AATG 2017 December Newsletter

Newsletter American Association of Teachers of German, Inc.

Volume 52, Number 6, December 2017

In this Issue…

Message from the President Nashville Convention in Pictures 2017 Award Winners Holiday celebrations with ΔΕΦ Summer Opportunities 2018

Highlights from the EINSHOCH6 US Tour AATG launches Centennial Campaign Musik im Unterricht News from the Goethe-Institut Updates from ZfA

A Word from the President Geschätzte AATG-Mitglieder, wie Sie bereits wissen, ist am 31. Dezember meine Amtszeit als Ihr Präsident zu Ende. Diesem Abschied sehe ich mit einem lachenden und einem weinenden Auge entgegen. Zum einen freue ich mich auf neue Herausforderungen, Chancen und meine wohlverdiente Ruhe, zum anderen werde ich die schöne, kollegiale und erfolgreiche Zusammenarbeit mit Ihnen wirklich vermissen.

Ich bin sicher, dass mir bestimmt vieles in guter Erinnerung bleiben wird. Die Möglichkeiten, die mir durch dieses Amt gegeben wurden, haben meinen Horizont nicht nur erweitert, sondern auch in viele mir unbekannte Richtungen vorangetrieben. Und das war auch gut so!

Hiermit möchte ich mich ausdrücklich für die effiziente, freundliche Zusammenarbeit unseres AATG-Vorstands bedanken, der mich in vielen gemeinsamen Projekten und konstruktiven Diskussionen zu unseren Richtlinien unterstützt hat, sodass positive Veränderungen durchgesetzt werden konnten.

Außerdem gibt es zahlreiche interne und externe Komitees, die sich mit den aktuellen Interessen von AATG im ganzen Land befassen.

(Obwohl ich nicht alle Mitglieder dieser Gruppen kenne, war ich zum Teil für ihre Zusammenstellung verantwortlich.) Hiermit spreche ich Ihnen meinen besonderen Dank aus. In den letzten vier Jahren im Vorstand habe ich immer wieder gehört, wie stark, gut organisiert und hilfsbereit AATG ist. Ein wichtiger Bestandteil unserer Organisation sind nämlich diese Komitees, denn sie haben den direkten Kontakt zu unserer Mitgliedschaft.

Außerdem möchte ich an dieser Stelle nicht versäumen zu erwähnen, dass unser AATG-Team in Cherry Hill, mit seinem Geschäftsleiter, Keith Cothrun, am Ruder, unheimlich viel hinter den Kulissen für uns alle leistet. Dass unsere Kollegen und Kolleginnen der anderen Fremdsprachen etwas neidisch auf uns schauen, liegt zum größten Teil daran, dass diese tatkräftige, kreative Unterstützung aus Cherry Hill einfach unübertrefflich ist!

Executive Council steering committee members Susanne Wagner, Susanne Rinner, Katrina Griffin, Keith Cothrun, and Hal Boland

Nächstes Jahr übernimmt unsere Kollegin, Susanne Rinner, aus North Carolina die Verantwortung als Ihre Präsidentin. Ihre bisherigen Leistungen im Vorstand lassen nur Gutes für die Zukunft unserer Organisation ahnen. Ich kann mir keine kompetentere, engagiertere und freundlichere Kollegin für dieses Amt vorstellen. Sie nimmt ihre Arbeit sehr ernst und wird uns mit ihren Ideen und ihrer starken Leitung noch weiter voranbringen.

In diesem Sinne und zu guter Letzt—herzlichen Dank dafür, dass Sie mir diesen wichtigen Job anvertraut haben. Es war mir eine große Ehre ihn zu bekleiden, aber auch eine tolle Zeit. Ich wünsche Ihnen alles Gute und AATG weiterhin viel Erfolg!

Mit freundlichen Grüßen Passing the gavel to Susanne Rinner

Hal Boland Heritage High School Leesburg, Virginia hboland@lcps.org

Executive Council members Susanne Wagner, Hal Boland, and Joan Campbell say Auf Wiedersehen!

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Meet the New Leadership The Executive Council is AATG’s governing body, and is instrumental in leading the organization. It determines future direction, assures the financial health of the organization, sets policy, and assures that AATG's programs and services best serve its members and support the teaching and learning of German.

Doug Philipp has been elected to serve as Vice President in 2018-2019, and as President in 2020-2021. Doug teaches German at Cheyenne Mountain in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Doug grew up in Iowa. After studying in college to be certified in both German and social studies, he taught 15 years in Tulsa, where he built up a large German program. Having gone to Germany as a high school junior, Doug knew the value of cultural immersion while traveling and embarked on almost annual student trips. Moving to Colorado Springs in 2001, Doug has strengthened the German program at Cheyenne Mountain, where there have been two full German teachers since 2006. Since 2005 he has worked with the annual Colorado Sprachbad, a program with over 120 participants. He is very involved in AATG chapter happenings and strives to assist German teachers, both current and new. He continues to lead student trips, and participates in PASCH events. To balance his life, Doug runs, hikes, bikes, and enjoys winter sports.

Iris Bork-Goldfield has been elected Northeast Regional Representative 2018–2020. Iris is Adjunct Professor and Chair, German Studies, at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. Her areas of expertise are: resistance and opposition in East Germany, methods for teaching languages and literature, Migration Literature in Germany, short films and their use in the Foreign Language Classroom, and Jewish Life in Germany today. Her book Wir Wollten Was Tun was published in Germany in 2015. An hour-long documentary with subtitles that tells the story of resistance fighters (including her father and his friends) in the former East Germany is available online. An interview about her book appeared on German TV and in Potsdamer Nachrichten. She has developed teaching materials on this topic that are also available online.

