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V. Advanced German Textbooks (Adult, C1) Sander, I., Köhl-Kuhn, R., Mautsch, K.F., Schmeiser, D., & Tremp Soares, H. (2013). Mittelpunkt neu C1 digital: Komplettes Unterrichtspaket auf DVD-ROM. Stuttgart: Klett. DVD-ROM, i18,99. «www.klett.de»
This textbook is a digital update to the previous Mittelpunkt text for adult learners at the C1 level. The DVD-ROM is an electronic version of the printed text materials including the textbook, workbook, and accompanying audio data intended for use with electronic whiteboards. Tests for eachlesson in the book can also be printed fromthe DVD.Likethe other volumes in the Mittelpunkt series, the text is entirely in German and has a companion website containing placement tests, vocabulary lists, lesson quizzes, and web links to the topics in each lesson. The website materials place heavy emphasis on book goals and "can-do" statements for learners as well as preparation for the various C1 level exams available from the Goethe Institut such as TestDAF and the DSH.
At first glance, Mittelpunkt neu is like many of Klett-Langenscheidt's other DaF teaching materials. The entire text is in German with interspersed images and activities. The DVD-ROM is particularly convenient for learners because the textbook pages link directly to the workbook activities for eachtopic.Imagescontainedin thetextareappropriatefor theintendedaudience, i.e., adults in daily living and career situations.
Asintheprintedition,theDVD-ROMisdivided into12lessons,eachfocusingonparticular vocabulary and grammar structures for daily life in a German-speaking country. Although the lessons repeat some topics learners who have progressed from Mittelpunkt B2 might have already seen, thetopics aremore contextualizedandincludelanguage instruction withinthe contextof a conversationof larger topics. For example,inthe lessononNetzwerke, the activities include direct instruction on how to communicate in business situations but also ask learners to consider thechallenges and implications of networkingin business,leadingto higher-levelcognitive demands and more complex language production. This contextualization is...