What can I do to prepare for Year 12?

[clarke54321]

Hey Everyone,

Next year I will be completing German 3/4 and am keen to start preparing now. For those who have completed German 3/4, do you have any advice on how to take advantage of the summer holidays?

I find that my grammar is really strong, but my speaking isn't very natural on cue and my listening is quite weak. How can I overcome this?

Thanks! 

[mjorfian]

As someone whose second language is english, I can confirm that the best way to improve speaking and listening skills in another language is through:
- Constantly watching films - in your case German films with German subtitles - this familiarises you with correct pronunciations of words in various contexts while you get to read the subtitles at the same time.
- Constantly applying what you've learnt/know - even if you think your accent is a bit off.. Or you don't know how to apply words in the correct context.  Find another German buddy and converse with them every chance you get. This could even be an online friend that you could speak over the phone with!

When I moved to Australia,  I managed to become fully fluent in under a year (with little English knowledge before hand) simply because of the fact that I forced myself to speak to classmates at school 6 hours a day and .. Neighbours on channel 10..

I hope this helps!

[EEEEEEP]

I find that my grammar is really strong, but my speaking isn't very natural on cue and my listening is quite weak. How can I overcome this?
Thanks! 

As with any LOTE (language other than english), practice speaking and listening in the language.

FOr you I would say to:
> Speak with a German person
> Watch German movies, tv series or news (with subtitles on)
> Record yourself speaking and listen to it, have someone access it

[tennis1]

Don’t study too hard these holidays- you need the break, trust me.
But for German, you can definitely get ahead (without burning out) by exposing yourself to the language as much as possible.
Can confirm that to improve listening skills, just watch movies in German with German subtitles (I’d recommend watching Tatort TV show)
. Tatort is one of the most popular shows in Germany.
Also, just find clips online and try to write stuff down while you’re listening (try Deutsche Welle)

For improving vocab, spend about 15-25 min per day learning German. Try Quizlet, it’s a free app/website with flashcards that actually pronounces the words in German and it has pictures. You can make your own cards or use other people’s. it’s so amazing.

For reading, just find random articles online.

For speaking, I’d also say that the best way to improve is to actually talk to your German classmates/anyone you know that can speak German. Or you can make flashcards in Quizlet and try memorising answers (you can automatically listen to your answers with the German accent)
 

[vox nihili]

Hey Everyone,

Next year I will be completing German 3/4 and am keen to start preparing now. For those who have completed German 3/4, do you have any advice on how to take advantage of the summer holidays?

I find that my grammar is really strong, but my speaking isn't very natural on cue and my listening is quite weak. How can I overcome this?

Thanks! 

Don't go nuts over the holidays.

-watch some videos and listen to some stuff. SBS radio German is good...it's always spooky hearing Australian news in another language
-change Facebook into German and try to find some pages to like in German, or if you're on Twitter follow some Germans
-change your phone into German, too


These little things incorporate German into your daily life. You'd still be doing them, even if they were in English...so by putting them in German you literally get free study basically :p