Siggi Piwek has been elected Midwest Regional Representative 2018–2020. Siggi, an elementary school teacher at the Milwaukee German Immersion School (MGIS) for 20 years, has served on his school's Learning Team, Governance Council, and as Treasurer and President of the German Immersion Foundation. He has presented at his state's, the CSCTFL regional conference and at ACTFL for the past eight years, and has been a member of the Goethe-Institute Trainernetzwerk since 2009. Siggi collaborated with other German language educators from different levels to create the student workbook Deutsch Prüfungstraining: AP German Language and Culture, published in 2013.

With special recognition and many thanks to Executive Council Members whose terms end

Hal Boland, Heritage High School, Leesburg, Virginia, served as Vice President in 2014-2015, and as President 2016-2017.

Susanne M. Wagner, University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota, served as Midwest Regional Representative 2015-2017 and Secretary 2017.

Joan Campbell, Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, Sudbury, Massachusetts, served as Northeast Regional Representative 2015-2017.

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Connecting. Sharing. Learning.

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2017 Nashville Convention

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Honoring Achievement in the Profession AATG recognized sixteen teachers and two German programs for their outstanding contributions to the teaching and learning of German in the US. The honorees received their awards at a special presentation during the AATG Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.

Outstanding German Educators Angelika Becker, Christina Frei, and Ginger Starks-Yoble

Angelika Becker, teacher of German at Carmel High School in Indianapolis, Indiana; Christina Frei, Executive Director of Language Instruction for the School of Arts and Sciences and Academic Director and Chair of the Penn Language Center at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia; and Ginger Starks-Yoble, teacher of German at Westfield Middle School, Omaha, Nebraska, received AATG’s highest honor, the Outstanding German Educator Award.

This award is presented in recognition of excellence in teaching and outstanding contributions to the German teaching profession.

Watch the video interview on Facebook with 2017 Outstanding German Educators Angelika Becker and Ginger Starks-Yoble

As a colleague stated in her letter of support for Angelika Becker, it is hard to find a professional within the German teaching community who has not learned something from Angelika. She presents at countless conferences with energy, enthusiasm, and creativity. One former student called her the definition of a great mentor and she is often the first to respond to a need for help, ideas, materials, or support.

Christina Frei’s work in teaching, research, and service is exceptional. Her web-based learning tool, Homo.Cyber, is considered to be one of the first digital humanities initiatives that blends discovery and learning. She is the author of multimedia and assessment materials for two leading textbooks, Fokus Deutsch and Deutsch: Na klar!, that have been used by thousands of students over the past two decades.

Giner Starks-Yoble serves as a master mentor at her school and is on multiple committees to improve her district, including educational technology, district design team, and the school-wide improvement committee. She is a leader among her peers because she sets a tone for an affirmative, professional atmosphere in which each individual is valued. She has presented at regional conferences, and notably, has presented to non-world language teachers about technology.

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AATG Members Receive Awards Rosmarie Morewedge, Associate Professor of German Studies at Binghamton University in Binghamton, New York, received the Friend of German Award, which recognizes exemplary leadership in the advocacy of German and German language education.

Rosmarie has served in the Goethe Institute’s Trainernetzwerk and on the AATG Executive Council, during which time she was instrumental in editing several issues of the popular AATG Teaching Ideas series. She has been the president of the AATG Central New York chapter and of the DAAD Alumni Association Board of Directors. With her Rosmarie Morewedge creative and energetic commitment to the German teaching profession and to the AATG, Rosmarie is recognized as a cherished asset to the profession and a true friend of German language and culture.

Two German programs were recognized as AATG German Centers of Excellence. This designation is presented to well-established and growing German programs with demonstrated excellence in instruction and strong support from administration, professional colleagues, alumni, and students.

This year’s K-12 recipient is East Brunswick Public Schools, East Brunswick, New Jersey. Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine, is this year’s college/university recipient.

Rachel Becker, teacher of German at Ben Franklin High School in New Orleans, Louisiana; Alysha Holmquist, teacher of German at Enumclaw High School in Enumclaw, Washington; and Jeffrey Luppes, Assistant Professor of German at Indiana University South Bend, received the German Embassy Teacher of Excellence Award.

The Embassy recognizes up-and-coming German teachers for excellence in teaching, creativity, and outstanding dedication.

Rachel Becker, left, Alysha Holmquist, and Jeffrey Luppes with Jan Eckendorf, Head of the Cultural Section of the German Embassy, center left.

Amanda Sheffer

Amanda Sheffer, Clinical Assistant Professor of German and Acting Language Coordinator at Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, received the FL-A-CH Award for excellence in the teaching of the language and cultures of Austria, the Germanspeaking areas of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and South Tyrol.

Lisa Werner and Kathleen Condray

Lisa Werner, teacher of German and World Language Department Chair at Bozeman High School, Bozeman, Montana, and Kathleen Condray, Associate Professor of German at University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, received the Checkpoint Charlie Foundation Teacher Award, which recognizes outstanding teachers of German who strengthen intercultural understanding.

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Honoring Achievement in the Profession

William Gregory, left, and Christoph Veldhues, Director of Language Programs for the Goethe-Institut in North America.

Angelika Kraemer, Editor of Die Unterrichtspraxis/ Teaching German and David Neville.

Michael Antley, Woodinville High School, Woodinville, Washington, Regine Criser, University of North Carolina-Asheville, and William Gregory, Sequoia Middle School, Pleasant Hill, California, received the GoetheInstitut / AATG Certificate of Merit. This award honors achievement in furthering German Regine Criser and Michael Antley teaching in the US including creative and successful activities promoting German and innovative curriculum and successful course design.

Also recognized for their contributions to the scholarly publications of the AATG were Salvatore Pappalardo, Towson University, Towson, Maryland, recipient of the Max Kade Award for Best Article in The German Quarterly; David O. Neville, Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa, for the Best Article in Die Unterrichtspraxis/ Teaching German Award; and Jonathan S. Martin, Princeton Salvatore Pappalardo and Carl Niekirk, Editor of the German University, Princeton, New Jersey, Quarterly for The German Quarterly Graduate Student Paper Award.

