Review

Author(s): Ingrid Luchini

Review by: Ingrid Luchini
Source: Die Unterrichtspraxis / Teaching German, Vol. 22, No. 2 (Autumn, 1989), pp. 206-
207
Published by: Wiley on behalf of the American Association of Teachers of German
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206
Potential users need a firm grasp of grammatical
principles before using this book; sentences like "Die
Flexion der Verben nennt man Konjugation. Man sagt:
Die Verben werden konjugiert." (21) are misleading! I
would recommend this book not for classroom use but
for the teacher's preparation.
Jutta Bailey
American Graduate School
of International Management
IV. AV Material
Beile, Alice, and Werner Beile. Deutsch einfach
1. Bonn: Inter Nationes, 1987. 136 pp. Audio
cassette and book. Free of charge for educa-
tional institutions.
Deutsch einfach 1 ist eine neue Horkassette mit Be-
gleitheft im vielfaltigen Angebot an audio-visuellen Un-
terrichtsmaterialien von Inter Nationes. Das Lehrwerk
entstand durch Anregungen von Deutschlehrern, die
Horverstandnis gezielt schon im Anfangerunterricht
uben wollen. Es ist von besonderem Interesse, weil die
bisher zur Verfugung stehenden Horkassetten fast aus-
schliel3lich fur die Mittelstufe und fiir Fortgeschrittene
konzipiert sind.
Buch und Kassette bestehen aus vierzehn Lernein-
heiten. Jede Einheit enthalt einen Hortext in zwei Fas-
sungen, einer ersten, einfachen und einer zweiten, er-
weiterten Fassung. In der ersten Fassung wird langsa-
mer und deutlicher gesprochen. Die zweite Version
bringt in der Regel eine Erweiterung des Dialogs, mehr
Modalpartikel und Hintergrundgerausche. Die Texte
werden auch schneller und natiirlicher gesprochen. Je-
der Fassung folgt ein Ubungsteil mit Verstandnisfragen,
Anregungen zum Rollenspiel, Einsetzibungen und
Transferuibungen.
Aus mehreren Griinden eignet sich Deutsch einfach
1 als Zusatzmaterial fUr den Anfangerunterricht an
High Schools und Universitaten. Jede der vierzehn
Lerneinheiten hat neben einem kommunikativen auch
einen grammatischen Schwerpunkt, so da3 Lehrer, de-
ren kurstragende Texte vorwiegend grammatisch auf-
gebaut sind, leicht ersehen k6nnen, wie die Einheiten
in den Lehrplan passen. Die Horszenen bilden auch
eine thematische Einheit. Sie zeigen Ausschnitte aus
dem Leben zweier deutscher Familien und enthalten
zahlreiche Gesprache unter Bekannten verschiedener
Altersgruppen. Dieser Einblick ins deutsche Familienle-
ben betont mehr kulturelle Gemeinsamkeiten als Unter-
schiede zur Welt des Lerners.
Ein weiterer Vorteil sind der kreative Ubungsteil,
sowie die Fotos und die Stadtplane. Dem mehrmaligen
Horen vorzugebende Leitfraten nehmen einen wichti-
gen Platz ein. Leider ist der Ubungsteil nicht vom Text
getrennt. Da die Lerner den Text nicht sehen sollten,
ist das Begleitheft als Ganzes wohl nur fur den Lehrer
gedacht.
SchlieBlich ist die Zweistufigkeit der Lerneinheiten
eine vorteilhafte Neuerung. Obwohl Verlangsamung
der Sprache und Ausschlu1 von Hintergrundgerau-
schen umstritten sind, sind die qrsten Fassungen dieser
Hortexte dennoch gegluckt. Sie bieten dem Anfanger
Orientierungshilfen fur das eigentliche Ziel, das Verste-
hen der zweiten Fassung. Inzwischen liegt auch die drit-
te, freie Fassung vor, in der simulierte Dialoge frei ge-
sprochen werden.
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UP (FALL 1989)
Deutsch einfach 1 fullt eine Lucke im sparlichen
Angebot von Horkassetten fur Anfainger. Es ist vielseitig
einsetzbar und wird jeden ansprechen, der Horen kon-
sequent vom ersten Jahr ab schult. Weitere Materialien
dieser Art sind n6tig, damit Hoverstandnis endlich den
Platz im kommunikativen Unterricht bekommt, der ihm
zusteht.
