| “With every mistake we must surely be learning.” [George Harrison] |
Unterrichtsmaterialien [=Class/Lesson Materials]
| Semesterplan & Daily Lesson Plan Outlines Winter 2022 |
Course Components and Logistics
Course Methods, Policies, Help, Resources and Advice
Dozent: Hartmut Rastalsky; 3214 MLB
Sprechstunden: Montag 2-3 (Deutschlabor), Mittwoch 2:30-3:30 (3214 MLB), und nach Verabredung.
Lehrbücher
| Strongly Recommended |
Meyers Lexikonverlag: Wie funktioniert das? Technik heute. 6th ed., 2010 [ISBN: 9783411088560]
|
| Recommended | Martin Durell: Hammer’s German Grammar and Usage, 6th ed. [ISBN: 9781138853713] |
Wörterbücher
Linguee, dict.cc, and PONS are the best online dictionaries. Click on them in the sidebar! LEO and BEOLINGUS can also be useful.
- Dict.cc is easiest to use, has great “crowd-sourced” pronunciation samples, is great for technical terms, and has lots of handy tools (Note the “Wildcard Search” and “Desktop Integration” options!).
- PONS is great for choosing the right word.
- Linguee shows you translations in context and has great pronunciation samples.
- LEO provides easier access to noun plurals and verb conjugations, is great for technical terms, and has a great forum for tricky questions.
- BEOLINGUS provides messy results, but useful examples.
- If in doubt, check your results by a Google search and/or by comparing German and English Wikipedia entries.
- A very cool multilingual technical dictionary: Electropedia. Browse and learn!
If you want a paper dictionary, try:
- Langenscheidt Standard Dictionary German (Get the paperback version: much cheaper and easier to use!)
- The Harper Collins German Unabridged Dictionary is a great, comprehensive reference.
- Excellent comprehensive technical dictionaries are Brandstetter’s Wörterbuch der industriellen Technik and Langenscheidt’s Fachwörterbuch Technik und angewandte Wissenschaften, but these are VERY expensive, and liable to become outdated.
Notenschema:
| Anwesenheit und Beteiligung | 20% |
| Aufsätze | 20% |
| Hausaufgaben (Schreiben, Sprechen usw.) | 10% |
| Lesequiz/Hörquiz/Vokabelquiz | 30% |
| 1. Gruppenpräsentation | 10% |
| 2. Gruppenpräsentation | 10% |
Noten auf Canvas
You will receive letter grades for essays and presentations. These will be entered into Canvas as follows:
| A+ | 100 | C+ | 78 |
| A | 96 | C | 76 |
| A- | 92 | C- | 72 |
| B+ | 88 | D+ | 68 |
| B | 86 | D | 66 |
| B- | 82 | D- | 62 |
| E | 50 | NOT DONE | 0 |
Canvas will convert your numerical final grades to letter grades as follows (Please note: at the final grade stage, there will be only minimal “rounding up”: e.g. 92.95-92.99 may be rounded up to a straight A, but 92.50, 92.60, 92.70, 92,80, 92.90, 92.94 would all translate into an A-, not an A):
| 98-100 | A+ | 77-79.99 | C+ |
| 93-97.99 | A | 73-76.99 | C |
| 90-92.99 | A- | 70-72.99 | C- |
| 87-89.99 | B+ | 67-69.99 | D+ |
| 83-86.99 | B | 63-66.99 | D |
| 80-82.99 | B- | 60-62.99 | D- |
| 0-59.99 | E | ||
Quiz:
Most reading/video assignments will be accompanied by a “Lesequiz”/”Hörquiz” on Canvas, for which you will have one hour once you start it. Dictionaries are permitted, and you may work with one or two partners (in which case you should all submit your quiz at the same time).
- Quizzes are due at 12:55 pm, i.e. 5 minutes before class begins at 1:00. If you are still working on a quiz at that time, it will auto-submit!
- You will not be able to view a quiz after its due date ==> In order to submit a quiz after the due date, send me an email, and I can give you access to it. If you have a good reason for submitting it late (e.g. you were sick), you will get full credit; if not, 3 points will be deducted from your total score.
