Click on To the Student for a discussion of foreign language reading
strategies.
Click on Table of Contents for an overview of the site structure.
Click on Plot Summary for a basic plot outline. If you are an instructor thinking about adopting this textbook, contact languages@mcgraw-hill.com to obtain a 30-day trial instructor log-in.
Introduction
Neuer Wein und Zwiebelkuchen is an online cultural reader designed
to help students improve their reading proficiency in German and heighten their
cultural awareness. The story, written with Novice High and Intermediate language
learners in mind, describes everyday-life situations encountered by an American
exchange student, Jessica Mittelstadt, in Freiburg, Germany. The story follows
Jessica's adventures as she moves to a new country, makes new friends, engages
in life in an entirely new setting, and hence is faced with a new and different
culture. The storyline encourages reading for pleasure while the online interactive
format allows students to enhance their language skills and to travel virtually
with Jessica as she explores her new environment. The narrative is based on what we have termed "edited authenticity,"
since the story was written with the students' language development in mind.
The language level progresses from simple present tense sentences to more complex
modes of discourse. The language of the story is rich and lively-a welcome change
from the usual formal language found in most textbooks. A multitude of text
types are represented (letters, diary entries, dialogues, personal ads, etc.)
in a multi-media setting. The narrative is supported by the use of graphics,
audio, and various authentic materials accessible through the World Wide Web.
Through Jessica, students are invited to explore and interact with everyday
life practices in German-speaking countries and come into contact with German
history, society, and culture. Description of Features
Each of the 13 online chapters of this engaging story is organized as follows:
- Vor dem Lesen: Students improve their reading skills through pre-reading
strategies and interactive activites.
- Lesen: Students have the option of listening to the story as they
read. Unfamiliar words are glossed to facilitate students' comprehension.
- Mit dem Text arbeiten: These activities check understanding of the
plot and characters.
- Spaß mit Sprache: Students have fun with German as they listen
to rhymes and learn colorful German expressions.
- Meiner Meinung nach... : Students reflect on similarities and differences
between their culture and those of German-speaking countries.
- Im Internet: These activities deepen students' awareness of the culture
of German-speaking regions through web-based research activities.
- Wörter und Regeln: Students review key vocabulary and structures
from the reading with flashcards, crossword puzzles, and self-scoring practice
activities.
- Wie wir die Welt sehen: This section includes interviews with German-speaking
students on a variety of cultural topics.
- Mein Tagebuch: In this journal, students express their own thoughts
about the cultural issues raised in each chapter.
Instructional Level
Neuer Wein und Zwiebelkuchen is designed for college-level German
courses. The material can be used alone or in conjunction with any textbook.
When designed, the story was initially developed as a companion to Kontakte
(5th ed., New York: McGraw Hill, 2004) since it follows the same scope and sequence
as that book. However, Neuer Wein und Zwiebelkuchen is not tied
exclusively to Kontakte. It can easily be used in conjunction
with any textbook, because it covers the basic vocabulary, grammatical structures,
and content-areas found in a typical first-year textbook.
The reader can accompany a textbook in beginning German courses (students read
a chapter of the reader parallel to a chapter of the textbook), can be added
on in the second semester, can serve as a follow-up to a textbook at the end
of the first year (expanding students' knowledge of first-year material in a
real and authentic context), can similarly serve as a capstone experience at
the end of the third semester for those who use a textbook over three semesters,
or it can comprise the main reader in an intermediate course. Neuer Wein
und Zwiebelkuchen works well in the second year because it provides
students with a longer reading text and facilitates cultural explorations that
have or ask students use the language in real-world settings. By recycling basic
vocabulary in a new and interesting context, students not only review, but also
expand on what they learned in the first year by carrying out more complex language-learning
tasks. Furthermore, the reader is ideal for independent review, independent
study, and especially distance education. The site is also available as a Web
CT cartridge. Please contact your sales representative about this option. For Instructors
The reader provides an online grading system. The various interactive activities
such as the crossword puzzles, fill in the blank, multiple choice, drag and
drop, and true/false activities provide instant feedback to the students. Short
answer and personalized questions are not graded. Instructors have the option
of having students email the answers directly to them or having students turn
in a print out of the answers during class.
The Instructor's Edition of the site includes the following resources:
- Instructions for navigating the site
- An overview of the features of the reader with general teaching suggestions
on how to use each section
- A chapter-by-chapter guide with language and culture notes and suggestions
for additional activities
Standards for Foreign Language Learning Neuer Wein und Zwiebelkuchen works well in a standards-based
curriculum. It encompasses the five C's of language learning in a contextualized
format.
Communication: Students communicate by interpreting written and spoken
language found in the reader and on the Web, sharing information with their
classmates, presenting ideas and concepts to the class, and expressing their
opinions on the topics they encounter.
Cultures: By virtually traveling to Germany with Jessica, students gain
knowledge and understanding of another culture, as they come into contact with
the perspectives, practices, and products of the various German-speaking regions
Jessica encounters.
Connections: The activities in the reader facilitate connections with
other disciplines such as art history, literature, political science, history,
and geography.
Comparisons: Chapter activities encourage comparisons between the students'
native language and culture and the language and culture under study.
Communities: Through the use of the Internet, students have the opportunity
to participate in German-speaking communities and must negotiate their way in
a virtual, yet practical, setting. Furthermore, the process of reading should
be a personally enjoyable and enriching experience for the students, one that
builds confidence and leads to participation in multilingual communities at
home and abroad.
How Will Students Benefit?
This reader encompasses features that are mostly absent in a typical college
German textbook. Whereas most textbooks provide only short reading activities
that vary from chapter to chapter, Neuer Wein und Zwiebelkuchen
allows students to read a longer narrative-even from the very beginning of their
language learning experience. Our own experience has shown that students enjoy
reading longer texts that allow them to get to know and, to a certain extent,
identify with the characters over time. Most textbooks include a cultural component
that focuses mainly on high culture and geography, but rarely on everyday life
situations. This reader fills that gap by contextualizing cultural learning
and providing students with the tools they need to interact with the target
culture. Neuer Wein und Zwiebelkuchen promotes the acquisition
of the skills necessary for life-long learning and stimulates students to continue
their academic pursuits even after their German course has ended. We hope you and your students will enjoy reading and discussing the story and
that you get as much out of your virtual travels to Germany as we do with our
students!
We welcome your comments and feedback!
Und jetzt viel Spaß beim Lesen!
Rasma Lazda-Cazers (University of Alabama)
rlazda@bama.ua.edu
Helga Thorson (University of Arkansas at Little Rock)
helgathorson@gmail.com |
2005 McGraw-Hill Higher Education