Class Descriptions
Children's Classes
A first immersion into German for your toddlers ! Play, sing German songs and hear German with your child/children. Enjoy an hour with other Moms and/or Dads as you share your childs/childrens experience.
This class for children 1 1/2 to 3 years old is being offered on Saturday mornings from 9 to 10:30 am. Please contact the school by phone or email for further details.
Have fun and learn German!
Kindergarten I is the gateway for the youngest students to become acquainted with the German language. From colors to numbers to parts of the body to clothing and foods, lessons are presented using songs, games and crafts. Cultural events are also celebrated over the course of the year including German Day, St. Martins Day, St. Nikolaus, Christmas, Fasching, and Easter. This class is very “hands-on,” lively and active. Bring a smile and join the fun as you learn German!
Kindergarten 2 is a continuation of the basics learned in Kindergarten 1 for our younger students, ages 4 -6 years old. We build on and increase our vocabulary through the use of songs, games and role-playing. Activities such as drawing, coloring, some writing, and memorizing of short rhymes will be used to make learning German fun. The curriculum includes topics that will allow the children to understand and speak about everyday situations.
The goal of the Level 1 children’s class is to expand the child’s German vocabulary. The children build on concepts and topics that were introduced at the Kindergarten level. (There is also opportunity for new students to learn the vocabulary introduced during the previous year.) The Level 1 class is a two-year program. The Bärenspaß reader and workbook are used during the first year. Other materials and books are used during the second year to cover additional themes.
Activities at this level encourage the children to speak more through role play, everyday conversation, and puppetry. Some of the topics that are covered at Level 1 include the calendar, numbers and colors, animals, foods (role playing in a “restaurant” or purchasing items at a “fruit and vegetable market”), clothing, and the parts of the body. The children are introduced to many German songs and poems. German culture is explored through the celebration of holidays. Children learn while having fun – the children enjoy a variety of craft activities and seasonal projects to enhance their vocabulary.
Level 2 works with the textbook “Das neue Deutschmobil”. The topics cover different areas such as hobbies, animals, home, family, school etc.
Each lesson on these topics expands the student’s vocabulary and increases their ability to communicate in German. Students will not only develop their ability to communicate but also develop their listening, reading and writing skills. Grammar is also taught in an unthreatening manner. German culture and geography is an integral part of the class. Games and songs bring an added element of fun and excitement to the class.
Level 3 is geared towards the student ages 8 to 10, and directly continues the work begun in Level 2. Some of the main topics dealt with are birthdays, food and nutrition, hobbies, telling time, clothing, and traveling / geography. Studying these topics enables the students to broaden their vocabulary while applying various crucial grammatical structures such as singular / plural, conjugation of verbs, etc.
Overall, this class enhances the students’ oral and written skills in the German language as it is typically used in everyday situations.
Level 4 covers topics that integrate and go beyond the students' everday experiences. These include aspects of European and German geography and history, famous European , fairytales, health, moods and feelings as well as stories about friendship and courage. The students will practice their reading and listening comprehension as well as improve their written and oral communication skills. Grammatical concepts this year will include the use of the present perfect and simple past tense, modal auxiliaries, the dative case and sub clauses.
Level 5/6 enables the more advanced student to implement his/her previously acquired knowledge of the German language in a variety of contexts that are of interest to the young learner, in Level 5/6 typically aged 10 to young teenager. Vocabulary and grammar are reviewed and expanded, oral and written skills are reinforced and taken to a higher, more advanced level. Hence, this class serves as a thorough preparation for Levels 7 and up, in which students are, amongst other valuable learning experiences, preparing to take various standardized test in German.
In level 7/8 students will learn to communicate and interact in various social situations. They will respond to statements, as well as learn to start and uphold a conversation. Students in this class will take the AATG examinations. Upon completion of level 7/8, they will be able to understand fluent German speakers in everyday situations ,and communicate orally with increasing confidence and accuracy.
Children's - Level 9/10 SAT Prep
In level 9/10 students will review many grammatical structures. Students will be exposed to more advanced vocabulary and their writing skills are reinforced. Students in this class will be working toward taking the SAT II examination, while others work toward the AP exam.
Adult Classes
Text: Themen Neu 1 (Hueber) Ch. 1-6
This course is designed for students with no previous knowledge of German. German 1 focuses on basic communicative skills: speaking, writing, listening and reading. Talk about yourself and family, inquire about others, work and free time, including ordering in a restaurant and likes and dislikes of food . These are just a few of the topics in this course that make learning German fun.
The course is taught in German.
Text: Themen Neu 1 (Hueber) Ch. 7-10, Themen Neu 2 Ch. 1-5
This course is a continuation of German 1. It is also available to students who have acquired elsewhere a basic knowledge of German. The focus here again is on communicative skills : speaking, writing, reading and listening. Being sick, going to the pharmacy , inquiring about places in a city, giving presents for a special occasion or comparing the German school system with the American school system. These are some of the topics in German 2. The emphasis is on speaking and having fun.
The course is taught in German .
Text: Themen Neu 2 Ch . 5-10, Themen Neu 3 Ch. 1-5
This course is a continuation of German 2. An interim text may be used before starting Themen Neu 3. The text will be supplemented with many Langenscheidt Foreign Language readers throughout the year. The students learn to expand their vocabulary at a more rapid pace and learn to more readily express themselves.
The course is taught in German
This course is for advanced speakers.
The reading material consists of short stories of well known and not so well known authors , newspaper articles and other texts which are of interest to the students. Communication is an important part of the course, and topics of relevance are discussed in conjunction with the readings. Grammar is continuously reviewed and strengthened through exercises. Students are expected to write throughout the year on topics of interest to them or about topics relevant to the reading material.
The course is taught in German
