Traditions and Transitions: Curricula for German Studies: 3 (WCGS German Studies) - Tapa dura

``Those teaching and those coordinating postsecondary German programs can learn from the experiences outlined in these studies. Here the argument is put forth that teachers alike profit from methodologically grounded self-reflection in the praxis of engaging other cultures, especially through the medium of a foreign language. Curricular reform efforts such as moves from "language" to "cultural studies" pose useful fields of study. This collection is intended to inspire institutions in Europe and North America to interact fruitfully in the future. Summing Up: Recommended '' -- J.M. Jeep, Miami University -- CHOICE, April 2014

Traditions and Transitions: Curricula for German Studies is a collection of essays by Canadian and international scholars on the topic of why and how the curriculum for post-secondary German studies should evolve. Its twenty chapters, written by international experts in the field of German as a foreign or second language, explore new perspectives on and orientations in the curriculum. In light of shifts in the linguistic and intercultural needs of today's global citizens, these scholars in German studies question the foundations and motivations of common curriculum goals, traditional program content, standard syllabus design, and long-standing classroom practice. Several chapters draw on a range of contemporary theoriesafrom critical applied linguistics, second-language acquisition, curriculum theory, and cultural studiesato propose and encourage new curriculum thinking and reflective practice related to the translingual and cross-cultural subjectivities of speakers, learners, and teachers of German. Other chapters describe and analyze specific examples of emerging trends in curriculum practice for learners as users of German. This volume will be invaluable to university and college faculty working in the discipline of German studies as well as in other modern languages and second-language education in general. Its combination of theoretical and descriptive explorations will help readers develop a critical awareness and understanding of curriculum for teaching German and to implement new approaches in the interests of their students.