: 99%

Regional Language Variation in the German Curriculum

Pittman

2022

Die Unterrichtspraxis

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“…Barbour and Stevenson warn that most students are not prepared for this diversity (, p. 3). This deficit results from the marginal treatment of regional varieties in textbooks (Arnett & Levine, 2012a, p. vii) and the lack of models for the integration of regional varieties into the classroom (Studer, , p. 114). Language classrooms favor a “homogeneous and therefore inaccurate depiction of Germany and its culture” (van Kerckvoorde, , p. 181).…”

Section: Teaching the Linguistic Diversity Of The German‐speaking Worldmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In recent years, teachers of German have directed attention to the “comprehensive treatment of the German‐speaking world” (Arnett & Levine, 2012a, p. vii). In fall 2012, a special focus issue of Die Unterrichtspraxis (Arnett & Levine, 2012b) emphasized the pluricentric nature of the German language, referring to the existence of several norms for Standard German which are centered in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.…”

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Enriching the Curriculum with Pennsylvania German

Meindl

2016

Die Unterrichtspraxis

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The German classroom should prepare students for the linguistic diversity of the target culture, including regional varieties and German spoken outside of the D‐A‐CH region. Because textbooks do not often include materials on regional varieties, this article presents a model to incorporate Pennsylvania German (PG) into the curriculum. The model does not aim on learning PG but employs PG to support the acquisition of Standard German and the development of language awareness. Furthermore, PG can be used as a basis for lessons on culture, critical thinking, and intercultural competence. Teachers can implement the model without PG experts or adding large amounts of content to the classroom. The article presents basic knowledge about PG, its speakers, and their cultural context, as well as information on easily accessible PG texts and dictionaries. Furthermore, the article outlines learning goals and provides suggestions for lessons. An appendix lists readily available resources for more information on Pennsylvania German culture.

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From the Editors: A Pluricentric Approach to Teaching German

Cited by 2 publications

References 0 publications

Regional Language Variation in the German Curriculum

Regional Language Variation in the German Curriculum

Enriching the Curriculum with Pennsylvania German

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