Can no longer stand German.....

highlydebased

As per title. Only after starting into 5th year, but already I'm lost. Doing honors, did honors for the JC and got a C. I thought I was better than that, but maybe I'm not...so my confidence dropped in the language

3 weeks into 5th year and I'm lost. What doesn't help is that my teacher is not very affirming or positive at all. What got me thinking about it was the teacher laughed at me today (shock) for not knowing something. Unfortunately, the only place for me to go is back to pass, there is no other honours class, and I can't drop the language as its the only foreign language I am studying.

Would there be any suggestions as to what I could do to try improve in the subject by work myself. I've tried learning off vocab but its not much help as I'm still rather lost. I cannot quite afford to be getting grinds, and I don't know anybody else thats any way good at it either......


thankies

PILOT

i was in the same position as yourself when i was into my last year of german....leaving cert is a huge step up from jc. from mid october onward your classes would be devoted mainly to the oral..do a good oral and that is a good chunk of your work done!!! i will warn you dat once the oral is finished the technicalities of the language have to be learned...it is soooo hard you write up your problems on dis forumn then somebody would answer your questions!!!

KnifeWRENCH

Don't drop down to pass until you've 5th year out of the way. You may get better as the year goes on.
I didn't do German myself (and I know it is meant to be quite difficult) but I think you should keep with Higher Level at least until you start 6th year. Ideally you should keep it up until the Pres. (This goes for any subject btw)

K4t

People usually say that LC German is easier than LC French. Is there any truth to this?

Anyway, I have just entered 6th year doing honours french and for someone who did the bare minimum for the last 5 years, except pay attention in class, I'm finding it simple enough! As long as you have the basics in grammar and a good vocabulary, you're grand. There are lads besdie me doing honours and I know they'd be capable of honours.

Don't drop down. Put in some extra work at the weekends. You'd be surprised how much an extra hour or two a week could make. Do all your homework too. You'll be near top of the class in no time I guarantee you if you get your head down.

Piste

German grammar is very tricky, I'd recommend getting a book called "Ubung Macht Den Meister". It covers all the main points of grammar and has tons of excercises for you to practice.


Every day in German class ttake down new words in a notebook and learn them that night. At the back of the notebook note down any new points of grammar you come across in class.

Conor108

K4t wrote: »

There are lads besdie me doing honours and I know they'd be capable of honours.

you mean they're doing pass?

K4t

Conor108 wrote: »

you mean they're doing pass?

Yes

LizT

Hey saw this thread and though I would reply!

I know exactly how you feel, got a c in honours german myself in junior cert. Just did the leaving cert this year and I got an a2 in honours! The best advice I could give you is to try to really focus on you sentence building and word order. German is very stuctured and has lots of rules and the only way you can really learn them is by actually sitting down and studying them until you know them like the back of your hand.

but the thing that I believe really helped me was Euro Languages. If you can afford it I would definately recommend that you do one of their course this year. Feel free to pm if you need anymore info.

LizT

K4t wrote: »

People usually say that LC German is easier than LC French. Is there any truth to this?

Yes there is, imo. The german oral is a lot easier as you learn picture sequences and roleplay beforehand, so not as much time is spent on general questions. The examiner will really just ask you the basics ie family, school, future plans, hobbies etc.

The actual written exam is easier in one aspect and that is that german student only have to do a letter and an auzerung ( a small paragraph)

But at the end of the day it really depends on the student. Some people just can't grasp certain languages and will always find french easier than german or vice versa.

Piste

I think the german comprehensions are a lot easier too. There are only two pices of written work compared to French which has three or four.

K4t

Then why the f**k don't my school give the option of doing German? :mad: French is piss easy!

andyman

If you're struggling, get grinds. Seriously.

Piste

K4t wrote: »

Then why the f**k don't my school give the option of doing German? :mad: French is piss easy!

Well the paper is easier but the language is harder so I guess it evens out.

philologos

Piste wrote: »

Well the paper is easier but the language is harder so I guess it evens out.

German is harder than French? I never would have thought considering that German bears a strong similarity to English.

KnifeWRENCH

I wouldn't say Leaving Cert French is piss easy!
Junior Cert French is very easy, but Leaving Cert is quite a big step up.
Maybe if they made the Junior Cert course some bit tougher, it would prepare students better for LC.

I suspect the same situation would work with German - a lot of people in my school found JC German easy but LC German extremely difficult. Maybe the Junior Cert course should be made a little tougher?

JohnG18

I know how you feel I felt the exact same way and I gave up doing any work in class mainly because of the teacher. The one thing that got me a pass in Honors was the oral. I loved the oral and it was really easy. It DRAGGED my written paper up to a pass. So if your struggling with the written just remember the Aural and Oral are worth a good bit.

decdec456

I want an A1 next August and I know that is only possible with Grinds with i am promptly starting in October

without them the highest I can reach is C1 or B3

German ist hard

highlydebased

Ooops sorta forgot about this thread

We've been doing some pass exercises just to get us started into them before moving onto the honours ones, and I was even struggling with the pass exercises (like the note or auserung or whatever its called)

I try to learn off the vocab but it doesnt seem to stick. I'm not too worried about doing too well in it as in the end it probably wont be used for points as I'm doing 8 subjects including LCVP so I'm well covered for points....I just hate failing miserably at a subject regardless!!