Worked example · MFL · Year 9
DCF: Citizenship → Identity, image and reputation
A secure Year 9 response and an answer key, annotated so you can see which success criterion each part meets. The key grammar points: after weil the verb goes to the end; after deshalb the verb comes next; und, aber, oder and denn change nothing. The model profile is 77 words and uses 6 connectives. Show this after pupils have tried the tasks themselves.
| German quote | English | What a stranger could do with it |
|---|---|---|
| Lukas Becker | His full name | Search for him on other websites and build up a picture of his life. |
| in der Gartenstraße 12 in Lindenau | His street address | Find his home. |
| Meine Handynummer ist 0160 9999 9999 | His mobile number | Contact him directly, away from the school website where teachers can see. |
| Montags bin ich von 14 bis 18 Uhr allein zu Hause | He is home alone on Mondays from 2pm to 6pm | Know exactly when he is on his own. |
| Vom 1. bis 14. August ... ist unser Haus leer | The house is empty from 1 to 14 August | Know when to burgle the house. |
| Mein Benutzername ... ist lukasB2011 | His username in a game | Find him in the game and message him there; “2011” may also give away his year of birth. |
The photo shows the house number and the street sign, so even someone who cannot read German can find the house from it.
Each item is quoted accurately in German, translated, and linked to a real risk. The pupil notices the hidden clue in the username. Evidences criterion 1.
| Safe to share | Think first, or ask a teacher | Never share |
|---|---|---|
| first name, age, country, hobbies, opinions about school subjects, a pet’s name | home town, school name (the pen pal’s school knows it, but the profile can be screenshot), a photo of your face (check the school’s rules) | full name, street address, mobile number, when you are home alone, holiday dates, a username for a game |
Mia gives nothing to reply to. Every sentence is a separate fact with no opinion or reason, so a pen pal has no question to ask and nothing to share back.
Accept a pet’s name under “think first” if the pupil explains that pet names are often used in passwords and security questions. The pupil sees that a safe profile can still give a poor impression. Evidences criterion 2.
(a) Jonas: ..., weil ich gern im Team spiele. The verb is the last word. ..., deshalb möchte ich gern einen Brieffreund in Wales haben! The verb comes straight after deshalb, before ich.
| Use | Joined sentence |
|---|---|
| deshalb | Ich mag Musik, deshalb spiele ich Klavier. |
| aber | Ich finde Mathe gut, aber ich finde Sport langweilig. |
| weil | Ich habe eine Katze, weil ich Tiere liebe. |
| denn | Ich sehe gern Filme, denn sie sind spannend. |
| weil | Ich sehe gern Filme, weil sie spannend sind. |
(c) Both mean “because”, but after denn the verb sind stays in second place, while after weil it moves to the end. Weil starts a clause that cannot stand on its own, so its verb goes last.
Every sentence has a comma before the connective and the verb in the right place. Common errors to look for: *weil ich liebe Tiere (verb not moved) and *deshalb ich spiele (verb not straight after deshalb). Evidences criterion 4.
Hallo! Ich heiße Ffion und ich bin 14 Jahre alt. Ich wohne in Wales und ich habe einen Hund. In meiner Freizeit spiele ich gern Netball, weil ich gern im Team spiele. Ich mag Musik, deshalb singe ich im Schulchor. Ich finde Deutsch interessant, denn die Sprache ist logisch. Mathe finde ich schwierig, aber der Lehrer ist sehr nett. Am Wochenende lese ich oder ich sehe mit meiner Familie fern. Was machst du gern in deiner Freizeit?
77 words. 6 different connectives, each with the correct word order and comma. Only safe information: first name, age, country, a pet, hobbies and opinions. 3 opinions have reasons (Netball, German, Maths), and the closing question invites a reply. “Mathe finde ich schwierig” starts with the object and still keeps the verb second, which shows confident German. Evidences criteria 2, 3, 4 and 5.
(a) Partner’s comment: “Safe: no town or school. Verb is at the end after weil. I would write back because you asked me a question and I also play netball.”
(b) I would like a screenshot of my profile to show that I am friendly and interested in other people, and that I made an effort with my German. It should not show anything I would be embarrassed by later or anything that tells people where to find me.
The reflection connects the profile to how the writer will be seen in the future, and to safety. Evidences criterion 6.
Hallo! Ich heiße Lukas und ich bin 14 Jahre alt. Ich wohne in Deutschland. Ich spiele gern Computerspiele, weil sie spannend sind. Ich reise gern, deshalb lerne ich Sprachen. Und du?
Wenn es regnet, sehe ich fern. (After a wenn clause, the next verb comes first: sehe.)