In addition, there will be periodic (announced) vocab quizzes in class.
Canvas Expectations
I expect you to check Canvas regularly for:
- Assignments in your assignment calendar (this includes reading the information/instructions in assignments for which there is nothing to submit!)
- Announcements: Enable notifications and check your email inbox daily OR: visit Canvas daily to check for new Announcements.
- Gradebook: Please check regularly to make sure you have gotten credit for all assignments you have submitted, quizzes you have taken etc. Please let me know within a week of a grade being entered if you think there may be a mistake.
- “A&P Tally”: I will enter a weekly “Attendance & Participation Tally” grade, as described below. I will use the “comment” section of the assignment to explain any deductions from the maximum number of points available each week. If you wish to contest an “A&P Tally” grade, YOU MUST DO SO WITHIN ONE WEEK OF IT BEING ENTERED. ==> Please check your “A&P Tally” grades regularly!
- When entering assignment grades, I will often add brief comments in the “comment” section of the assignment
- ==> Please check Canvas regularly for notifications about instructor comments. Gradebook comments do not generate email notifications ==> log into Canvas to see them!
Hausaufgaben: Information, Noten & Logistik
- For some assignments, you will be assigned to write “100 Wörter” about a text or video. Your 100 Wörter can be quite informal, a reaction to or a summary of what you read or saw, or something in between, and you can also include any questions you have.
- Occasionally, you will be asked to record yourself reading a passage, and to submit the recording via Canvas. I will give you feedback on pronunciation.
Submission Logistics
- All Assignments will be submitted as Google Docs via Canvas.
- To keep you homework files organized and automatically share your homework and essay Google Docs with me, create a folder on your Google Drive with
- our course name,
- your preferred first name (the name you would like me to use for you in class),
- and the initial letter(s) of your last name,
- e.g. “Deutsch 326–003 Jesse LH”
- AND give me edit access to this folder.
- For all written assignments (including essays), create a new document, include your name or initials at the end of the file name, and save the document in your “Deutsch 326–003 [your name]” folder. Click OK when the system asks you if you want to create and share the new document. [If you accidentally create the document elsewhere on your Google Drive, just move it into the shared “Deutsch 326–003 [your name]” folder and click OK when the system asks you if you want to create and share the new document.]
- Please remember to “Submit” your Google Doc via Canvas when you are done! Go to the Assignment on Canvas and click “Submit.” You will see 4 tabs: Website URL, Active Learning Platform, Dropbox, and Google Drive. Choose Google Drive, and navigate to your document to submit it.
Homework Grading
Homework is graded on a “check”/”check +”/”check -” scale based mainly on content:
- “Check” (2 points on Canvas): the “normal” homework grade
- “Check +” (3): outstanding content and/or outstanding German
- “Check –” (1): the assignment is late, too short or incomplete
- Missing assignments receive 0 points on Canvas
- I will translate your final “Homework Tally” grade into your actual Homework grade for the semester as follows:
- 125-150% ==> 100% for the final Homework grade
- 115-124.99% ==> 98% for the final Homework grade
- 96-114.99% ==> 96% for the final Homework grade (i.e. an “A”)
- 95.99% or less: Your final Homework grade will be the same as your “Homework Tally” grade.
- ==> To make sure you are on track for an “A” for your homework grade, look for an average of 96% or above in your overall Canvas Homework Tally grade.
Lesestrategien
Please think in terms of reading texts multiple times, instead of just once thoroughly!
- Set yourself a realistic time limit for how long you have to work with the text, and use that time efficiently, with the goal of understanding as many of the main ideas as possible before you start the quiz (for which you will always have one hour once you start it). Except in exceptional cases, your goal should NOT be perfect comprehension!
- Highlight phrases/passages you want to ask about in class!
- If I’ve provided a vocab list: (1) Look through the list once quickly. (2) Then read the text once quickly without stopping. In the back of your mind, try to “notice” a few words that would be good to know in order to understand more of the text. (3) Now read the vocab list more carefully, but still quickly. Note especially any words you “noticed” in step 2. (4) Finally, read the text again thoroughly. Use the vocab list as needed. Try to look up as few additional words as possible! (5) Do the quiz, and re-read as needed!