Norbert Hedderich
Purdue University
Rach, Ruth. Just Listen 'n Learn German PLUS.
Ed. Brian Hill. Lincolnwood, I1l.: National
Textbook Co., Passport Books, 1988. (De-
veloped by Harrap Limited, 1985.) Hand-
book, 248 pp. 3 audiocassettes, 60 min. each.
$29.95.
Rach, Ruth (Story based on an idea by Saxon
Menne). Practice & Improve Your German.
Lincolnwood, Ill.: National Textbook Co.,
Passport Books, 1988. (Developed by Harrap
Limited, 1986). Handbook, xxiv + 176 pp.
Listening Guide, 175 pp. 4 audiocassettes, 60
min. each. $39.95.
Rach, Ruth (Story based on an idea by Saxon
Mennd). Practice & Improve Your German
PLUS. Lincolnwood, Ill.: National Textbook
Co., Passport Books, 1988. (Developed by
Harrap Limited, 1986). Handbook, xxiv +
162 pp. Listening Guide, 169 pp. 4 audiocas-
settes, 60 min. each. $39.95.
These excellent, relatively inexpensive programs
are designed for persons who possess at least a basic
knowledge of German and who want to learn more
conversational German in self-study. They could also
be used by students (third-year high school, second-
year college) in small groups, even though the author
warns that there should be no hard "work" associated
with them. Recordings have been done in Germany
and other German-speaking countries. Learners are
not expected to understand every single word at once;
they are encouraged to rewind the tape and use the
pause button on their tape recorder a great deal. One
can listen to the cassettes in a walkman while jogging,
on the car stereo while driving to work, on a cassette
recorder while doing housework. The entire script of
the readings as well as word lists, language notes and
grammar explanations and a vocabulary index are
found in the accompanying handbooks. Very detailed
and practical study guides are also given.
I. Just Listen 'n Learn German PLUS.
This program is grouped around 12 topics, essential
to "everyday communication needs." Each unit starts
with four dialogues spoken at near-normal conversa-
tional speed. Speakers' accents vary from the standard
"Hochdeutsch" to "Suddeutsch." An English speaker
explains procedures and situates the learner. There is
one type of speaking exercise on the tapes. An English
cue is "whispered" and the correct response in German
follows after a pause.
The textbook is attractively illustrated with black
and white photos, charts, cartoons, copies of realia.
There is a wealth of well-designed and varied exercises:
vocabulary, pictorial cues, puzzles, true or false ques-
JESPERSEN: BOOK REVIEWS
tions, completion, some translation. Key words and
phrases are listed. Grammar explanations are given
with each unit and appear to be highly practical.
A most enjoyable part of each unit is the radio sec-
tion with excerpts from authentic German radio pro-
grams (the transcripts are at the back of the book).
There are the standard "Wettervorhersage" and the
"Verkehrsbericht" as well as many commercials and
specials such as aerobic exercises, a horoscope and
"Ich habe ein Problem: von und mit Alexander Borell,"
all interspersed with lively music.
II. Practice & Improve Your German
The basic idea behind this program is to further
one's German knowledge through listening while one
is relaxed. The original music by David Stoll provides
the right atmosphere. Interest is kept high through a
continuous story: drama and language learning are
skillfully intertwined. The learners get an insight into
the working and "other" relationships of a "Verkehrs-
planungs-Ingenieur," Martin Winter, who finds his new
boss, Nina Lund, "mehr als sympathisch." While the
learners follow Martin Winter through his daily routine
and some unforeseen complications, they assimilate a
great deal of business vocabulary and business prac-
tices. The story is open-ended and the listeners may
speculate as to how it will continue.
The listening comprehension and speaking exer-
cises evolve naturally from the story. They are entirely
in German, which to this reviewer is a real advantage
over the English interruptions in Just Listen 'n Learn
German. They start with a review of the basics, such
as numbers, days of the week etc. in a real situation in
Winter's office (phone numbers, setting up "Termine,"
etc.). Just a few of the other excellent aural and oral
exercises are: "Gerausche-Was ist denn das?" (One
has to identify various office machines according to the
noise they make); "Auch ein Wort kann viel bedeuten"
(different meanings of a word depending on tone of
voice); "Wie begrui3t man gute Freunde?"-"Wie be-
spricht man Termine?"-"Wie schreibt man einen Ge-
schaftsbrief?"-"Wie geben Sie eine Stellenanzeige
auf?" "Was sagen Sie, wenn etwas nicht stimmt?"-
The sound effects are very good; the trained speakers
speak very clearly, sometimes a little too clearly.
