Grade 5 Communicating

It is expected that students will:

• respond to simple classroom instructions and questions
• exchange introductions
• express likes and dislikes
• interact in known and predictable classroom situations

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Communicating in other grades click on an icon below.

For many students, this is their first exposure to a second language. Since Grade 5 sets the stage for years to come, students' experiences should be non-threatening, rewarding, and enjoyable. Give students every opportunity to hear, repeat, and play with the language.

• Establish with the class daily routines in German and print some of them on a poster or chart along with visual cues to aid students' comprehension. Have students, working in pairs, take turns playing the role of teacher, with one student in each pair giving instructions while the other responds.
• Ask students to introduce one another using frames such as the following:
  • Guten Tag. Ich heiße _____________ . Wie heißt du?
  • Ich heiße _____________ . Ich bin ____________ _Jahre alt.

  Then have students in pairs expand the frames and ask one another questions. (e.g., Wie alt bist du? Wo wohnst du?) Record students' responses and encourage them to create and present simple dialogues based on the interviews.

• Have students brainstorm a list of well-known personalities. Ask them to create posters based on their favourite celebrities and identify them by answering question frames related to each celebrity's name, age, place of residence, and career.
• Suggest that each student conduct a class survey of student preferences (e.g., foods, games, books). Brainstorm vocabulary such as:
  • Was hast du gern (nicht gern)?
  • Ich habe _____________ gern (nicht gern).
  • Was ißt du gern (nicht gern)?
  • Was spielst du gern (nicht gern)?
  • Was liest du gern (nicht gern)?
  • Was magst du gern (nicht gern)?

  Challenge students to graph their findings to determine the things most students enjoy.

Students often feel awkward when they first attempt to communicate in a new language. As they begin to feel more comfortable in a supportive environment, they gain satisfaction from exploring and demonstrating their new skills. Assessment should encourage risk taking and participation rather than emphasizing correctness.

• As students participate in communication activities, observe and note evidence that they:
  • listen actively to follow instructions
  • choose the appropriate expressions from those they have practised
  • approximate German pronunciation
  • take risks to speak German
  • experiment with German sounds and words
  • participate willingly in classroom activities in German
  • support and encourage one another
• When students are introducing one another using conversation frames, note the extent to which individual students:
  • attempt German pronunciation
  • use the parts of the frames in logical sequence
  • speak more than once
• When students work in pairs to create simple dialogues, collaborate with them to develop a short list of criteria they can use to provide feedback to other pairs as they practise. For example, the criteria might specify that the dialogue:
  • include at least three logical questions and responses
  • be spoken entirely in German
  • be understandable
• Self-assessment is an important part of language learning. As students develop and practise language skills, have them keep track of what they know. For example, they might maintain learning logs in which they record such things as:
  • observations and reflections about their learning
  • personal picture dictionaries
  • lists of new vocabulary
  • interesting things they have learned

Print Materials

• Neue Horizonte - Overhead Transparencies
• Zauberei auf dem Eis

Note: Additional information will be provided as soon as resources to support learning outcomes are identified.

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