- If there is no vocab list (e.g. you are reading a text for an essay or presentation, or for “real life”): (1) Skim the text once quickly for the main idea(s). (2) Skim the text one more time to select a few words you think you will need to look up. (3) Finally, read the text one more time, carefully this time. Look up as few additional words as possible. (4) Do the quiz, and re-read as needed! Specific ideas for steps (1)-(3):
- Try to guess the meanings of unfamiliar words using the context, your knowledge of the subject, similarities to related English terms, etc. If your guess turns out not to make sense, then go back and look up the word.
- Spend more time on the important parts, less on minor details.
- When you see a word that you feel you “should” know (e.g. because you’ve come across it repeatedly), DO look it up if its meaning is not easy to guess from the context.
- Don’t feel guilty if you don’t look up every unknown word: feel guilty if you do!
Zoom Attendance Expectations
[Note: If you are in Ann Arbor and need to borrow computing equipment, please note the LSA Equipment Loan page, and/or the Sites @ Home laptop loan program.]
We will meet in person this semester. In case circumstances require us to switch to remote instruction at some point in the semester, the following expectations apply:
Attendance at all online class meetings is required during our scheduled class time. Please note carefully the following expectations. If you anticipate problems meeting any of these expectations, please let me know, and please don’t worry: of course exceptions will be necessary and possible for many reasons (e.g. connectivity issues, equipment or space limitations, religious or medical reasons, family constraints etc.)!
- Find a place where you can participate in class uninterrupted and where you can freely speak and practice your German during class.
- If possible, arrange a working space with a desk. There should be space for writing notes and for your book.
- Your screen and browser tabs should be as uncluttered as possible in order to efficiently navigate between your Zoom screen, our class Google doc, and any other resources used in class.
- Before class begins, please close all unrelated programs on your computer and mute your phone.
- You should be clearly visible on video during class. This is essential for interactions in a language course.
- If bandwidth issues come up during class and you have to stop your video, please write “Entschuldigung! Mein Internet ist schlecht. Ich muss mein Video abschalten [=switch off]” in the Zoom chat.
- For privacy, you could use a “Zoom background.” Click on “Choose Virtual Background” in the popup menu next to the “Stop Video” button in the Zoom toolbar, and choose/upload an appropriate image. Unfortunately, this option does not work on all computers.
- If you need to leave class briefly, please write “Ich komme gleich zurück” in the Zoom chat, mute your video, then step away.
- Please give some thought to clothing, lighting etc. Your face should be clearly visible (exceptions to all these expectations are possible – see above!!). Please dress as you would dress for an in-person class (pajama pants are OK!), even if the weather is hot!
- If you are uncomfortable with this policy, or any of our course policies, for any reason, please discuss options with me – I will be glad to hear from you!!
- Please note the following guidelines in order to avoid distracting others during class:
- Set your device on a flat surface, to keep the image stable.
- Your audio should generally be ON (unless I mute your/everyone’s audio or ask you/everyone to mute their audio) ==> Your environment should be quiet if possible. If this is not possible, please mute your audio when you are not speaking.
- Please do not eat (or smoke or vape!) during class. Having a beverage at hand is fine. [Students are normally welcome to eat in my classes, but eating on Zoom can cause distracting noises 🙁 ]
Breakout Room Advice
- If you are in a Zoom Breakout Room and you finish the assigned task before the rooms are closed, please reverse roles with your partner(s) and repeat the task that way (if possible), and/or simply keep repeating the task until the room closes. This repetition will be very beneficial to your learning, and for developing fluency. If repeating the task does not make sense, improvise a conversation in German 🙂
- Note the “Ask for help” button, which appears in your Zoom Toolbar when you enter a breakout room and allows you to ask your instructor to join your breakout room to answer any questions you may have!
Anwesenheit und Beteiligung
- Class participation is the most important part of this course. I will keep track of your attendance and participation by an “A&P Tally” grade on Canvas, as follows:
- Each day, you will earn two “attendance points” for coming to class, and two “participation points” for participating actively.
- If you are absent unexcused, you lose all four attendance & participation points for that day.
