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Date: 27/4
Description: Reflexive Verbs

http://german.net/exercises/verbs/reflexive-verbs/

I was able to use the BBC Bitesize page on reflexive verbs (http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/german/grammar/verbsreflexiverev2.shtml) to solidify my knowledge in this area and gain a really confident understanding of when they will be used and the correct steps in their formation, because we did not have much time to intensively cover this type of verb conjugation. I then used the exercise to practice my application of these verbs into sentences. This exercise was useful because it gave me the opportunity to attempt using reflexives at different accusative and dative, present and past and different personal pronouns. The test allowed me to check my answers, so that I can identify any areas I was struggling on more than others and go back to re-attempt them until I had mastered it. Using this will help expand the complexity of my work, and will be something I will have to revise more thoroughly before the exam to ensure I am successful in using them.

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Date: 11/4
Description: Parts of the Body

http://www.german-games.net/germantutorial?topic=Body%20-%20parts%20of%20the%20body&level=primary

This tutorial is very specifically aimed, in its language and difficulty, to beginners so it was pretty much the perfect level for myself. It was enjoyable to be introduced to the vocabulary through the tutorial, with both written word and German audio with correct pronunciation for each one, before then going onto the games to test my knowledge of the topic in a fun and interactive manner. Also useful was the fact that it provided helpful revision tips, such as advising to write the words down as well as saying them, because this helps with remembering them. I will now continue to apply this technique with all new vocabulary I acquire. Again, the ability to re-listen to the audio files and replay the games meant I could analyse where I was going wrong and try again until I had mastered the application of each word. I must now use these words correctly in sentences of an appropriate context.

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Date: 24/3
Description: Perfekt Tense

http://www.nthuleen.com/teach/grammar/perfekttests.html

These tests were the best way I could practice what I had been learning and revising about the perfekt tense and put this into action. The tests vary in which verbs are used, some all of one type and some mixed, meaning they slightly varied in difficulty and I could attempt them according to how confident I was about understanding the rules of the perfekt tense and how apply it. I liked the fact that you could quickly check if the answer was correct and quickly have a re-attempt without losing other correct answers and having to re-submit them. Now I must advance onto constructing full written and spoken sentences with use of the perfekt tense to confirm I have a comprehensive understanding and can use it accurately in my work.

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Date: 15/3
Description: Present Perfect

https://deutsch.lingolia.com/en/grammar/tenses/present-perfect

For me the introduction of the present perfect tense has been one of the most challenging aspects of learning German so far. This article is very useful as it gives a clear overview of the tense- when to use it, why to use it and how to use it. It provides clear explanations of construction, a table which separates the past participles, and with which verbs to use each type with (there are comprehensive lists of each type of verb linked at the end of the article which allowed me to know when to use each version.) It also gives a clear list of exceptions- which otherwise would lead to overgeneralisation and common mistakes in my constructions.

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Date: 6/3
Description: Buying Train Tickets

http://www.bbc.co.uk/languages/german/talk/transport/

The main topic of the class and lab this week was how to deal with purchasing transport tickets. This BBC Bitesize video clip allowed me to affirm my understanding of the most important vocabulary and phrases in this area, which is very important to me as I am a keen traveller and visitor to Germany, so this will be something I can definitely apply and use in the future. The video is only short and basic, not covering a variety of potential queries, but certainly covers the most important and useful ones. It allowed me to listen to pronunciation so I could develop my own, pausing and replaying to keep attempting and improving.  I was able to clearly understand what was being used and why because it provides an optional for subtitles, and goes through at the end what was used by the 'actors' with an English translation. I enjoy this videos because I can learn at my own speed and then feel confident with my pronunciation and application in real-life situations, which is what I must do now when the opportunity next arises!

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Date: 1/3
Description: Word Order- Subordinate Clause

http://german.about.com/library/weekly/aa010910a.htm

I knew from the class that I needed to go back and look order the importance of when conjunctions impact word order in clauses. I found this website most useful as it looked in depth at how to order the sentences but gave really clear explanations with examples of how a subordinate conjunction and verb combine, especially with the use of colours for both items to make it clear which was which and how the order is different to English. Also, it provides a useful and comprehensive table of all the different subordinate conjunctions which I was able to print out, revisit and learn from, and then also a quiz to check how well I had understand the grammar lesson depending on my results (and if I needed to go back to the article and secure a better understanding.) I now need to ensure I make my writing more varied with use of these subordinate conjunctions and use what I have learned to ensure the word order is always correct.

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Date: 20/2
Description: Clothing and the Colours Game

http://www.babelnation.com/german/courses/01_07_7.html

This activity allowed me to examine my knowledge of two important areas of vocabulary. I could not only revisit the words themselves, but also work on my  pronunciation as they provided useful audio clips which I worked with. What was also useful about this excerise was that it helped with the important grammar rules as well as the basic vocabulary- in terms of gender, plurals and constructing potentially difficult sentences in German with the irregular verb 'tragen', a color (adjective) and a noun related to clothing. One problem though was that to check I was completing the entry correctly I had to reveal the correct answer immediately, not giving me much opportunity to go back and have another attempt.

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Date: 15/2
Description: Places and Locations Flashcards

I decided to create my own flashcards for important places and locations in a typical town/city, to help me practise and learn important vocabulary for both giving and asking for directions. Not only this, but these places are often crucial for conversations when visiting Germany and talking to natives, and so this is practical for me to learn this because it truly has a real-world purpose and will be really beneficial in future. The flashcards allow me to have a permanent way to revisit the vocabulary and test my knowledge, and helped me  learn visually (my preferred method) by connecting a photo of the place with the German word. I know need to make sure and practise using these important phrases in both my written and spoken work.

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Date: 7/5
Description: Oral Exam Practice- Conversation With Flatmate

Knowing that the oral examination is a face-to-face conversational situation with a partner, I realised I needed to practise these skills. Luckily, my flatmate studied German up to A Level and so was able to help me by holding a conversation with me, including the types of questions and answers I will need to provide in the oral exam. It was useful being able to gain confidence of using the language in a similar situation to the one I will come up against in the exam, and he was able give me feedback and suggest useful improvements on my pronunciation and grammar that I can act upon in further preparation for the exam.

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Date: 12/2
Description: Giving Directions In German Game

http://www.purposegames.com/game/giving-directions-in-german-quiz

I reviewed what we had learn in the first class of the module by playing this game which tested my new-found knowledge of German directions. The game was useful because it gave visual representations of each directional phrase along with the written text, allowing you to match them up. The fact it gave you multiple choices, some very similar, made the game exciting and difficult enough, and it was also good to be given the pressure aspect of going against the clock and only having a limited number of guesses- allowing me to retake the test to improve my score/time and see how my understanding was improving with regular practice.