GIS German Language Classes for Children and Teenagers

Classes for children and teenagers are open for registration.  Hurry – Early Registration (you get a discount) ends on Sunday, December 12, 2021.

We welcome all children and teenagers from the age of 5 to 16 years old interested in learning and exploring the language and culture of German-speaking countries. We offer classes for students with little or no previous knowledge in German and advanced courses for students able to cope in a German-speaking environment or who speak German at home.

Courses are available online or as in-person instruction on our campus in The Woodlands.

All our teachers are native speakers or possess comparable skills in German. We emphasize seasonal traditions and special events in German-speaking countries throughout the school year. German Unity Day, Saint Martin’s Day, St. Nikolaus Eve and Karneval are real highlights for our students. Here is an excerpt of the children practicing Die Weihnachtsbaeckerei.

We are affiliated with the Goethe-Institut, the official German cultural organization, and we are licensed to offer and administer the prestigious Goethe language exams, which are recognized world-wide as proof of language skills in German. For more detailed information see: https://www.goethe.de/en/spr/kup/prf/prf.html

Overview

Course Descriptions

Children from 5 to 7 years

Spielgruppe 1:  Children with little or no previous German

With a multisensory approach, our very young students with little or no prior knowledge of German can develop an early feel for and interest in the German language. They experience daily life – situations, seasonal German events, and get introduced to the German phonetic system. A very playful environment fosters learning. Students practice their first basic German words and sentences through engaging songs, interesting stories, fun games, creative art projects, and more. Our family-like groups offer an ideal nurturing environment with a great sense of community, where development and learning steps can take place individually.

Spielgruppe 2: Children with advanced German skills and German speakers

The main objective of this course is to let students who speak German at home or have some other advanced background in German focus on developing confidence in their communication skills and vocabulary expansion. They explore important everyday-life topics for children of their age and seasonal German events through engaging songs, interesting stories, fun games, creative art projects and more. They build a very strong and sound foundation for good reading and writing skills, as they learn to hear, identify, and use sounds and sound patterns in the German language. Our family-like groups offer an ideal nurturing environment with a great sense of community, where development and learning steps can take place individually.

Children from 8 to 11 years

Group 1: Basiskurs – Wir starten!

Classes taught in Modules 1-3 (Fall, Winter, and Spring Terms)

This course offers children with no or little prior knowledge a profound introduction into the German language. They learn German pronunciation and sound patterns and train these skills together with reading and writing from the very beginning. When reading, listening, speaking, and writing, they apply and consolidate first basic German vocabulary and phrases. Numerous engaging and interactive activities guarantee fun and variety and support holistic and action-oriented teaching. This course consists of three modules (fall, winter, spring). Homework is provided weekly for additional practice.

Group 2: Fit in Deutsch – A1.1

Classes taught in Modules 1-3 (Fall, Winter, and Spring Terms)

Children who have participated successfully in the course Deutsch Basiskurs – Wir starten! or have similar language skills learn to communicate successfully in everyday life – situations and develop confidence in all four language skills: reading, listening, writing, and speaking. A fun and age-appropriate environment is provided through a variety of engaging and interactive activities. Our techniques and resources stimulate students to take an active role in their own learning. This course follows the standardized guidelines of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) for the level of competency A1.1 and consists of three modules (fall, winter, spring). Weekly homework is provided for necessary practice.

Group 3: Fit in Deutsch – A1.2

Classes taught in Modules 1-3 (Fall, Winter, and Spring Terms)

This course is designed for children who have participated successfully in the course Fit in Deutsch – A1.1 or have similar language skills. Children continue to develop confidence in speaking, writing, listening, and reading while exploring new areas of daily life and immediate surroundings. A fun and age-appropriate environment is provided through a variety of engaging and interactive activities. Authentic cultural resources provide appealing opportunities to communicate in real-life situations. This course follows the standardized guidelines of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) for the level of competency A1.2 and consists of three modules (fall, winter, spring).  Weekly homework is provided for necessary practice.

To proceed to the respective next level, students must participate regularly and thoroughly in class and spend additional independent study time on vocabulary practice and revision. Successful graduates of the course Fit in Deutsch – A1.2 who are at least ten years old may take the Goethe Exam “Fit in Deutsch 1.”  We also recommend that the student participate in an additional exam preparation course is recommended, where students practice model tests and simulate real exam situations to become familiar with the demands of the exam, as well as with the procedures of this specific test.

Group 4: Native Speakers and Advanced German-speaking Children

Classes taught in Modules 1-3 (Fall, Winter, and Spring Terms)

Native speakers and children with advanced language skills able to cope in an exclusively German-speaking environment, explore current topics of young students in German-speaking countries. They have fun being engaged in a variety of interactive group tasks and develop strong relationships with their peers. They also benefit from each other’s strengths and different experiences with the German language but focus on their individual learning objectives and head towards their next level of proficiency. This course follows the standardized guidelines of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) and the curriculum of the Federal State of Bavaria in Germany. It consists of three modules (fall, winter, spring). Weekly homework is provided for necessary practice.

For additional information, please feel free to call or write to us at 713-822-4257 or angelika@germansouthwest.org