At a glance
- Builds key German language skills at KS3 ready for GCSE
- A flexible two-level structure that can be taught over 2 or 3 years
- Provides logical grammar progression, vocabulary acquisition and language-learning strategies
- Supports the ability range with fully integrated differentiated activities
- Packed with content students will enjoy learning with a full suite of accompanying resources
- A bank of digital resources delivered through Kerboodle
MFL resources have got to be authentic, real and genuine so it is fitting that OUP’s latest offering is named Echt. These are print and digital resources with real distinction and class for supporting secondary German teachers and students.
The Echt series is particularly well-furnished and consists of 2 Student Books, 2 Kerboodle Learning, Resources & Assessments, 2 Kerboodle Books, 2 Teacher’s Handbook, 2 Workbooks and 2 Audio CDs.
The resources are penned by text book writing royalty Anneli McLachlan et al and so display pedagogical pedigree and creative flair throughout and provide students with the wide-ranging ‘language change’ and diversity of the target language.
Echt has two stages arranged into six brilliantly written units with each unit consisting of an introduction, core lessons, aspects of culture, grammar and pronunciation practice, vocabulary and tests along with bronze, silver and gold activities that reinforce or extend. There is also a shorter consolidation unit for students to develop their skills in a specific context.
The student books are colourful, exciting and inviting with plenty of high interest graphics and text that combine beautifully to engage and enthuse so students can absorb a new language interactively.
Progression is strategically built into the course so that students build and develop their grammar and vocabulary toolkits by cleverly merging print and interactive online materials via the superb Kerboodle platform which includes phonics videos plus record-and-playback speaking activities.
There are opportunities galore for students to develop their spontaneous speech and communicate in the target language dovetailed with a wealth of top-notch listening and reading material.
The Teacher’s Handbook is a quality toolkit in itself with clear and concise plans that detail step-by-step lesson plans for every unit which are easy to follow and with room to adapt and customise. These contain salutary suggestions and all the notes, roles, transcripts and answers with signposting of activities that build GCSE skills.
The digital resources in Kerboodle add plenty of value to the course and include a digital version of the Teacher Handbook, editable schemes of work, grammar presentations, assessments, worksheets and interactive activities. There are also digital student books which are ideal for front-of-class with all the audio for the activities.
These resources facilitate distributed practice because the content students are exposed to builds in plenty of regular and differentiated review and assessment opportunities so they encounter key learning more than once. This means language and strategies are built on, repeated and recycled to nudge and embed deeper learning.
There are diagnostic tests with self-marking grammar and vocabulary quizzes online that offer targeted feedback and these are mixed with end of unit assessments and GCSE-style assessments at two levels to help teachers and students identify areas needing more work.
Echt is the real deal.
The verdict
- Fresh and inspiring content that will allow students to dip, duck, dunk and submerge themselves in German
- Supports a planned approach to teaching vocabulary, grammar and phonics
- A truly blended learning solution for immersing students in the German-speaking world
- A comprehensive series that increases confidence, competence and ambition
- Expertly develops student’s language skills and their intercultural understanding
Upgrade if….
You are looking for a collection of materials with high quality authentic input for teaching high impact lessons.
Cost: see website for further details