- If you are absent for an excused reason (e.g. documented medical, psychological or family issues; religious holidays; family events such as weddings, funerals or graduations; job interviews; musical performances or athletic events in which you are participating, etc.), you will still earn the two attendance points for that day, but you cannot earn participation points if you are not in class.
- Please explain ALL absences, even if the reason is e.g. oversleeping, or work for another course, so I don’t worry!
- Lateness: Loss of 1-4 points for that day, depending on how late you were.
- Inattention (inappropriate cell phone or laptop use, “zoning out,” etc.): Loss of one or both participation points for that day.
- Difficulty participating: The “A&P Tally” grade is primarily an effort grade, but it does have an achievement component. If you are in class and making an effort to participate, but you have noticeable difficulties understanding and carrying out partner activities and/or responding when called on, you will lose two (or one) participation points per week.
- Absence Make-Ups/Participation Bonus: You can earn 2 make-up/bonus participation points for attending events such as
- German Conversation hours facilitated by an instructor, e.g. Schokoladenstunde or German Convo on the Go
- Max Kade Kaffeestunde or Deutschtisch
- German Club events
- Actively engaging with an instructor in the German Lab for more than 30 minutes
- Attending my office hours for more than 30 minutes
- Occasional special events I may announce
- You can earn a maximum of 10 make-up/bonus points in the first 2 calendar months of the semester, and up to 10 more in the second 2 calendar months of the semester.
- I will enter “A&P Tally” grades weekly. I will enter a “Comment” in the “A&P Tally” score for that week whenever the grade is different from the “standard” four points per class hour. If you wish to contest an “A&P Tally” grade, YOU MUST DO SO WITHIN ONE WEEK OF IT BEING ENTERED. ==> Please check your “A&P Tally” grades regularly!
- ***If you have lost a net total of 28 or more points (the equivalent of 7 unexcused absences) in your “A&P Tally” by the end of the semester, your FINAL COURSE GRADE will be an AUTOMATIC E***
- I will translate your final “A&P Tally” grade into your actual Attendance & Participation grade for the semester as follows:
- “A&P Tally” of 96 percent or more ==> 96 percent for the final Attendance & Participation grade (i.e. an “A”)
- Only in very exceptional cases (“A+” level of participation throughout the semester), I may enter a higher final grade of 97-100.
- 95 percent or less: Your final Attendance & Participation grade will be the same as your “A&P Tally” grade.
- “A&P Tally” of 96 percent or more ==> 96 percent for the final Attendance & Participation grade (i.e. an “A”)
Course Recordings
Class sessions may be auto-recorded and made available to other students in this course. As part of your participation in this course, you may be recorded. If you do not wish to be recorded, please contact Hartmut promptly to discuss alternative arrangements.
Students are prohibited from recording/distributing any class activity without written permission from the instructor, except as necessary as part of approved accommodations for students with disabilities. Any approved recordings may only be used for the student’s own private use.
Präsentationen
Each of you is responsible for two group presentations, each no longer than 20 minutes (no longer than 15 minutes for groups of two). Grades for the presentations will be based primarily (40% each) on their content and comprehensibility, and also on the accuracy of your German (20%).
Presentations should be in German, and should be done using e.g. PowerPoint or Google Slides [==> Important phrases: “Nächste Folie” = “next slide”; “noch nicht” = “not yet”; “Zurück!” = “back!”]. You should focus your efforts on making what you say comprehensible to the other students in the class. In particular, this includes:
- giving your presentation based on minimal notes. No more than about 25% of the words you actually end up saying should already be on your Powerpoint slides. In addition, you may use one easily legible cue card for additional information such as technical data, statistics, and a couple of “prompts” as reminders for yourself in case you get stuck. Your partners can also prompt you if you get stuck; your group should discuss how you will handle this if it comes up. If you are reading your presentation, you can be sure it will be difficult for the rest of the class to follow ==> if you do not follow these guidelines, your “comprehensibility” grade will be a “C” or lower.
- using diagrams and key words on your PowerPoint slides to help the class follow along. Use multiple slides in order to divide the information you’re presenting into manageable “chunks.”
- making a handout.