Jonathan Martin

Congratulations to all award winners!

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AATG Members Receive Awards Three AATG Members were also specially recognized for their outstanding contributions to the field of language education with professional awards from ACTFL. Read more about the ACTFL Awards Program here.

Christina Frei, University of Pennsylvania, received the ACTFL-NYSAFLT Anthony Papalia Award For Excellence In Teacher Education. This award honors an educator who has significantly influenced the lives of students and practicing teachers through excellence in the preparation and continuing education of teachers for the profession.

Karin Baumgartner, University of Utah, received the ACTFL Nelson Brooks Award For Excellence In The Teaching Of Culture. This award recognizes the contributions of a preeminent teacher or author whose work and writings on the teaching of culture in the foreign language classroom have changed the course of the profession.

Doug Philipp, Cheyenne Mountain High School, Colorado Springs, Colorado, received the ACTFL Award For Excellence In Foreign Language Instruction Using Technology With IALLT (K–12). This award recognizes outstanding achievement in the integration and use of technology in foreign language instruction and is given by ACTFL and the International Association for Language Learning Technology.

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Help us recognize member achievement by letting us know.

Find out about AATG member accomplishments.

Brenna Byrd, University of Kentucky, Lexington, was named Southern Conference on Language Teaching Teacher of the Year. She was recognized along with the Teachers of the Year from the other regional conferences as a finalist for the ACTFL National Language Teacher of the Year during the opening session at the ACTFL Convention. AATG extends special congratulations to Brenna for this incredible achievement. More about the award.

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“Ich freute mich wie ein Schneekönig…”

Ten AATG members received professional development scholarships to help them attend their first AATG-ACTFL Convention in Nashville. These professional development grants were made possible through the financial contributions made to the Friends of AATG Endowment Fund—AATG members supporting one another.

Established in 2006, the Friends of AATG Endowment supports the association and assures the continuation of AATG’s programs and services to German teachers in the US. Some proceeds from this fund are used for professional development including stipends to enable colleagues to attend ACTFL, NECTFL, Central States, SCOLT, SWCOLT, and other conferences.

Members who received travel stipends are: Gizem Arslan, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX; William Baker, Riverside High School, Greenville, SC; Alissa Burlison, Kingsbury High School, Memphis, TN; William Davis, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR; Robin Geisinger, Fishers High School, Fishers, IN; Hannah Kramer, Desert Heights Preparatory Academy, Phoenix, AZ; Nathan Lorey, Carmel Middle & Creekside Middle School, Carmel, IN; Erin Munsie, Dater High School, Cincinnati OH; Corinne Leyden Nutt, Ruston High School, Ruston, LA; and Kathryn Sederberg, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo MI.

Erin (right) with her former professor Ivett Guntersdorfer

The session “Maintaining, Not Resuscitating, Great German Programs” resonated with me because although I have a great German program with over 200 students, the presenters had some good ideas for German Club and were very inspiring. I also really enjoyed “Here’s your Next German Lesson Plan” which gave me tips to incorporate more technology in my classes.

—Bill Baker

As German teachers, I think that we sometimes feel like an island.

To come together to converse with other German teachers and exchange ideas is truly invaluable.

The things I learned and connections I made will affect my teaching for years to come. I feel like attending ACTFL and spending time with so many different members of AATG really helped to reset and re-invigorate me.

—Erin Munsie

I attended three days full of sessions at the ACTFL conference. In my estimation, the most valuable sessions were the AATG-sponsored panels that brought together instructors in German to share ideas, research, and strategies. Coming from a small program, I especially benefited from sessions with a focus on advocacy for German and the opportunity to network with faculty in similar positions— Kathryn Sederberg

William with colleagues Qian Zhang and Freddie Bowles

Adrienne Merritt, Emina Musanovic, and Kathryn Sederberg at ACTFL

The session “Making Your World Language Class More Inclusive: Strategies and Resources” was extremely useful because it provided attendees with practical strategies for infusing diverse perspectives and critical thought into language courses.

Teachers can modify existing lessons and resources to incorporate diverse perspectives and courageous conversations on sensitive topics. As a language educator, attending this convention was a large step in my professional career and made me very excited to get back to work on teaching and researching. —William Davis

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Kurt Achatz of EINSHOCH6 with Bill Baker

I really enjoyed the session with representatives from DAAD and the GoetheInstitut. The entire session was conducted in German and that alone was exciting for me—I don’t get to be in many environments with a room of native German speakers! It was invaluable meeting other German teachers—they were so kind in sharing materials. I’ve already built lessons from that shared information.

—Alissa Burlison

First-Time Convention Attendees I learned a great deal from the session “Teaching Perspectives: Intercultural Development at All Levels.” The presenters demonstrated how they integrate intercultural learning into a scaffolded activity at the third-semester level aimed at bringing the students to reflect on other cultures in a way that takes leave of the concepts “I” and “they” and moves towards an inclusive “we.” This was an excellent chance to see how some experts in second language acquisition tackle designing their activities. I learned a great deal about how to scaffold every single activity, how to use authentic texts in the German-language classroom, and what strategies I might use in order to motivate students to think critically about language and culture.

—Gizem Arslan

Corinne (left) with Rachel Becker at the awards presentation

First-time attendees gathered at the AATG Business Meeting in Nashville.

