German cinema is booming. More German films are reaching international audiences than ever. Just in the past few years several German-language films have won or been nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. German film is also gaining popularity in the language classroom as instructors discover its potential for providing learners with valuable cultural and linguistic input. However, we know that merely showing students a film in class with no preparation or follow up is not pedagogically sound. Previewing activities that provide students with relevant cultural background knowledge are essential in increasing students’ comprehension. Likewise, most students cannot make the leap between simply watching a film (a receptive skill) and discussing it in class or writing about it (productive skills) without guidance. Yet textbooks targeting intermediate- to advanced-level German courses are often limited in scope. Cinema for German Conversation is designed to fill this gap with its emphasis on preparatory activities and cultural information and incorporation of sequenced post-viewing exercises aimed at helping students gain skills in describing, discussing and analyzing films so that they may ultimately become more autonomous in their comprehension and interpretation of films. The book is informed by research in foreign language pedagogy and second language acquisition and aims to promote effective learning in line with the Proficiency Guidelines and National Standards for Foreign Language Education established by the American Councel on the Teaching of Foreign Languages.

This book is intended primarily for intermediate to advanced learners of German at the university level, though many of the films are appropriate for high school students as well. It could be used in language, conversation and composition, or culture courses taught in German. The films dealing with historical events would also complement German history courses. With ample materials for each of the twelve films treated in the book, Cinema for German Conversation could be used in a single semester or spread out across multiple courses. Instructors might consider incorporating one or two films in third- and fourth-semester language courses and then cover more of the films in subsequent third-year conversation and composition classes. This is a language textbook grounded in applied linguistic research and is not intended to introduce students to film theory, though it may be of use in undergraduate courses on contemporary German cinema. Some attention has been paid to cinematic elements such as performance, text, dramatic structure, lighting, visual effects, sound and editing, but this treatment is neither systematic nor is the book cast in a particular film theoretical framework.

Cinema for German Conversation offers students and instructors a wide variety of pre- and post-viewing activities for use in class or at home. Each chapter includes images and text from the film and authentic readings. The diverse topics covered in the films, which were all released since 2000, range from battles on the front lines during World War I to present-day rebels. Most importantly, this book should appeal to students, help them improve their language proficiency, and increase their knowledge of German history and their interest in German culture.