- This handout should include
- a list of 10-20 vocabulary items. This should also be the first slide of your presentation, and you should begin your presentation by having the class repeat this vocabulary [“Wiederholen Sie bitte!“]–so be sure you can pronounce it!
- a 5-8 line summary of your main points. This should also be the second slide of your presentation, and you should read it to the class ==> it should not exceed 8 lines
- some questions to be answered by the class at the end of your presentation. These questions should also be the last slide of your presentation
- the guidelines above about not reading do not apply to these three slides (i.e. the vocabulary, summary and questions) 🙂
- You should bring copies of the handout to class to accompany your presentation. Please email me your handout as an attachment in Microsoft Word at least four days before your presentation, in order to leave time for me to correct it if necessary.
- If you do not make a handout, your “comprehensibility” grade will be a “C” or lower.
- This handout should include
Your presentation can (but need not) be based on a text from Wie funktioniert das, but should include some information that is not in the text. You could discuss any combination of the following topics:
- how “it” works
- what can go/has gone wrong with “it” and how this can be/has been fixed
- how “it” can be made particularly well
- how “it” could be improved/developed in the future
- a brief outline of “its” history/discovery/development. A list of names and dates by itself is not very interesting, but a brief indication of what aspects of the technology had been developed at each stage, and which were still missing, can be a great introduction to the presentation.
- interesting/unexpected applications of this technology
- if you can find information about a German/Austrian/Swiss company that manufactures “it,” you could describe any outstanding/characteristic features of the product as it is manufactured by this company
- it’s great if you can actually bring in an example of “it” (or parts of it) to show or even pass around during your presentation
- you should include more than just the information in Wie funktioniert das? Use German sources for any additional material in order to avoid translating from English, which would be likely to lower your comprehensibility grade.
If you plan for each of you to speak for about 4 minutes, chances are that each of you will end up taking about 5 minutes. Including the time it will take for
- your group to have the class repeat the vocabulary, and to read the summary to the class
- the class to answer the questions on your handout when you are finished
- the class (and myself) to ask you questions afterwards
…this should make your presentation be of the appropriate length.
Practicing for your Presentation & Avoiding Nervousness: It is a very good idea for you to practice giving your presentation out loud several times before you actually give it. You can either do this as a group, or individually. You should try actually saying out loud (quietly if necessary) all the words you will say in your presentation, using only the minimal notes on your PowerPoint slides and one notecard. Use a stopwatch when you do this, to make sure your part of the presentation takes about 4 minutes. If your part takes longer than 6 minutes, this will be a problem for the other group, and the other members of your group!
Eye Contact: Make eye contact [=der Blickkontakt] regularly with individual students in your audience (rather than looking at the class as a whole). This will give you a better feel for your audience, and will help your audience to be more attentive, and to understand you better. It’s also extremely helpful if you’re feeling nervous, because it changes the situation from you speaking to a big group to you speaking to a series of individuals in turn. You should be looking primarily at your fellow students, and at most occasionally at me.
Respectful Classroom Environment
This class really depends on all of us being comfortable interacting informally with each other, experimenting with the language, taking risks, and being playful. That makes what is important in every college classroom especially important for us: that the classroom should be a comfortable environment in which everyone feels welcome and respected. That means thinking about the things we say, not perpetuating stereotypes, and apologizing if we say something we didn’t mean. It also means that I really want you to let me know, in class or outside of class, in person or via email, if something happens in class that makes you uncomfortable – or if you believe your own words or actions have made someone else in the class feel uncomfortable – so that we can talk about how to make things better. If in doubt, please say something: I will always be happy to hear from you!
- Please look carefully at these Guidelines for Classroom Interactions!
- Note: If there are students in this class whom you know from your previous German course(s), then of course it’s great if you continue to enjoy working with these old friends – but please also make an effort to meet new people in this class, and be open to making new friends!
- In this context, please bear in mind the University of Michigan’s non-discrimination policy: The University of Michigan is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, height, weight, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.