As a first time attendee, I cannot begin to describe the range of resources that were available at this convention: from resources specifically targeted to German (which is so rare in my state), to professional leadership resources and an incredibly diverse group of professionals to connect and collaborate with. —Corinne Leyden Nutt

I left the conference with the energy of hundreds of teachers flowing through me. My experience from ACTFL put me on the path towards engaging the greater community of language educators and inspiring the next generation to teach. Without this opportunity I would not have had the chance to bring back not only new strategies, but new culture. My depth of knowledge has deepened and my students and colleagues will benefit from it. Vielen Dank! —Nathan Lorey

It was incredible to me to see how much my fellow language teachers were doing and was inspiring to me that I could incorporate some of the wonderful things they have already learned. I want to be the best teacher that I possibly can, and this conference helped me to realize multiple ways that I can improve. I would like to thank the American Association of Teachers of German for this amazing experience, and for the incredibly supportive community they provide for German teachers.

—Hannah Kramer

Hannah enjoying the EINSHOCH6 concert

First, I would like to say “tausendmal Dank!” for helping make my first ever visit to this year’s ACTFL conference in Nashville possible. It was quite a rewarding event and I will never forget the workshops, connections, friends, and general comradery I experienced over those eventful 3 days. I suppose the best way to describe my reaction to being at ACTFL is with the Redewendung Robin visiting the exhibit hall “ich freute mich wie ein Schneekönig.” I found especially insightful the session “Successful Teaching Strategies for the Multiple Choice Part of the AP Exam” which provided really useful information for both teachers and students. Another great thing about the conference was being able to visit many of the vendors and exhibitors. The benefits of the conference were certainly beyond my expectations. —Robin Geisinger

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TOUR in NUMBERS

18 Concerts 7 Workshops

7 Workshops

for

10,000

STUDENTS a nd TE ACHER S

fo r o ver

1,750

for over

300

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STUDENTS

German Teachers

EINSHOCH6 makes US Debut In 18 concerts and 14 workshops, the Munich-based band EINSHOCH6 shared its unique blend of hip-hop and classical music with US German students and teachers this fall. Their concerts, featuring refined orchestral sounds with bass and text-driven beats, created an energizing, unique concert experience auf Deutsch. The percussion, violin, rap vocals, piano, and guitar energized and inspired thousands during their month-long tour with performances in Maryland, DC, Virginia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Texas, Kansas, Missouri, and Tennessee.

The concerts featured songs from their very successful first album Lass uns reden, and their second album Reise um die Welt which was released earlier this year. Acclaimed weekly magazine, The Economist, claims EINSHOCH6 turns “tongue-twisting Teutonic sounds into the verbal pyrotechnics of rap”—German students agree. Among concert-goers favorites were their homage to “Deutschlehrerinnen” created in cooperation with German teachers and learners around the world.

–

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"Es war wirklich toll — meine Schüler haben nur positiv darüber gesprochen! Die Band war fantastisch – es war einzigartig, sie live zu sehen," said Erin Kaminsky, teacher at Wilmette Jr. High in Wilmette, IL. Other teachers who attended concerts reported very positive feedback from students, several Wisconsin teachers commented, "It was an unforgettable experience for my students, and one they'll cherish for a long time! You never know...this may well turn out to be the highlight of one of our kid's high school career!" "Giving students the opportunity to experience new things and learn about themselves and others is noble and one aspect of teaching which I most enjoy." "This totally excited my students about studying German, and everyone was 15

jealous of the German students today at the high school! This was fantastic for our programs!" "I loved seeing the students so jazzed and my students enjoyed seeing other German students as well. The excitement for German was unmatched."

Shirin Kasraeian Moghaddam, Project Director for Deutsche Welle Educational Programs and Language Courses, praised the US experience, "Das war die bisher erfolgreichste EINSHOCH6-Tour mit dem Bandtagebuch mit der höchsten Reichweite. Wir haben dank euch so viele Lehrer und Schüler wie noch nie erreicht und sind nach wie vor sehr begeistert von der durchweg positiven Resonanz der Tour. Danke euch für die großartige Zusammenarbeit. Es war auf jeden Fall eine Lebenserfahrung, die ich nicht so schnell vergessen werde."

"This project was a major undertaking for our organization," said Executive Director, Keith Cothrun. "This mammoth project was inspired and spearheaded by Northern Illinois chapter president, Ingrid Zeller. Ingrid is to thank for the project’s success— she was the key liaison between the band and each concert host and made sure that everything was well planned and ran smoothly. Additionally Susanne Rinner, AATG Vice President, played a major role in the management of the entire project— and our office provided support in clarifying contracts and visa issues and managing finances for the nearly $100,000 budget."

"The real heroes here are the venue hosts," Cothrun continued, "the AATG members who spent countless hours making local concert and workshop arrangements, organizing accommodations, meals, and equipment for the band, finding funding or selling tickets to finance their part of the costs. Each and everyone of them should be proud of the part they played in this great endeavor."

Die Königin

EINSHOCH6 has been touring as ambassadors of the German language under Deutsch Welle’s Bandtagebuch project since 2013. Visit the EINSHOCH6 official US tour webpage to find information about the tour — including videos, lyrics to songs they perform at the concerts, teaching materials, and an exciting Video Wettbewerb for students.

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Herzliche Grüße von Einshoch6 Nach ein wenig Ausschlafen und einem aufregenden Konzert mit dem Brandenburgischen Staatsorchester Frankfurt sind wir nun alle wohlbehalten nach München zurückgekehrt. Im Namen der gesamten Band möchte ich mich bei euch noch einmal ausdrücklich für die Einladung in die USA bedanken. Darüber hinaus sind wir euch besonders für die tolle Organisation und die große Unterstützung während der gesamten Tour dankbar.

Wir waren überwältigt vom großen Engagement der Veranstalter und Lehrer vor Ort - und nicht zuletzt von den Begegnungen mit unseren Fans. Die Reaktionen der Kids, die zum Teil große Strapazen für die Konzertbesuche auf sich genommen haben, haben uns wirklich begeistert!

Für Einshoch6 war diese Tour ein großer Erfolg. Wir hoffen, dass die Konzerte und Workshops auch die Erwartungen der AATG und ihrer Partner erfüllt haben.

