AATG News

Fall Conference Information

Deborah Page, University of Cincinnati, AATG Representative

The fall conference is almost here.  The conference will be held November 1-2, 2013 at the Hyatt Place Hotel in Columbus/Worthington (614-846-4355).  Be sure to mention the Ohio AATG conference to get the special room rate of $95, valid until October 9, 2013.  Early bird registration for the conference is $40, if you register before that same day.  After that, registration will be $50.  If you are interested in a box lunch on Saturday, you will need to include that information with your registration.  Please contact me at deborah.page@uc.edu if you did not receive the conference mailing, and I will forward it to you.

Friday afternoon, we’ll start with a discussion on the SLOs so many had to complete.  Please bring along any that you have written so we can share.  We will also have an AATG webinar.  This is your chance to see how the webinars work.  You can join the group for dinner in a local restaurant, and we’ll have a Filmabend after that.

Tricia Fellinger, former AATG-Ohio president, will present on how to make the new Ohio Teacher Evaluation System (OTES) work to our advantage.  She’ll include tips on proficiency and assessment, as well as program promotion.  We will welcome Anka Fehling from the Zentralstelle für Auslandsschulwesen at the workshop as well.  Anka is responsible for supporting German programs in Ohio, as well as in other states.  There will also be a business meeting on Saturday, to which everyone is invited as we set priorities for the coming year.

This conference is a great opportunity to meet with other German instructors from around the state.  I hope to see you there!

AATG Launches New National German Exam

New Online Format – Registration Begins October 1

Mark W. Himmelein, University of Mount Union/Professor of German

The AATG has contracted with Quia Corporation to deliver the all-new National German Exam. Beginning this year, the exam will be delivered in an online platform that will allow for the addition of video clips as source material for exam questions. This delivery system will also give students the ability to pause audio and video materials, and replay portions as needed.  German teachers and students are invited to take the practice exams that reflect the structure of the new NGE. Each test is comprised of 100 questions divided into two sections. Section I assesses listening and viewing and consists of 40 questions, and Section II assesses reading and text completion and consists of 60 questions.

In order to take the practice exam, use of a personal computer with access to the Internet is required. Each computer should have a set of headphones so that the audio portion of the exam can be heard. System Requirements for the NGE are available here.  Results from the practice exam are available immediately upon submission. Ordering and registration for the 2014 National German Exam begins October 1, 2013.