Gender and Gender Pronouns in German
One simple way to maintain an open and inclusive classroom environment is to be mindful and respectful of our classmates’ gender identity and preferred pronouns for class discussion and speaking activities. This will also be good practice for all of us to have before visiting the German-speaking countries. The German language does not yet include any generally accepted pronoun options for non-binary gender identities (in part because the case system makes this complicated), but many options have been proposed. If you identify outside the gender binary or have any other concerns about gender pronouns, I will be happy to meet with you to find a solution that empowers you to comfortably participate in in-class language practice. This will include planning for how best to communicate this solution to your classmates, and how to set realistic expectations in a context where language mistakes of all kinds are an important and expected part of the learning process.
In the German language, nouns denoting people and professions also frequently have different forms based on a binary grammatical gender (e.g. der Student = the male student, die Studentin = the female student). In addition to being inherently problematic as regards non-binary gender identities, this has in the past led to absurd conventions such as using the male plural for mixed-gender groups, or ignoring the female forms of nouns when making general references to students, members of a profession etc. I will attempt to model an inclusive use of gendered nouns. This can be difficult to do consistently in German, and people differ as to how it should be done. Consequently, I may use multiple approaches. Please let me know if you have any questions about this as you proceed through the course!
Conversation Hours, German Club, and Max Kade Haus Events – making up absences
- German Conversation hours facilitated by an instructor, e.g. Schokoladenstunde or German Convo on the Go will take place weekly – look for weekly emails with more details. “All students at all levels are welcome to come and chat in German.
- German Club works to connect students of all levels with a passion for German language and culture to opportunities for language practice, cultural events, and networking! Come to as many or few events as you would like! German 101-232 students can make up absences by participating in German Club events. E-mail the German Club E-Board at germaneboard@umich.edu for more information and follow @umichgerman on Instagram to see what the club is up to!
- The Max Kade Haus is the University’s German Residence, located in North Quad. It hosts a weekly “Kaffeestunde” (informal conversation hour, perhaps with coffee) and a weekly “Deutschtisch” (same as Kaffeestunde, but over dinner), where residents and guests can chat informally in German.
- Look for a sign-in sheet at these events. The facilitator will inform me that you were there. You can make up 2 “A&P Tally” points by attending (for the full hour).
Help and Resources
- My office hours: Please take advantage of this resource – don’t be shy!!
- German Lab: Mon – Thu 1-4 pm. The German Lab meets virtually – sign up for the German Lab here. You can go to the German Lab for help with any kind of German-related question. You can ask for help with assignments, for grammar explanations, or you can just go to practice speaking.
- LS&A Academic Advising ((734) 764-0332; 1255 Angell Hall). If you are falling behind or doing poorly in one or more courses, or just want advice on how to study more effectively, please make an appointment to see an academic adviser as soon as possible: the earlier you try to address the problem, the better your chances of solving it. If you are not an LS&A student, please consult the Academic Advising Office for your school.
Disability Statement
The University of Michigan recognizes disability as an integral part of diversity and is committed to creating an inclusive and equitable educational environment for students with disabilities. Students who are experiencing a disability-related barrier should contact Services for Students with Disabilities https://ssd.umich.edu/; 734-763-3000 or ssdoffice@umich.edu). For students who are connected with SSD, accommodation requests can be made in Accommodate. If you have any questions or concerns please contact your SSD Coordinator or visit SSD’s Current Student webpage. SSD considers aspects of the course design, course learning objects and the individual academic and course barriers experienced by the student. Further conversation with SSD, instructors, and the student may be warranted to ensure an accessible course experience.
Mental Health and Well-Being
Students may experience stressors that can impact both their academic experience and their personal well-being. These may include academic pressures and challenges associated with relationships, mental health, alcohol or other drugs, identities, finances, etc. If you are experiencing concerns, seeking help is a courageous thing to do for yourself and those who care about you. If the source of your stressors is academic, please contact me so that we can find solutions together. For personal concerns, U-M offers a variety of resources, many of which are listed on the Resources for Student Well-being webpage. More resources for getting help and for maintaining your well-being proactively:
- The Well-Being for U-M Students Page. This is accessible via the toolbar all the way on the left on any Canvas page (where you see the Account and Dashboard icons. The “Well-Being” icon is at the bottom). Click on the “Find Resources” tab to access a a great interactive page that helps you see and choose from the wealth of resources available on and near campus. The “Well-Being Now” tab provides a gateway to some key resources, and the “Take a Break” tab links to a great “Virtual Recreation” page, as well as some short videos on topics ranging from Mindfulness and Meditation to Stretching, Cooking Demos, and “Cute Animals.”