Es wird eine Weile dauern, bis wir die intensiven Eindrücke der vergangenen fünf Wochen sortiert haben.

Mit einer ausführlichen Nachbearbeitung wollen wir erreichen, dass wir kommende Touren noch besser und reibungsloser planen können. Von unserer Seite aus sind wir jederzeit bereit, gemeinsam mit euch über Pläne und Ideen für zukünftige Touren zu sprechen. Trotz unserer weiten Reisen haben wir festgestellt, dass es in den USA immer noch viel zu sehen gibt :-)

Mit herzlichen Grüßen aus dem vorweihnachtlichen München Jakob und Einshoch6

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ΔΕΦ members celebrate the holidays Delta Epsilon Phi, National Honor Society for High School German students, recognizes the outstanding academic achievement of learners of German. During the holidays, members of Delta Epsilon Phi like to do things in their schools and community to bring joy to others. Here are some of the great things they’re doing this year.

At Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas, TX, members of Texas Eta Iota celebrated Nikolaustag by collecting shoes for others instead of putting out their own shoes. The shoes will benefit a local children’s non-profit. As one member said, “It’s better to give than to receive.”

Members of Michigan Upsilon, from Marian High School in Bloomfield Hills, MI, celebrated by decorating gingerbread houses. They also made fleece hats and scarves to donate to Warm Detroit, a charity created by a student at their school.

They also collaborated with the French Honor Society by making Strohsterne, eating French food, and singing Christmas carols in both languages.

The members of New Hampshire Nu at Kennett High School in North Conway, NH, makes it a part of their mission to give to local charities during the holiday season. They have had a tradition for the past seven years to give to three organizations. This year, they were able to give $500 to each shelter—a local animal shelter; the Gibson Center, a nonprofit that provides elderly people with meals; and Angels and Elves, a charity that provides Christmas presents to families who cannot afford them. The Delta Epsilon Phi members also participated in a school Christmas gift drive, where they bought gifts for teens and donated them to Angels and Elves as well.

Members of Colorado Alpha Mu at Horizon High School in Brighton, CO volunteered at a local elementary school during their Christmas festival.

At Mexico High School in Mexico, NY, members of New York Theta are organizing a community service project for the holidays. The local Foster Care and Adoptive Parent Association hosts an annual children’s Christmas party, where Delta Epsilon Phi members play Santa’s helpers. In preparation, students collect stocking stuffers throughout December, and come together to wrap gifts and stuff stockings. On the day of the party, students will distribute gifts, serve pizza, and roller skate with the children. The members find it to be a very rewarding experience!

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German National Honor Society Members of Pennsylvania Gamma Pi, from Ephrata Senior High School in Ephrata, PA, dressed up as Nikolaus and Knecht Ruprecht and visited each German class. They carried a book with information about which students were well-behaved, and gave out candy. Students also sang a German Christmas carol or told a Christmas poem by memory.

Members of Pennsylvania Alpha Omicron at Central Columbia High School in Bloomsburg, PA, celebrated a traditional Nikolaustag at school and took a trip to the Mifflinburg Christkindlmarkt.

At Linden High School in Linden, NJ, members of New Jersey Eta continue a tradition of visiting an Assisted Living home in Woodbridge, NJ. This year, they will present a video they made with holiday greetings and photos and a video of a Christmas light show in Atlantic City. For the residents, they also have Christmas cards, gingerbread men, and songs to sing. They will also play games that the residents enjoy, such as puzzles, cards, and stick ball.

Members of Missouri Alpha Omega at Ladue Horton Watkins High School in St. Louis, MO, held a Knusperhäuschen-Bau to benefit the Jewish Food Pantry in St. Louis. About 35 students attended. To participate, students had to bring either 3 canned goods or $4. The Delta Epsilon Phi members supplied graham crackers, frosting, candy decorations, marshmallows, and candy canes.

Participants made 6 teams of around 6 people, and had 45 minutes to build. A Delta Epsilon Phi member and a teacher were the judges of the contest, with winners receiving German chocolates as a prize. The contest raised about 40 cans and $63 for the Jewish Food Pantry.

Delta Epsilon Phi members also hold a Christmas market in the school to sell German items and raise money for the German club.

Delta Epsilon Phi members of Colorado Omega at Pine Creek High School in Colorado Springs, CO participated in a gift drive, where they raised money and collected presents to make the holidays better for a local teen. They organized an event to teach the history of gingerbread houses, and of course, allowed students to make their own! Members provided the materials and invited other German club members, as well as students from other languages in the school, to participate.

At Gretna High School in Gretna, NE, the chapter Nebraska Phi celebrated Nikolaustag by hiding approximately 130 shoes all over the school. On the morning of Nikolaustag, an announcement was made to inform students about the scavenger hunt for shoes. Students in the school collected the shoes and brought them to the German room for prizes of Gummibärchen or Milka chocolate bars.

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German Summer Study Program for High School Students

Applications are now available for our homestay and school experience in Germany this summer!

Students can choose from 5 course sites, each with a Gymnasium where the program is based. Learn more about this summer’s course sites.

Leipzig

School: Wilhelm Ostwald Gymnasium, with special programs in math and science Canoe trips, biking excursions, and expeditions to Weimar and Berlin—Leipzig offers students a multi-faceted view of modern Germany. They can explore music history in the Nikolaikirche, where Johann Sebastian Bach was active and tour the Universität Leipzig, whose famous students include Goethe, Kästner, Leibniz, and Merkel, to get a firsthand idea of what going to college in Germany is like.

Participants in Leipzig in 2017 gathered in front of the Wilhelm Ostwald Gymnasium with German Course Director Dagmar Schreiber.

Nauen

School: Leonardo da Vinci Campus, which consists of multiple schools housed together Positioned very close to the German capital, the modern and cutting-edge Gymnasium prides itself on emphasizing student-based learning and small class sizes. Students can choose from four specialities, including media and communication, econonomics and sustainability, and air and space travel, a program built in partnership with the Technische Universität Berlin. The school also prides itself on its Kinderuni day, allowing 11th graders to teach elementary school students in the area.

