Stationen

Each chapter begins with a “Station” section that introduces the city or region to be studied with an introductory reading, pertinent statistics, a timeline of important events in the history of the city or region, a profile of a famous local personality, and web-based activities featuring local websites to help students grasp the theme and the content of each station.

The “Einblicke” section in each chapter introduces a cultural theme in connection with a particular event, person, or issue, making difficult topics (such as the modern implications of the Holocaust) more accessible through their relationship to current events.

At the end of “Einblicke” the “Videoblog” spread offers activities around the accompanying video consisting of videoblog footage from eleven cities in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland that directly complements chapter content and addresses the cultural topics of the text. Students will get to see everyday life through authentic interviews and images of public spaces which helps them to understand different aspects of life in the various German-speaking countries.

Chapter activities take students from literal comprehension to a reflective understanding of the material at hand. While these activities are designed to relate to the specific theme of the chapter being studied, the authors also encourage students to make connections between the chapters to strengthen their understanding of the “big picture” of life and culture in the German-speaking countries.

“Lektüre” sections in each chapter present students with authentic readings by well-known authors and from German media sources, accompanied by pre- and post-reading activities, including a capstone activity that connects the reading to the “Station” from the start of the chapter.

Grammar presentations and activities are embedded throughout the “Station” and “Einblicke” sections, with a focus on the needs of the intermediate student such as practicing complex structures, using the subjunctive, becoming sensitized to aspects of genre and style, understanding context, and identifying regional differences of use.

Vocabulary is presented in the “Grundwortschatz” basic vocabulary list as well as the more reading-specific “Wortschatz” lists in the “Einblicke” and “Lektüre” sections to both reinforce and expand students' knowledge. In addition, one or two “Wörterbucharbeit” dictionary activities are included in each chapter to promote independent vocabulary expansion and to help students practice their dictionary skills.