German language classrooms lack authentic materials, especially at the intermediate and beginner levels. Authentic materials are generally substituted for mock materials in the target language, which creates an unrealistic and inauthentic second language (L2) environment. Additionally, authentic materials are oftentimes reserved for advanced L2…

This dissertation contributes to the fields of (German) second language teaching and applied linguistics by critically examining ideologies of culture learning that manifest in the German integration course, a language/culture program established by the state for arriving refugees, asylum seekers, and third-country nationals (nationals from…

In recent years, researchers in the field of Second Language Acquisition (SLA) have become increasingly interested in the implications of sociolinguistic research for L2 learning. Among the many questions that arise are whether the development of sociolinguistic competence should be an instructional goal as early as the beginning level, and what…