Summer 2017 GNS Courses
GNS offers a range of exciting courses this summer, offered both online and on campus. See descriptions below.
GERMAN 101/401 – First Semester German
GERMAN/JEWISH 267 – Yiddish Song & the Jewish Experience (online)
SCAND ST 475/LITTRANS 275 – Hans Christian Andersen
SLAVIC 101 and SLAVIC 102 – First Year Russian
SLAVIC 117 and SLAVIC 118 – Second Year Russian
SLAVIC/THEATRE/CURRIC 362 – Drama for Teaching & Learning
For the most up-to-date listings see the Course Guide.
Please contact our Undergraduate Coordinator for more information.
Information about Enrolling in Intensive Russian Language
For the summer 2017, the Slavic program will offer two sets of intensive Russian language classes for first year Russian and second year Russian. The accelerated program condenses one year of Russian study into an eight-week summer session. Students must enroll in the courses in pairs:
First Year Russian: SLAVIC 101 and SLAVIC 102
Second Year Russian: SLAVIC 117 and SLAVIC 118
UW-Madison students may enroll in these courses following normal procedures and do not need prior approval.
Students not currently enrolled at UW-Madison may still be eligible to take these course. Such students, including high school students, would need to apply for admission as a “special student” through UW-Madison’s Continuing Studies office.
Course Descriptions
German 101 – First Semester German
Jun 19 – Aug 13, 2017, MTWRF 9:00-10:50AM
Instructor: TBD
Prerequisites: Open to first-year students
(This course is also offered for graduate students as German 401.)
Presumes no knowledge of the German language. In the course students learn basic vocabulary around topics such as classroom objects, daily routines, descriptions of people and objects, simple narration in present time, etc. German 101 covers material presented in the textbook VORSPRUNG from Kapitel 1 to Kapitel 6. Students read and discuss “real” texts (written by and for native) speakers from the start. Grammar is explained using examples from these texts as well as from a graphic novel, told in installments, that traces the journey of an American exchange student, Anna Adler, to the university in Tübingen as well as her adventures once there. The course also offers basic cultural insights and comparisons that are further elaborated on in second-year courses. Testing is done in increments of chapter quizzes; there is no midterm and no traditional final exam. Students also complete writing & reading assignments as well as matching assessments, all with a take-home component. There are two oral projects. Class participation is encouraged and an attendance policy is in place. This course cannot be audited.
Required texts:
Lovik, Guy, and Chavez. Vorsprung, 3rd edition (Cengage) and bundled e-book license(access to iLrn). Check the course Learn@UW site for information on options for purchasing the required materials.
Recommended texts:
Cecile Zorach and Charlotte Melin. English Grammar for Students of German. Olivia & Hill Press (latest edition) and a good German/English English/German dictionary.
German/Jewish Studies 267 – Yiddish Song and the Jewish Experience
Jun 19 – Aug 13, 2017
Taught ONLINE
Instructor: TBD
Prerequisites: None. Open to Freshmen. Fulfills Ethnic Studies requirement. Does not fulfill foreign language requirement and cannot be applied towards German major but may be counted toward the major as cognate course.
Satisfies Humanities Breadth and Ethnic Studies requirements. Counts as Liberal Arts and Science credit in L&S.
Language of instruction: English
Using the medium of Yiddish song to explore the culture and history of Jews in the diaspora, we will focus on their experience as a minority first in Europe and then in the United States. Facing discrimination, oppression, and marginalization on both sides of the Atlantic, Jews used Yiddish song as a vehicle to express their pain as well as their pride. The goals of this course are to increase students’ capacity to value the unique qualities of Yiddish song as a reflection of the Jewish experience by appreciating the depth of expression conveyed in its sounds and its lyrics, as well as to gain insight into the process of immigration and acculturation in the United States from the perspective of a persecuted group, the challenges it faced in confrontation with new forms of discrimination and marginalization, and the outlet this group found in the performing arts for documenting their struggles and for finding a creative niche in their new surroundings.
Learning Objectives:
To gain insights into Yiddish song as an expression of the modern Jewish experience
To develop an appreciation for Yiddish language and culture
To develop listening and interpretive skills
To increase understanding of life and culture of marginalized groups in the United States, both historically and in contemporary times
Assignments: Each week all students prepare online assignments at the course’s Learn@UW site. These include reading, listening, and film viewing, followed up by a brief comprehension quiz. Students will then work in various ways to engage actively with the material. These activities include interpreting songs, debating contemporary issues, and writing response pieces.
Course requirements: regular quizzes and short written responses, final paper.
There is no text required for purchase for this course.
Scand 475/Lit Trans 275 – The Writings of Hans Christian Andersen
June 19 – July 16, 2017, Lecture: MTWR 10:20AM-12:50PM
Discussion for SCAND ST 475: R 1:00-1:50PM
Instructor: TBD
Prerequisites for SCAND ST 475: 2 years of Scand language or consent of instructor
Prerequisites for LITTRANS 275: Open to Freshmen
Satisfies Literature Breadth requirement. Counts as Liberal Arts and Science credit in L&S. Honors optional (%).
Andersen is a splendid storyteller–he entertains us well–but in order to dispel some common, but sorely mistaken, notions about him, please keep in mind that Andersen is not a sweetly amiable, pleasant, sentimentally naive and childlike storyteller. He can pretend to be all that, but the best of his tales have a sting; they are humorous, but darkly so; and they probe into moral and existential issues that remain with us. Hans Christian Andersen loved to tell stories to children, but he loathed the reputation that he was only a children’s author. His stories explore the human soul and deal with its complexity. Do not expect simplicity–expect the opposite! In this class, we will examine a number of Hans Christian Andersen’s tales, well-known as well as not well-known, while we also explore Andersen’s 19th century context and how he can still speak to us today.
