German Language Classes for Children and Teens (2022 set draft)

The academic year 2024/25 at the German Institute for the Southwest consists of three permanent 10-week Terms, Fall (August 17 – November 2), Winter (November 16 – February 8), Spring (February 22 – May 17), and an optional Term during the summer for classes and workshops, depending on availability. These dates include a free makeup day for disaster or other unexpected school closures.

Our Fall Terms starts on August 17, for Saturday In-Person Classes in The Woodlands. There is an ONLINE OPTION on Tuesdays and Thursdays for those students who cannot make it to the in-person class. It is the same registration as in-person classes; you just need to indicate that you wish to participate in the online course. Special workshops also continue online, beginning on August 26, 2024.

Please mark angelika@germansouthwest.org  as an accepted and acceptable mail sender address in your email program.

Location. Our in-person classes take place at Spirit of Joy! Lutheran Church, 7550 Crownridge Drive, The Woodlands, TX  77382.

Online Classes. All online classes are held via Zoom.  You will need access to a computer, laptop, tablet, or phone connected to the internet.  If you have not downloaded Zoom, you can do so at zoom.us, or if you are outside the U.S., at the Zoom website for your country.

We reserve the right to cancel classes with enrollment of fewer than 5 students.

Click here to register and pay for all child/youth courses

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.

All our teachers are native speakers or have comparable skills in German. A particular emphasis is placed on seasonal traditions and special events in German-speaking countries throughout each current school year. German Unity Day, St. Martin’s Day, St. Nikolaus Eve, Weihnachten, Fasching/Karneval, Ostern, and Maifest are real highlights for our students.

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

Class Locations. Courses are available online or as in-person instruction on our campus in The Woodlands at Spirit of Joy! Lutheran Church, 7550 Crownridge Drive, The Woodlands, TX  77382.  Classes in Cinco Ranch/Katy and Fort Bend County are currently postponed while we search for a suitable location for our school.  Online classes are conducted via Zoom, and you can install a basic, free version of the program at zoom.us or the one available in your country.

Course Materials.  Except as noted, there will be a material fee of $35 for each in-person course, and intermediate and upper level classes will require purchase of books.

Proficiency Levels. Our students often have different levels of experience in the German language.  In order for proper placement of each student, we determine the level of proficiency on the first day of a course, and form the classes accordingly. For a description of our various classes and levels, please check this post on our website: https://germansouthwest.org/2021/12/09/gis-german-language-classes-for-children-and-teenagers/

Age Indication for Classes. We indicate the approximate age level of the students in the class in our course descriptions. However, if your child has a birthday during the Fall through Summer Terms and no longer falls in the age group, the student will remain with the teacher with whom the classes started in the fall.

Tuition Discounts. Returning students receive a discount of ten percent for in-person classes, and there usually is an early registration discount for each session (see below).

Cancellation. We reserve the right to cancel a course that does not have the requisite number of students enrolled.

FALL 2024 YOUTH CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS

Unlock a World of Opportunities – Learn German – the Language of Innovation and Culture – German Courses for Children, Pre-Teens and Teens – All Levels – Small Classes – Individualized Learning – Registration Below

10-Week Standard In-Person German Courses for Children and Teens – The Woodlands – Aug 17 – Nov 2 (No Classes on August 31, October 19); Makeup Day November 9, $495

25 Hours of Instruction – fuer Muttersprachler und nicht Deutsch sprechende Kinder – for heritage speakers and learners of German! OR

Online – 10-Week German Standard Classes for Children, Pre-Teens, and Teenagers, Age 8 – 15 years, Tue/Thu, 6:00 – 7:15 p.m., Aug 26 – Nov 5, 2023 (No Class on Oct 31), $495

25 Hours of Instruction – fuer Muttersprachler und nicht Deutsch sprechende Kinder – for heritage speakers and learners of German! These classes use the same curriculum as the in-person classes above. Just choose the class at registration.

Discover German Through the World’s Famous Paintings – 10-Week Online German Introductory Class for Children and Teenagers, Age 10 – 15 years, Mondays, 5:15 – 6:15 p.m., Aug 26 – Nov 4 (No Class on Sep 2), $225

10 hours of instruction. Participants build on their studies from the beginning course in the Winter Term, and continue to explore daily life situations in German and Germany through a variety of encouraging and interactive learning activities.
Course Material: paper, pencil, crayons, scissors, glue

To participate in the classes, the student will need access to a computer, laptop, tablet or phone connected to the internet.

ONLINE –  – 10-Week Conversation Courses for Advanced Beginners and Intermediate Pre-Teens and Teenagers (9-15 years) – Mar 30 – June 1 (Thursdays)

Steig ein in den Intercity Express – jede Woche eine neue Stadt! – Get on board of the ICE –
A New City Every Week!

This course offers young learners of German, who can already communicate with simple sentences about their immediate environment, the unique opportunity to review and apply their German skills in new areas, beyond what is taught in standard German books.

Participants visit well-known German cities on a train ride through Germany. In each place they encounter a special challenge that lets them consolidate and expand their vocabulary and communication skills in the areas of their immediate interests:  sports, art, nature, culinary arts, and education.

To participate in the classes, the student will need access to a computer, laptop, tablet or phone connected to the internet.

Online Classes – Thursdays – 5:15 – 6:15 p.m.

• 10 Classes – 10 Hours of Instruction – fuer Muttersprachler und nicht Deutsch sprechende Kinder – for heritage speakers and learners of German!
  • March 30
  • April 6, 13, 20 and 27
  • May 4, 11, 18, and 25
  • June 1
• Classes include breaks, if necessary
• Early Registration ends on Sunday, March 5, 2023 (you get a $10 discount)
• Regular Registration ends on Sunday, March 26, 2023
• Late Registration begins on Monday, March 27, 2023 (you pay $15 more for the course)
• Tuition:  $225 (Returning students receive 10% discount)
• NO REGISTRATION FEE
• No Materials Fee for online classes
• Registration OPEN – Please register here.

Private Tutoring Online – Stay on Top of German in Middle School and High School!

Customized Private Tutoring for students participating in a German program in Middle and/or High School

• • Get Ready for your next level in German
  • Flexible Dates and Times scheduled between student and teacher
  • Class Content tailored to the student’s level and proficiency
  • We help formulate your goals and objectives in your German learning
  • All of our teachers in this program either have Bachelors and/or Graduate Degrees or equivalent

Call us at 713-822-4257or write to angelika@germansouthwest.org so that we can get to work with you and your student.

Get Ready Online for your AP German Language and Culture Exam!

Customized Private Tutoring for the AP Exam:  AP German Language and Culture 2022.

• • We will prepare the student for the AP German Language and Culture Exam that tests in the following areas:
    • Multiple Choice – Interpretive Communication: Print Texts. This section consists of a variety of authentic print materials (e.g., journalistic and literary texts, announcements, advertisements, letters, charts, maps, and tables).
    • Multiple Choice with Audio – This section consists of a variety of authentic audio materials, including interviews, podcasts, public service announcements, conversations, and brief presentations.
    • Free Response Written – Interpersonal Writing and Presentational Writing
    • Free Response Spoken –  Interpersonal Speaking and Presentational Speaking
  • Flexible Dates and Times scheduled between student and teacher
  • The teacher will evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the student to maximize the tutoring sessions

Call us at 713-822-4257or write to angelika@germansouthwest.org so that we can get to work with you and your student.

2023 – 2025 IMPORTANT DATES – YOUTH CLASSES AND WORKSHOPS