Welche Sprache(n), wee und woozy linen? Deutschkurs am Intensivfremdsprachenzentrum CEIL Algerischer Universitäten

Abstract

Which language(s), wee and woozy linen? Deutschcourse at the CEIL intensive foreign language center of Algerian universities

Foreign language learning has become a must in Algerian universities in recent years due to its concrete importance in the higher education context and at the international level. Algerian students, lecturers (researchers) and university members have become aware in recent years about the need to learn and/or master at least one foreign language. In order to meet the increasing demand for foreign language learning in higher education, many Algerian universities have initiated intensive foreign language centers (des centers d'enseignement intensif des langues étrangères). Several world languages are offered for learning such as French, English, German, Spanish, Chinese, etc. Learning German occupies an important place at these intensive foreign language centers and is requested and/or offered at many settings at Algerian universities. This article first provides a brief overview of the German courses offered at these institutions and then specifically addresses the questions of the teaching and learning materials used, the curriculum and the various learning objectives of learning German. In fact, various steps can be recorded in the design or conception of a specific textbook for German learners at the intensive language centers of Algerian universities, which are briefly presented at the end of this article. First, the language needs and the learning goals of the German learners are considered in more details in order to create a general curriculum. Of course, the necessary basic elements of the German language must be made available to the CEIL German learners in the initial lessons. Later, after an intensification of the German learning in the sense of the intensive course, further linguistic means or competencies from the university area in Germany could be used in the textbook in order to meet the needs of learners. Last but not least, the linguistic requirements and the adequate communication needs should be taken into account in the textbook. Also, the learners’ autonomy should be promoted because the aim of this experiment (creating a specific textbook for the CEIL German learners) is to get the CEIL German learners prepared for independent learning of the German language. Instrumental motivation certainly has a positive influence on the achievements of the CEIL learners. Accordingly, the CEIL German lessons can be improved by the textbook and other practical materials to keep pace with the course developments.