Pearson Edexcel A-Level German – 9GN0

Course Leader: Desiree Thompson – desireethompson@kba.uk

WHAT WILL I NEED BEFORE TAKING THIS COURSE?

A minimum of Grade 6 in GCSE German is required. Students should have a genuine interest in languages and a willingness to engage with German-speaking cultures.

WHAT WILL I DO?

Through A-Level German students will explore the changing face of German-speaking society, from family life, education and employment to immigration, politics and the challenges of the modern world. Students will study German cinema and literature through a specific film and literary text. Students will continue to build on their reading, listening, writing and speaking skills, and as their fluency grows, students will learn to communicate with greater confidence, being able to analyse authentic sources to develop their own research project on a subject that inspires them.

COURSE CONTENT

Students study four main themes, alongside two works. The themes explore the changing nature of society in Germany and the wider German-speaking world.

Theme 1: Die Entwicklung der deutschen Gesellschaft (The development of German society)

• Nature and the environment.
• The German education system.
• The world of work.

Theme 2: Die politische und künstlerische Kultur im deutschsprachigen Raum (Political and artistic culture in the German-speaking world)

• Music and its influence on society.
• The role of festivals and traditions across German-speaking countries.
• Digital media and its influence on society.

Theme 3: Einwanderung und die deutsche multikulturelle Gesellschaft (Immigration and German multicultural society)

• The impact of immigration on German society.
• The benefits and challenges of integration and immigration.
• Government and social responses to immigration.

Theme 4: Die Wiedervereinigung Deutschlands (The reunification of Germany)

• Society in East and West Germany before reunification.
• Events leading up to reunification, including the fall of the Berlin Wall.
• Germany since reunification.

GRAMMAR

Throughout the Edexcel A-Level German course, students build on their GCSE knowledge to develop greater accuracy, fluency and sophistication. They study a wide range of tenses, including present, past, future and conditional forms, alongside complex sentence structures and the subjunctive. Particular emphasis is placed on mastering the four cases (nominative, accusative, dative and genitive), adjective endings, word order, subordinate clauses, relative pronouns, modal verbs and separable and inseparable verbs. Students also develop their understanding of passive constructions, reported speech and idiomatic expressions, enabling them to translate accurately, construct complex arguments and communicate confidently in both spoken and written German.

LITERARY TEXT AND FILM

Students will study two works from the German-speaking world: either two literary texts or one literary text and one film. KBA's chosen route is one literary text and one film.

INDEPENDENT RESEARCH PROJECT (IRP)

The Independent Research Project (IRP) gives students the opportunity to explore a topic related to German-speaking culture or society that genuinely interests them. Students will develop their own research question, investigate it using authentic sources, including written sources in German, and form their own conclusions. During their speaking examination, they will present their findings and take part in a discussion with their examiner, demonstrating their knowledge, analytical skills and ability to express and justify opinions spontaneously in German. The IRP is an exciting opportunity to develop independence, deepen students’ cultural understanding and become an expert in a topic of their choice.

ASSESSMENT AND EXAMINATIONS

• Paper 1: Listening, reading and translation into English – 2 hours, 40% (based on all four themes).
• Paper 2: Written response to works and translation into German – 2 hours 40 minutes, 30% (based on the two works studied).
• Paper 3: Speaking – 21–23 minutes, 30% (based on a thematic discussion and the Independent Research Project).

WHERE CAN A-LEVEL GERMAN TAKE YOU?

Studying A-Level German opens up a wide range of opportunities at university and in the world of work. You could continue studying German or combine it with subjects such as business, engineering, law, politics, history or international relations. German is particularly valuable in industries such as international trade, manufacturing, engineering technology and finance, as well as careers in translation, interpreting, teaching, journalism, tourism and diplomacy.

As German is a major European language, speaking German can give you a competitive advantage when applying for jobs with international companies or seeking opportunities to work abroad. Alongside developing your language skills, you will gain confidence, cultural awareness, communication and analytical skills that are highly valued by employers across many industries.