BA, Queens College. MA, MPhil, Graduate Center of the City University of New York. Special interests in New German Cinema, German Romanticism, contemporary German authors, and 20th-century art history. Translator of articles on German music; contributor to Pro Helvetia Swiss Lectureship. Monika Maron Symposium chairperson, Ghent University, Belgium. SLC, 1987–
Previous Courses
German
Beginning German
Open, Seminar—Year
This course concentrates on the study of grammar, vocabulary, and pronunciation in order to secure the basic tools of the German language. In addition to offering an introduction to German grammar and vocabulary, classroom activities and the production of short compositions promote oral and written communication. This class will meet three times (90 minutes) per week. Ms. Mizelle will also meet with students individually or in small groups for an extra conference. Course materials include the textbook, Neue Horizonte, along with a workbook and a graded German reader that will allow students to start reading in German after the first week. We will cover at least 12 chapters from the textbook—all of the basic grammar and vocabulary that students will need to know in order to advance to the next level. There will be short written tests at the end of each chapter. Students will also be introduced to contemporary German culture through authentic materials from newspapers, television, radio, or the Internet.
Faculty
Intermediate German
Intermediate, Seminar—Year
This course places strong emphasis on expanding vocabulary and thoroughly reviewing grammar, as well as developing oral and written expression. The aim of the course is to give students more fluency and to prepare them for a possible junior year in Germany. Readings in the fall will consist of fairy tales, short stories, poems, and three novellas by the Austrian writer Stefan Zweig. Students will give several oral presentations—on a fairy tale, a German city, a German artist or intellectual. In the spring semester, we will use Im Spiegel der Literatur, a collection of short stories written by some of the most famous German writers, such as Thomas Mann and Bertolt Brecht. All materials are linguistically accessible and promote an understanding of the culture’s fundamental values and way of looking at the world. A solid grammar review, based on the book German Grammar in Review, will help students further improve their speaking and writing skills. Regular conferences with Ms. Mizelle will supplement class work, help improve fluency and pronunciation, and emphasize conversational conventions for expressing opinions and leading discussions.