- This page from the CAPS (Counseling and Psychological Services) website offers resources for Getting Help Right Away.
Student Sexual Misconduct Policy
Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, which includes sexual misconduct — including harassment, domestic and dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. We understand that sexual violence can undermine students’ academic success and we encourage anyone dealing with sexual misconduct to talk to someone about their experience, so they can get the support they need. Confidential support and academic advocacy can be found with the Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center (SAPAC) on their 24-hour crisis line, 734.936.3333 and at sapac.umich.edu.
Alleged violations can be non-confidentially reported to the Equity, Civil Rights, and Title IX Office (ECRT) at institutional.equity@umich.edu.
Confidentiality and Mandatory Reporting
As an instructor, one of my responsibilities is to help create a safe learning environment on our campus. I also have a mandatory reporting responsibility related to my role as Language Program Director for German. It is my goal that you feel able to share information related to your life experiences in classroom discussions, in your written work, and in our one-on-one meetings. I will seek to keep information you share private to the greatest extent possible. However, I am required to share information regarding sexual misconduct or information about a crime that may have occurred on U-M’s campus with the University. Students may speak to someone confidentially by contacting SAPAC’s Crisis Line at (734) 936-3333.
Academic Integrity: Essays, Quizzes and Homework
This course is governed by the prevailing Codes of Student Conduct and of Academic Integrity of the University of Michigan and the College of Literature, Science and the Arts (LSA). All work submitted must be original student work produced for this course, with proper quotation and citation of the contributions of others. Violations of Academic Integrity will be taken seriously and can in serious cases result in a failing grade for the course and/or referral to the LSA Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education. Click here to see the official LSA pages on Academic Integrity, including a quiz on Academic Integrity.
ESSAYS: The four essays you submit for this course are where this policy crucially applies. It is your responsibility to demonstrate that your essay is your work by following the guidelines for citing sources carefully. Failure to do so may result in a citation for academic dishonesty. These guidelines are integrated into each essay assignment. The guidelines for citing sources for essays are also available here.
Lesequiz/Hörquiz and other Homework: No Need to Cite Sources! The above instructions for citing sources apply only to the four essay assignments in this course. They do NOT apply to the Lese-/Hörquiz assignments or other regular homework assignments. Read on for more details!
Lesequiz/Hörquiz: You are allowed (and actually encouraged!) to work on these quizzes with one or two partners. If you do so, each partner needs to do the quiz, and you and your partner(s) must submit the quiz at the same time. Dictionary use is permitted. Any “unfair” method of obtaining the answers (e.g. by asking others who have previously taken the quiz) would constitute a serious case of academic dishonesty. Note: Use of online translators such as Google Translate or DeepL IS permitted. If you do use an online translator to analyze a sentence, take a moment after each instance to reflect consciously on what you have learned: this will make the difference between learning more and learning less!
Homework: You are allowed (and even encouraged!) to get help from others and to collaborate with classmates on homework. You may also use online translators and other sources without citing them. Although you are not required to cite your sources, I encourage you to do so if you have time. Practicing this will make it easier for you to cite sources for your essays, and allows me to give you better feedback. Above all, citing your sources in the manner described above will lead to significantly more mental processing of the new linguistic information, and thus to significantly more learning.
Classroom Culture of Care
LSA is committed to delivering our mission while aiming to protect the health and safety of the community. Our entire LSA community is responsible for protecting the collective health of all members by being mindful and respectful in carrying out the guidelines laid out on the University’s Health Response page.
In our classrooms all students are expected to adhere to the required safety measures and guidelines of the State of Michigan and the University of Michigan, such as not coming to class when ill or in quarantine. It is important to also be thoughtful about group gatherings as well as about classroom activities and exercises that require collaboration.
Any student who is not able and willing to comply with campus safety measures for this course should contact the course instructor or their academic advisor to discuss alternate participation or course options. For additional information refer to the University of Michigan’s Heath Response website and the OSCR Addendum to the Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities on the OSCR website.