Brandenburg an der Havel

Students in Brandenburg get their

School: von Saldern-Gymnasium, awarded the title of “Europaschule” in 2010 artistic juices flowing working on engravings at a local press.

Housed in a historic structure over 100 years old, the von Saldern Gymnasium places special emphasis on international exchange and languages, hosting students each year from countries across the globe, offering multiple classes in English, and sending students on excursions to 7 countries

including Denmark and Israel. The name ties back to a 400-year-old educational tradition in Brandenburg founded by Gertrud von Saldern in 1589 as the “Saldrische Schule”.

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The 2018 German Summer Study Program

Kiel

applications are now available online!

Nauen Brandenburg an der Havel

View a sample schedule online at www.aatg.org!

Leipzig

Passau

Students can apply by March 1 and save $275!

Kiel

School: Gymnasium Wellingdorf, founded in 1914

Gymnasium Wellingdorf was founded in 1914 Kiel is one of the major maritime centers of Germany, and students in summer can expect to enjoy the beaches, Strandkörbe, and watersports. The school hosts exchanges with schools in 5 countries, including Spain and Ireland. The school hosts a wide variety of Arbeitsgemeinschaften, including orchestra, sailing, choir, and theater, whose most recent production of “Peter Pan” by Erich Kästner was a big hit!

Photo: Hamburger Abendblatt

Kiel, the capital of Schleswig-Holstein, hosts the Kieler Woche the last week of June. The annual sailing event attracts millions of people to view the ship parades, listen to great bands at the music festival, and watch the races.

Passau

School: Gisela Gymnasium, housed around the Niedernburg abbey, built in 750 AD Nestled near the border with Austria, the City of Three Rivers lies at the confluence of the Danube, Inn, and Ilz in scenic Bavaria.

American students can explore the Bavarian forest, Passau’s Roman history, and also experience German university life with a tour of the Universität Passau. Students also take excursions to Regensburg and Nuremberg, and have a chance to meet local Andrew Chen traveled to Passau in 2017 and visited a climbing wall with his host sister.

leadership at the city hall. The Gisela Gymnasium, a school for girls, specializes in languages, business, and the social sciences.

Teachers: Experience a new part of Germany —Apply to be a chaperone by March 1!

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Centennial Campaign Dear AATG Members, I have been asked, as the representative of the Fundraising Committee chaired by Helene Zimmer-Loew, to introduce to you a capital campaign for the future of the AATG. You may know that the AATG was established in the New York City area and, on 18 December 1926, the first AATG meeting ever took place at Columbia University. That means that in December 2026, we will be celebrating 100 years of our organization and the Fundraising Committee, together with other entities of the AATG, has decided to launch the AATG “Centennial Campaign,” with the appropriate motto of “Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future.”

Our goal in the AATG Centennial Campaign is to raise, between now and the AATG Annual meeting in 2026, a period of approximately nine years, a total of $192,600 to support the continued existence of our organization.

Contributors to the AATG Centennial Campaign may designate either the Endowed Scholarship Fund or the Friends of German Endowment Fund as the recipient of their contribution. However, as with any capital campaign, we are likely to raise the final goal once it becomes clear that we will reach this first goal.

Now, my immediate reactions when we began discussing a definite goal included shock and even a bit of disbelief. How could an organization consisting of only about 3400 members ever hope to reach that goal within just a few years? Then, I started thinking – and those of you who know me realize that this is often a dangerous development….

Could we assess each member a certain amount each year? No. There would be no viable basis for that and we would lose members.

Could we come forward with a “suggested contribution” for each member? No. That would also not be appropriate, especially, for example, in households in which there are two AATG members. Could we go begging in the streets? No, probably not, as we would spend so much time explaining what we were doing that people would walk away. Here’s where some additional thoughts entered the picture. What if we showed, with a few examples, how people might contribute, knowing that every contribution helps. Now, I have a few examples of this sort of thinking.

Between now and December 2026, nine years down the road, there will be about 3300 days. So, if each of us were to get out our piggy banks and deposit ten cents each day, we would have a total of about $330.00 by the noted date. Not bad – probably we could all do that without worrying about our own financial future. That, by the way, would provide for a total of $1,122,000 if each member contributed $330.

But what if we contributed fifty cents each day over the same time period? Well, that total would be $1650.00. Quite a tidy sum!

Think of the total we could collect if each of us contributed $1650 – a grand total of $5,610,000! And if we saved a dollar each day?

Well, $3300 dollars. Even better… total of $11,220,000! What if we drank one less glass of wine each week for those 468 weeks (over the nine years). Assuming that the glass of wine costs $10, we could actually accumulate a total of $4680 per member to contribute to this endeavor! A total of $15,910,000! A fantastic sum!

But there’s more! Let’s say that every day we go to work, we stop and get a cup of coffee or a latte or a similar drink and that the average cost is $5.00 including tip. Assuming we do that five days a week for, let’s say, thirty weeks every year, we would have $6750.00 at the end of the time period, a considerable amount. If we each did that, we could accumulate $22,950,000! Now, those examples all show what we as individuals might do. However, I would be remiss if I did not point out that individual chapters can also sponsor fund-raising events, the proceeds from which could be sent to the AATG to help us reach the campaign goal.

Hence, the goal is not out of reach, but we have to think about it, consciously and willingly. Money, as they say, does not grow on trees. We work for it. We are talking about cold, hard-earned cash here. Still, we have to think about the future of the organization – think of what we as members get from the dues we pay, think of what we would be lacking in terms of teacher support if the AATG did not exist, think of the wonderful support of the Goethe-Institut channeled through the AATG, think of the wealth of ideas we collect by interacting with colleagues at the annual meetings and at local chapter meetings! I believe it is fair to say that without the AATG, the teaching of German would likely disappear in the US. So, to help preserve the teaching of German, let’s begin working

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Celebrating the Past, Planning for the Future together to achieve our goal! There will, by the way, also be a special designation for those who contribute $1926 – they will be members of “The 1926 Club” and we are already seeking members….

