FTCE German K-12 flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Four German cases

Nominative marks the subject, accusative the direct object, dative the indirect object or object of certain prepositions and verbs, and genitive possession. Case is licensed by syntax, verb, or preposition, not by word order alone.

Adjective ending types

Weak endings follow der/die/das; mixed endings follow ein/kein/possessives; strong endings occur with no article. The strong pattern supplies the case information the missing article would have provided.

Verb-second rule

In a German main clause the finite verb occupies the second position. If an adverb or object starts the sentence, the subject moves behind the verb: Heute gehe ich ins Kino, not Heute ich gehe.

Subordinate clause word order

After conjunctions like dass, weil, ob, wenn, the finite verb moves to the final position. Example: Ich weiß, dass er heute kommt. The conjugated verb is last.

Separable prefix verbs

Verbs like aufstehen, einkaufen, mitkommen split in main clauses (Ich stehe um sieben auf) but stay joined in the infinitive and in the past participle (aufgestanden, eingekauft).

Perfekt auxiliary choice

Most verbs form the Perfekt with haben. Verbs of motion and change of state, plus sein, bleiben, and werden, use sein: Ich bin gefahren, er ist geblieben, sie ist geworden.

ich-Laut and ach-Laut

The letter combination ch has two pronunciations. After front vowels it is the soft ich-Laut [ç]; after back vowels it is the ach-Laut [x]. Compare ich, milch with ach, buch.

Final devoicing

Voiced consonants become voiceless at the end of a syllable or word: Rad sounds like Rat, Tag ends in [k], und in [t]. Inflections restore the voiced sound: Räder, Tage.

Konjunktiv II forms

The general subjunctive uses hätte, wäre, würde plus infinitive, or umlauted past forms like käme, ginge. It expresses unreal conditions, polite requests, and hypothetical statements.

Kulturhoheit der Länder

Germany's sixteen states hold constitutional authority over culture and education. School curricula, textbooks, and Abitur standards therefore vary by state rather than being set nationally.

DACH principle

DACH stands for Deutschland, Austria, and Switzerland. German-language teaching covers all three standard varieties, including differences in vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation.

Swiss German spelling

Swiss Standard German replaces ß with ss, so Straße becomes Strasse and groß becomes gross. Switzerland has never used the eszett in official orthography.

Austrian vocabulary examples

Austrian German uses Erdapfel for potato, Jänner for January, and Sackerl for a small bag. These differ from Germany's Kartoffel, Januar, and Tüte.

du versus Sie

German distinguishes informal du from formal Sie. Sie is used with strangers, officials, and in professional settings; du is used with family, friends, and typically with students.

German school tracks

After Grundschule, pupils are usually separated into Hauptschule, Realschule, or Gymnasium. The Abitur from Gymnasium grants university access; the dual system provides vocational training.

Tag der Deutschen Einheit

German Unity Day falls on 3 October and is the national holiday commemorating reunification in 1990. It is the only national holiday set by federal law.

German federal organs

The Bundestag is the elected lower house, the Bundesrat represents the states, the Bundespräsident is ceremonial head of state, and the Bundeskanzler heads the government.

Krashen input hypothesis

Krashen claims acquisition occurs when learners receive comprehensible input slightly beyond their current level, termed i+1. Meaning is central; conscious grammar study plays only a monitoring role.

Affective filter

Krashen's affective filter describes how anxiety, low motivation, or low self-confidence can block intake of comprehensible input. Lowering the filter supports acquisition.

Interlanguage

Selinker's term for the learner's evolving internal rule system, which is neither the first language nor the target language. Errors in interlanguage are systematic and reveal rule construction.

Contrastive versus error analysis

Contrastive analysis predicts difficulty by comparing L1 and L2 structures. Error analysis examines actual learner errors and classifies them as transfer, developmental, or overgeneralization errors.

Communicative competence components

Canale and Swain identify grammatical, sociolinguistic, discourse, and strategic competence. Effective instruction addresses all four, not grammar alone.

Total Physical Response

Asher's method pairs spoken commands with physical movement, for example Steh auf! or Zeig auf die Tür. It builds listening comprehension before production and suits early learners.

Noticing hypothesis

Schmidt argues learners must consciously notice a form in input for it to be acquired. Tasks should therefore draw attention to target structures within meaningful communication.

CEFR levels

The Common European Framework describes proficiency from A1 to C2. A2 covers basic transactions; B1 marks independent use; B2 and above indicate advanced academic and professional ability.

ACTFL proficiency levels

ACTFL describes proficiency as Novice, Intermediate, Advanced, and Superior, each split into Low, Mid, and High. Descriptors focus on what learners can do with language in real contexts.

Backward design

Wiggins and McTighe's model plans in three stages: identify desired results, determine acceptable evidence, then design learning experiences. Assessment evidence is defined before activities.

Three modes of communication

ACTFL distinguishes interpretive communication (listening and reading), interpersonal communication (two-way interaction), and presentational communication (one-way speaking or writing). Tasks should cover all three.

Formative versus summative

Formative assessment is ongoing and feedback-oriented, such as exit tickets and quick quizzes. Summative assessment measures achievement at the end of a unit or course.

Analytic speaking rubric

An analytic rubric scores separate criteria such as comprehensibility, vocabulary, grammar, fluency, and cultural appropriateness. Each criterion receives its own descriptor and score.

Authentic assessment examples

Authentic tasks mirror real language use: reading a German train timetable, ordering food, writing an email to a host family, or interpreting a short news broadcast.

Target-language use with scaffolding

Sustained target-language instruction is supported by visuals, gestures, paraphrasing, sentence starters, and comprehension checks. Scaffolding keeps input understandable without switching to English.