die sonne und der mond : instructional strategies in grammar for german-speaking els jennifer meyer,...
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Die Sonne und der Mond: Instructional Strategies in
Grammar for German-speaking ELs
Jennifer Meyer, Ed. S.Jennifer Meyer, Ed. S.
Rutherford County SchoolsRutherford County Schools
German VideoGerman Video
Die Sonne und der MondDie Sonne und der Mond
The words die Sonne and der Mond, or the sun and the moon, historically shared similar noun case markings or declensions.
In Old English the sun and the moon were sēo sunne and se mōna: Sun was feminine; moon was masculine.
While German has maintained this complex system of noun case markings, modern English is more simplified.
Language NeighborsLanguage Neighbors
Cognates and German words we Cognates and German words we use in Englishuse in English
Alarm Fisch Hand Finger Mann mild Verb
Kindergarten
Angst
Gesundheit
Blitzkrieg
False CognatesFalse Cognates
Bad≠badAfter≠afterMist≠mist/missedChef≠chefeventuell≠eventuallyPickel≠pickle
Denglisch (Deutsch and Denglisch (Deutsch and English)English)
City=downtown
Handy=cell phone
Mobbing=bullying
Messies=hoarders
Beamer=projector
Comparing GrammarComparing Grammar
Aspect Temporal flow of action German: does not have the
progressive aspect (it uses adverbials to convey aspect).
Ich esse geradegerade ein Sandwich./I am eating a sandwich.
Comparing GrammarComparing Grammar
Aspect English: has the
progressive aspect Present Progressive: I am
eating a sandwich. Past Progressive: I was
eating a sandwich.
Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom The doctor is attending a conference in
Nebraska. [activity in progress] (Glenn & Gray, 2007)
Der Arzt besucht gerade eine Konference in Nebraska. [the adverb gerade ‘just now’ conveys the same meaning as the progressive is attending in the English sentence]
In the first example above, a German-speaker In the first example above, a German-speaker would just as likely say: would just as likely say: The doctor attends a conference in Nebraska. Whether the Whether the statement expresses an activity in progress or statement expresses an activity in progress or a regularly occurring event (the doctor a regularly occurring event (the doctor attends the same conference in Nebraska attends the same conference in Nebraska every year) would be clear to the German-every year) would be clear to the German-speaker from the context of the rest of the speaker from the context of the rest of the conversation or text. conversation or text.
Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom We are living in a trailer right now.
[temporary situation] Im Moment wohnen wir in einem
Wohnwagen. [the adverbial prepositional phrase im Moment ‘at the moment or right now’ expresses the same temporary situation as the progressive are living does in the English sentence]
In this example, a German-speaker might say: We live in a trailer at the moment. While this construction is close to being accurate in English, most native English speakers will find this statement slightly off, but might not be able to say exactly why.
Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom
Helpful Word Lists
Simple Present
Present Progressive
Never used in Progressive
everyday
now believe
always at the moment
be
usually today know
often this morning
love
sometimes
need
never like
hear
Think Pair ShareThink Pair Share
Look at the picture and think about the differences between present and present progressive aspects.
Talk to your elbow neighbor—discuss the questions.
Share your responses about the effectiveness of this activity with your table.
Comparing GrammarComparing Grammar
Tense German: Uses simple past
generally only for literature and writing. Present perfect is used in conversation. There is no difference in meaning.
Hänsel und Gretel verliefenverliefen sich im Wald.
Wir haben haben uns im Wald verlaufenverlaufen.
Comparing GrammarComparing Grammar
Tense English: Simple past and
present perfect have distinctive uses in English and change the meaning when used improperly.
I ate a sandwich. (means yesterday)
I have eaten a sandwich. (means just now, a few minutes ago)
Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom Tom has had a bad car accident. [expresses
an event in the recent past, with a connection to the present]
Tom hat einen schlimmen Unfall gehabt. [the German construction uses the present perfect like the English sentence]
Tom had a bad car accident. [expresses an event that happened in the past and has no connection to the present]
Tom hat einen schlimmen Unfall gehabt. [in German no grammatical distinction is made between these two grammatically different sentences in English]
Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom Vor kürzem hat Tom einen schlimmen Unfall
gehabt. Er liegt noch im Krankenhaus. [in the German construction, use of the adverbial prepositional phrase vor kürzem ‘recently’ and the clarification that er liegt noch im Krankenhaus ‘he is still in the hospital’ indicate that he is still experiencing the consequences of his accident]
Letzte Woche hat Tom einen schlimmen Unfall gehabt. [the use of the adverbial letzte Woche ‘last week’ indicates that this is an action that happened in the past and the consequences have all been resolved]
A German-speaker would in most cases always say: Tom has had a bad car accident, regardless of the connection to the present. Just as likely is the expression: Yesterday, Tom has had a bad car accident. For a native English speaker, this construction is inherently wrong. The adverbial yesterday is a clear sign for the need of the simple past.
Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom
past present
past present
Simple PastTom had a bad car accident yesterday.
Present PerfectTom has just had a bad car accident.
Tom’s accident
Tom’s accident
Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom
Word Markers for simple past: yesterday, last week, last month, a year ago, etc.
Word Markers for present perfect: just, now, yet, etc.
Comparing GrammarComparing GrammarVerb Conjugation
German: very complicated, with different endings for each person and number
gehento go
Singular
Plural
First Person
gehe gehen
Second Person
gehst geht
Third Person
geht gehen
Comparing GrammarComparing Grammar
Verb Conjugation English: relatively simple,
with an “S” added to third person singular
to go Singular
Plural
First Person
go go
Second Person
go go
Third Person
goes go
Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom He, she, it—das “s” muss
mit! ‘He, she, it—the “s” has to come along!’ (Schwarz, 1997).
Doch sei klug—ein “s” ist genug! But be clever, one “s” is enough! (Schwarz, 1997).
Doess he likess chocolate? With modal verbs, only one “s”
is needed!
Comparing GrammarComparing Grammar
Singular vs. Plural Noncount Nouns
Some are the same: Beans/Bohnen are
countable. (one bean, two beans)
Rice/Reis is not. (one grain of rice, two grains of rice)
Comparing GrammarComparing Grammar
Singular vs. Plural Noncount Nouns
English and Singular
German and Plural
news Nachrichten
information Informationen
furniture Möbel
United States
Vereinigte Staaten
vacation Ferien
Applications for the Applications for the ClassroomClassroom
PracticePracticePractice
Small Group Small Group CollaborationCollaboration
Create a short activity for Aspect, Tense or Conjugation
Writing Reading Listening Speaking
QuestionsQuestions
Jennifer Meyer, Ed. S.
Rutherford County SchoolsEagleville School/Rockvale Elementary School
Email: [email protected]
Website: http://www.res.rcs.k12.tn.us/TEACHERS/MeyerJ/MeyerJ.html
Sources/ResourcesSources/ResourcesRetrieved February 3, 2012Retrieved February 3, 2012
Glenn, C. and Gray, L. (Eds.). (2007). Hodges’ harbrace handbook (16th ed.). Boston: Thomson Higher Education.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vincent_Willem_van_Gogh_128.jpg
http://www.barewalls.com/ix-post-impressionism-sunflowers.html
http://www.roebuckclasses.com/105/regions/europe/eurohuman/europeanlanguage.htm
Meyer, J. (2008). A Comparison of German and English Grammatical Structures: Applications for the ESL Classroom. (Unpublished graduate research paper). Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN.
Schwarz, H. (Ed.). (1997). English G 2000: Band A1 für das 5. Schuljahr an Gymnasien. Berlin, Germany: Cornelsen Verlag.