Name: ___Blessed Njuguna_________________________
Reflexion Kapitel 1: die Sprache und Ich
Please complete the following reflective assignment in English. Please write a few sentences in response to each question.
1. What does learning a new language mean for you? And what role do languages play in your life?
It is an exciting experience. I believe it will like help me to interact better with people from different cultures through their own language, just as English has when it comes to interacting with my peers and teachers here in school. It also helps rejuvenate my brain; it awakens the desire to find new English words that I can translate to German like a daily hobby.
2. In this class, we are using a primarily communicative approach to language. This approach emphasizes interactions in different contexts. What kinds of materials and media do you anticipate being exposed to and learning from in this Elementary German class? Can you think of any pros or cons to this approach? What do you expect to be able to do by the end of the semester?
I think we will be exposed to books and films, like maybe German literature or short German stories on YouTube. I think the pros are that we will be able to get used to hearing the pronunciation of words and hence build the confidence to say them ourselves, and also when it comes to the books, I believe we will get like a peek into Germany’s culture and history and basically learn about their civilization as a whole, which is really cool. I think the only con is that for the first few days, someone might not really understand what is really going on, but I’m sure by the end of the semester they’ll be up to speed because of the familiarization caused by the first pro. I expect to be able to read and hear/ listen to German as I understand it concurrently.
3. Imagine you are studying abroad in a German-speaking country. What would excite or concern you? What apprehensions might a beginner in a new linguistic and cultural environment have about the language learning process? What prior experiences do you have that may prepare you for immersion in a new linguistic and cultural environment?
I’ll be excited by the long words that are mouthfuls to say, such as radio, which can be “Rundfunkübertragungsanlage” and the diphthongs that utilize all the throat muscles to utter. I will be concerned if they speak as fast as auctioneers because I believe it will just end in disaster. It is definitely scary and confusing when you don’t understand what someone is telling you, no matter how many times they repeat it, but it’s also like a wake-up call from the comfort of relying on English too much. Although I do believe the process does take effect much sooner than just reading a book in a library or using Duolingo by itself. I actually have no prior experience of a new linguistic and cultural environment apart from coming to America for the first time, of which learning German is part of this experience as a whole.