Slavic 101 and 102 – Intensive First Year Russian
For the summer 2017, the Slavic program will offer two sets of intensive Russian language classes for first year Russian and second year Russian. The accelerated program condenses one year of Russian study into an eight-week summer session. Students must enroll in the courses in pairs
June 19 – August 13, 2017
Instructor: TBD
Welcome to First Year Russian! In this course you will learn how to: read, write and pronounce the letters and sounds of the Russian alphabet; become acquainted with speakers of Russian in informal and formal settings; request and receive information; make simple statements, ask and answer yes/no questions; say goodbye; say where someone lives; exchange telephone numbers; ask to whom something belongs; link topics of conversation; express dismay and delight; express judgment and emotion, including strong feelings and opinions; express indirect questions; talk about sports, professions and music; express possession, location, and permission; give commands; talk about academic matters (university life and studies); express that you can or want to do something; talk about likes and dislikes, liking and loving someone or something; talk about past and future events; use some time expressions; recount what someone else has said; make inquiries and requests; express location; express going places; say when something happened; say that someone is glad or ready; express arrival or departure; describe prices and quantities; express possession; explain where someone is from; express needs and obligations; discuss theater, film, the weather, travel; make comparisons; express frequency; discuss learning and teaching; discuss what you want to be or become; single out a person or thing from a group; express absence; express need, permission, possibility, prohibition, shame, boredom and other states; describe people and things; talk about eating (always important!); make indirect requests; tell time; emphasize things; describe temporary states; ask for suggestions and advice; describe your interests; talk about summer plans; talk about dining out; AND MORE!
The course grade for this course will be determined according to the following formula:
Class Participation 15%
Homework 15%
Composition 5%
Vocabulary Quizzes and Dictations 15%
Unit Tests 20%
Final Examination 15%
Oral Examinations 15%
Required Texts:
START: The Sound and Writing
Russian Stage One: Live from Russia Volume 1 2nd edition (textbook, workbook, CD and DVD)
Russian Stage One: Live from Russia, Volume 2 2nd edition (textbook, workbook, CD and DVD)
Optional Texts:
5,000 Russian Verbs and All their Inflected Forms
Big Silver Book of Russian Verbs
English Grammar for Students of Russian
Russian-English, English-Russian Dictionary (Katzner)
Slavic 117 and 118 – Intensive Second Year Russian
For the summer 2017, the Slavic program will offer two sets of intensive Russian language classes for first year Russian and second year Russian. The accelerated program condenses one year of Russian study into an eight-week summer session. Students must enroll in the courses in pairs
June 19 – August 13, 2017
Instructor: TBD
Welcome to Intensive Second Year Russian! After completing this course, you will be able to: talk about yourself, your interests, and people you know; discuss university life, dining, theater, music and ballet; express opinions and preferences, convey surprise, regret, doubt and consolation; format letters and emails, find useful information on the Internet, use proper phone etiquette; make plans for travel and tourism; ask for, give and receive directions; recall important Russian cultural figures and read excerpts from famous works of literature; write and edit short written compositions on a variety of topics; deliver 3-5 minute presentations on topics of interest; and much more!
Completion of the Intensive Second Year Russian or the equivalent is the prerequisite for participating in UW-Madison’s study abroad program in Russia.
The grade for this course will be determined according to the following formula:
Class Participation 15%
Compositions 10%
Homework (excl. compositions) 15%
Quizzes etc. 15%
Unit Tests 20%
Final Examination 15%
Oral Examinations 10%
Required Texts:
V Puti: Russian Grammar in Context (Second Edition) by Kagan, Miller and Kudyma
Packet should include: Textbook (TB), Student Activities Manual (SAM),
A Reference Grammar for V Puti by Gasperetti, and a Russ-Eng/Eng-Russ dictionary.
Note: all audio and video components for the course are available online at
http://www.russian.ucla.edu/vputi/
Additional resources:
Russian-English, English-Russian Dictionary [Katzner (1 vol) or Oxford (2 vol)]
Big Silver Book of Russian Verbs OR 5,000 Russian Words and All Their Inflected Forms
English Grammar for Students of Russian
Schaum’s Outlines: Russian Grammar (James S. Levine) OR A Comprehensive Russian
Grammar (Terrance Wade)
All textbooks are available at the University Book Store on State St. If using Amazon.com or other online bookseller, be sure you purchase the second edition of both the Textbook and the Student Activities Manual, as well as the Reference Grammar.
Slavic/Theatre/Curric 362 – Drama for Teaching & Learning
MTWRF 12:00-3:30PM
May 30 – June 18, 2017
Location: UW-Madison Eagle Heights Community Center
Instructor: Bridgett Vanderhoof
Open to first-year students
This is a methods course useful for all involved in teaching and learning, including foreign languages. Introduction to philosophy, methodology, and practice of the use of drama and performance techniques in any educational or recreational settings. Focus on creativity and embodied and contextual learning, based on current neurological, psychological, and sociological research. A practical class which includes demonstration and practice with children.
This class meets in the Eagle Heights Community Center on campus and works with the PreK class in the Eagle’s Wing Childcare Center. Free parking is available at the Community Center, and the 80 bus, which picks up throughout UW campus, takes students free of charge to the Community Center.