Improving German proficiency

Norwegian students study less German during their high school careers than they used to, and consequently have weaker language skills when they come to NTNU’s language studies programmes. In response, NTNU is now offering an intensive and practical language course in cooperation with the Goethe Institute in Oslo.

“We are very pleased with our agreement with the Goethe Institute,” says Ingvald Sivertsen, head of the Department of Modern Foreign Languages.

International Language Certificate

The course is currently designed for undergraduate students in their 3rd semester, with four hours of lectures a week.

“Students describe the program as intensive and challenging,” says Bettina Nordland, lecturer. Her efforts prepare students for the university’s 7.5 credit examination in language proficiency.

For an extra NOK 2000, students can also take a so-called ZOP (Zentrale Oberstufenprüfung). If they pass this examination, they are awarded a language certificate that certifies that their skills are at the C2 level.

Nearly native speakers

“C2 is a level just below native language skills and is quite high,” explains Petra Bisalski, head of the language department at the Goethe Institute in Oslo.

Bisalski is also likely to be the students' external examiner this autumn. The language levels have been created by the European Council and are recognized internationally. Thus, the certification will serve as a linguistic passport to German-speaking universities, which often require that students be able to speak and understand German at the C2 level.

Skill-building necessary

Previously, students had strong language skills when they came to NTNU to study German. They might have been on an exchange in Germany, for example, and returned to Norway to study German literature and culture.

“We cannot expect this today,” says Folkvord. “We have closed our eyes to this for a while, but we now see that we have to face the facts. We cannot just tell people that they must have strong language skills. We need to create an experience that lifts them to that level.”

Evaluated at Christmas

Even though basic language skills have received more focus in the programme, including a six-week programme in Kiel during the second semester, the department has trouble bringing students to a high enough level to write a master’s thesis in German. The department believes its new approach will provide the necessary push.

“We can hope,” says Sivertsen.

“Absolutely,” says Nordland.

The course is being offered as a pilot programme this autumn and will be evaluated at Christmastime. The course currently has 15 students, but the capacity can be increased.

Relevant for engineering students

“This course might also be of interest for engineering students who will study in Germany, Austria or Switzerland,” Sivertsen says, who added: “If this is as successful as we think it will be, we see an opportunity to expand it.”