Now, a number of scholars and philosophers have told us that life really begins only when we leave our comfort zone. I think that applies, too, to giving to a good cause, to helping others, to providing opportunities for others, even if we ourselves have not had them. As we all know, no capital campaign is ever formally announced until some money has been contributed. In that vein, then, and before announcing that The AATG Centennial Campaign is officially under way, I thought it would be a good idea to contribute the first check toward our goal. So, Keith, here is a check for $1926.00 or one percent of our goal, intended for the Endowed Scholarship Fund!

—Karl F. Otto, Jr.

Endowed Scholarship Fund 1997-2017 Twenty years ago in 1997 the AATG established the Endowed Scholarship Fund for the purpose of supporting study abroad for worthy students of German. During those twenty years donors to the fund have made a profound difference—both directly by helping to fund an educational experience that changed students’ lives and indirectly by affirming the programs and teachers that educated these students. On the occasion of our twentieth anniversary, I’d like to review briefly for you the achievements of a fund that started small yet, astoundingly, met its first goal of $100,000 in 2001, less than four years after it was established; a fund that thereafter steadily increased and now promises to thrive in the future.

Its value currently stands at $690,708. From 2001, when we supported our very first student, Benjamin Pollack, we have grown the fund to the point that we are now able to sponsor five students each summer. To date we have supported a total of forty-seven students from twenty-three different states. Our grantees, all of whom were college bound, returned from their summers abroad over these two decades, as changed individuals—by their own account, wiser, more mature, and speaking much better German.

The charter of the Endowed Scholarship Fund is written broadly to enable us to direct funds to study abroad where most needed and where most effective; we remain convinced for now that funding high school students is our best hope for maximizing our resources, namely, by making of still relatively young students life-long learners of German and witnesses for and supporters of programs that constitute the foundation of German-language learning in the United States. We can be proud of what we have accomplished over these twenty years.

You may feel as I do that now is more than ever the time to do what we can to send young American students abroad. In so doing, we enable them to surpass the limitations of the local and merely contingent and to help them become informed citizens, informed because they will have learned to speak, read, and write German, a language not their own, and because they will have studied the complex histories, cultures, politics, societies, and literatures of Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. As advanced students of German with experience abroad, moreover, they will also have learned to listen actively and critically and thus learned how to hone the skills and glean the knowledge necessary to informed choices.

Given my view of the importance of study abroad and the proven success of our program, I have decided in 2017 to donate $2,000 to our fund – $100 for each year – and thus to commemorate these first twenty years and thereby to affirm my commitment to the study abroad that I value as a teacher of German. I would like to invite you too to consider renewing your support of the AATG’s Endowed Scholarship Fund or perhaps to donate for the first time, maybe a dollar for each of the twenty years. On behalf of our forty-seven past awardees and to all those in future, we thank you for your generosity. We can be proud of what we have achieved over these twenty years.

—Lynne Tatlock 23

Five students worked as interns throughout Germany with the 2017 AATG Internship Program. Read about the experiences of Benjamin Liu, who worked in supply chain management for Infineon, and Molly Magoffin, who worked at a refugee camp.

“I was able to undergo a summer experience which combined my academic focus in Electrical and Computer Engineering while allowing me the chance to further my knowledge of the German culture and language. On the last week of the internship, I was able to utilize the knowledge I had acquired earlier in the summer about Microsoft Excel to create a Visual Basic macro to automate a data entry process of various loading values into a summary Excel sheet that was formerly done manually by the Frontend Operations Planning and Control Department staff on a daily basis. Since the data had to be pulled for a daily basis, it was a relatively large time investment. The new tool I developed simply required the click of a button.”

Benjamin Liu, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina Internship with Infineon AG, Neubiberg, Bavaria

On the weekends, Benjamin Liu explored Austria and Germany, including an excursion to Hamburg.

“As an Asylum and Resettlement Intern, I taught German for beginners in the free German classes; cleaned, cashiered, and translated in the secondhand clothing store; served as a translator or interpreter; performed administrative tasks, such as answering the phone and giving information to visitors; performed research to support the asylum and resettlement counseling staff; proofread, translated, and maintained the resettlement.de/ en website. I bought groceries and cooked for myself, lived Molly Magoffin, left, with two asylum alone until the other interns arrived, traveled to other applicants at the Caritas youth clubs. countries alone, and made close friends without ever speaking a word of English. By the end of the internship, I no longer stuttered when I spoke broken Arabic to asylum seekers. I think that my internship was the most valuable step I’ve taken for my career and educational paths, as well as for my own personal development.”

Molly Magoffin, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia Internship with Caritas in Friedland, Lower Saxony

Applications and position listings for the 2018 program are now online!

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Invest in Your Future—Become a Life Member Renew today and save! At the November 2016 AATG business meeting in Boston, members attending voted to increase dues in many of the membership categories. Take advantage of the opportunity to renew before the membership dues increase goes into effect in 2018 and SAVE. Consider a life membership or renew for two or three years and save even more.

Life Member

Become a Life Member before the end of the year—Life Membership can be paid in installments. You only have to pay your first installment to lock in 2017 rates. As a Life Member of AATG, you get full access to AATG member benefits for the rest of your life. Click this button which will take you to a secure page to sign up for your AATG life membership. You can choose to pay in full for $1,500 or make your first installment of $250 (recurring quarterly, six total payments).

