ABOUT THIS BOOKPractical guidance for teaching languages from scratch in higher education, using German as a case study.
As entries for UK school exams in modern foreign languages decrease, this book serves the urgent need for research and guidance on ab initio learning and teaching in higher education. Drawing extensively on the expertise of teachers of German in universities across the UK, the volume offers an overview of recent trends, new pedagogical approaches, and practical guidance for teaching languages at the beginners’ level in the higher education classroom that will be useful for teachers of both German and other languages.
The first chapters assess the role of ab initio provision within the wider context of modern language departments and language centers. They are followed by sections on teaching methods and approaches in the ab initio classroom, including the use of music, textbook evaluation, effective use of flipped classrooms, and the contribution of language apps. Finally, the book focuses on the learner in the ab initio context and explores issues around autonomy and learner strengths.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHYUlrike Bavendiek is a senior lecturer in the Department of Languages, Cultures, and Film at the University of Liverpool. Silke Mentchen is a senior language teaching officer in the Faculty of Modern and Medieval Languages and Linguistics at Cambridge University. Christian Mossmann is a senior lecturer in modern languages and cultures at the University of Exeter. Dagmar Paulus is a lecturer and language coordinator in German studies at UCL.