In the Handbook, there are no detailed writing exer-
cises as in Just Listen 'n Learn German, but the objec-
tives of the program are clearly explained, valuable
study hints are given, a survey of German grammar
appears (10 pages), and an appendix lists grammar in
chart form (32 pages). Each scene is preceded by an
English-language summary and followed by lists of ex-
pressions and language notes.
The flaws are minor: In several scenes, it is difficult
to keep the voices of the secretary and of the boss
apart. In one reference to grammar, it sounds very
stilted when the question is: "Haben Sie ein Buch?"
and tJle answer is "Nein, ich habe keines." The German
word for "word processor," Textverarbeiter is not given.
On the whole, however, the entire program is very
enjoyable and conducive to a great deal of learning
without really noticing it.
III. Practice & Improve Your German PLUS
This program is designed like the more basic Prac-
tice & Improve Your German. We now follow the busi-
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207
ness and social life of Lilly Mohn, who tries to help
foreign students from South America find a place to
study and work in Germany. With the help of a reporter
from the Kolner Rundfunk, she is able to rally support
for all foreign students and finally lands a new job at
the Deutscher Gewerkschaftsbund as "Referentin fur
Studienplatze." The story should be especially appeal-
ing to university students since much can be learned
about student life and working conditions, but the story
also looks critically at prejudice and social injustice.
The many aural and oral exercises are based very
naturally on the story and prepare the student for real-
life communication. Here are a few examples: "Wie
fangen Sie ein Gesprach an?"-"Wie machen Sie ei-
nen Vorschlag?"-"Wie erklaren Sie Ihre Plane?"-
"Wie sagt man etwas, wenn man Uiberrascht oder
schockiert ist?"-"Wie berichten Sie uber einen Vor-
fall?"-"Wie k6nnen Sie erraten, was der andere sa-
gen will?"-"Wie konnen Sie ein Radioprogramm ver-
stehen, wenn der Empfang nicht ganz klar ist?"
All three programs are excellent for motivated learn-
ers, and will surely prepare them for holding their own
in a German-speaking country.
Ingrid Luchini
Mayfield High School
Las Cruces, New Mexico
V. Anthologies
Vivian, Kim; Richard H. Lawson; and Frank To-
bin, eds. Survey of German Literature. Vol. II:
Classicism to Naturalism. Lanham, MD: Uni-
versity Press of America, 1987. xii + 614 pp.
This anthology is directed at third- and fourth-year
students of German literature. Volume II covers the
period from 1787 to 1890, opening with Goethe's
Iphigenie auf Tauris and closing with the poem
"Herbst" by Hermann Conradi. A total of 36 different
authors are represented. Besides Iphigenie there are
dramas by Buchner, Grillparzer, Hebbel, and Holz and
Schlaf, seven novellas by Tieck, Kleist, E. T. A. Hoff-
mann, Gotthelf, Stifter, Keller, and Hauptmann, two
longer poems by Novalis and Heine, 90 shorter poems,
and three miscellaneous short prose excerpts.
Annotations to the text are found at the bottom of
each page. The notes are lexical and cultural in nature
rather than interpretive. They offer concise explana-
tions of words the editors feel might be hard to find in
a standard pocket dictionary or whose meaning departs
from standard modern usage. Although the editors
have grouped the works under the traditional rubrics
Classicism, Romanticism, Young Germany, Bieder-
meier, Realism, and Naturalism, they have chosen to
forego introductions to either the periods or the indi-
vidual works. Thus an instructor will have little diffi-
culty in casting the works in another frame if he or she
so chooses. A date is given for each work, but there is
no further information concerning the version of the
text the editors have adopted.
One reason the editors omitted introductions was
to maximize the space that could be devoted to the
texts themselves. The texts-which include line num-
bers every fifth line-have been typed rather than
typeset and then reduced in photo-offset. The good
result is that for a price under $28 students can pur-
chase a rich collection of texts in a single volume which