Membership Category

Effective 1/1/2018

Regular Member

$90

Two-Year Membership

$170

Three-Year Membership

$255

New Teacher Member

$45

Part-Time Teacher Member

$45

Retired/Emeritus Member

$45

Unemployed Member

$45

Full-time Student Member

$25

Joint Membership

$110

Life Member

$1,750

Membership in AATG offers you all these benefits—and more...  Networking and Collaboration in Local Chapters

 On-Demand Webinars

 National German Exam

 Seminars and Workshops

 Awards and Recognition for Teachers and Students

 National Advocacy for German Programs

 Online Subscriptions to The German Quarterly and Die Unterrichtspraxis

 Discounts on Materials for the Classroom

 Scholarships for Seminars in Europe

 AATG Newsletter

 German Honor Societies at most levels

 Career Center job listings

 Summer Study Program

 Free Two-Year Life Insurance Policy

 1000s of Teaching Resources for German

 Discounted Liability, Auto, Live Insurance

 AATG’s Advocacy Hub

 Other Special Member Discounts & Services

 AATG/ACTFL Convention

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Call for Proposals—2018 Convention 2018 New Orleans Convention with the ACTFL Annual Convention and World Languages Expo Join us in New Orleans at the AATG Convention in conjunction with the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Annual Convention and World Languages Expo.

The Convention features an exceptional array of professional learning and collaborative networking opportunities.

We look forward to welcoming members of the Internationaler Deutschlehrerinnen- und Deutschlehrerverband (IDV) as they join us at the convention for a North American regional meeting.

AATG Sessions for the 2018 ACTFL Convention and World Languages Expo are designed to showcase and inspire the innovative and resourceful teaching and research in our profession. You are invited to share your knowledge, skills, and creative ideas at the 2018 AATG Convention.

Interested in participating in a session? Ideas for sessions are listed online here, and members interested in presenting in these organized sessions are invited to submit short descriptions (250 words) for presentation ideas to individual session organizers by January 5, 2018.

In addition, there is an open call to all AATG members to submit a proposal for sessions, roundtables, paper presentations, and electronic posters. Find more information here about submitting a proposal. All proposals are due by January 12, 2018.

All proposals undergo a blind review by both AATG and ACTFL program committee members, and no proposals are guaranteed inclusion in the program. The submission guidelines provide information on how to create a strong proposal, along with the rubrics used to evaluate proposals. All proposals must be written in English and include title, program guide description, content and purpose, outcomes, and strategies for engagement. You must select "German" as the "Applicable Language" for your proposal to be considered for inclusion in the program by the AATG program committee. All AATG sessions must include more than one presenter, and all presenters must be members of AATG or an IDV member organization. You may be a lead presenter on only one proposal, but may be listed as a secondary presenter on another. AATG does not allow you to present in more than two sessions.

Session – A session is 45 minutes in length, with two to four presenters, and should address a topic of interest to teachers of German. Presenters should plan to share valuable information and skills in an engaging and interactive format.

Roundtable – A roundtable presentation is 45 minutes in length .

Roundtable presentations typically are 35 minutes of presentation followed by 10 minutes of discussion and feedback. Roundtables are an ideal format for in-depth discussion on a particular topic with a group of 10 people seated around a common table.

Presenters are encouraged to present their latest research or project in an engaging and interactive way.

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Electronic Poster – An electronic poster is an opportunity for presenters to share their research or a project with attendees as they move through the poster area during a 60 minute period in the exhibit hall. Your presentation must be displayed on your laptop computer while standing at a high round table where attendees can stand for viewing and interaction. Multiple electronic posters are presented at the same time in the area.

Paper – A paper presentation is 15 minutes in length with 10 minutes to present and 5 minutes for a question and answer period. Your paper must address a research topic of interest to attendees. Papers of a common theme will be grouped into a 45minute time slot.

2018 Summer Seminars MINT – Fortbildungskurs mit Schwerpunkt Forschung und Lehre in den Unterrichtsfächern Mathematik, Informatik, Naturwissenschaften und Technik June 17–July 8, 2018 in Leipzig This three-week seminar for K-16 educators in Leipzig will explore the integration of MINT/STEM subjects in German curriculum. In addition to observing classroom instruction, experiencing numerous workshops, and designing instructional materials, participants will visit the Deutsches Hygiene-Museum in Dresden and enjoy a two-day excursion to Wolfsburg for a hands-on experience with leaders in the German auto industry.

The seminar will be conducted in German. This program is made available by the Transatlantik-Programm der Bundesrepublik Deutschland through funds of the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie. Program costs and accommodations as well as a small travel stipend are provided.

Comments from a MINTDaF seminar participant: The MINT seminar in Leipzig was a valuable experience that helped me develop competencies and connections to other professionals so that I can effectively integrate STEM curriculum in the German language classroom at all levels. The team of 20 seminar participants produced useful materials, many of which could be easily adapted for use in language and culture courses at my home institution. Beyond this, the seminar gave me skills and confidence so that I can create more such materials tailored to my university’s specific curricular needs. —Timothy Malchow, IN

Österreich—ein Land mit vielen Gesichtern July 16–27, 2018 in Leibnitz, Vienna, and Innsbruck (Igls-Vill) Discover the diversity of Austria, from Alpine meadows to city spires, during the 100th anniversary of the Republic of Austria. In this 12-day seminar, K-16 teachers will explore the literature, art, music, language, politics, and history of Austria and gain insight into everyday contemporary life. The seminar starts at Schloss Seggau in Leibnitz, in southern Styria near Slovenia, with a glimpse into this border area. Next stop is Vienna, the capital with its many museums, concert halls, theaters, parks, Kaffeehäuser, and Heurigen.

Travel through Linz and Salzburg on the way to Innsbruck, the Olympic city in the heart of Tyrol, where the course wraps up.

This seminar is supported by the Austrian Bundesministerium für Bildung.

Comments from an Austrian seminar participant: The best part of the Austrian seminar was meeting other German instructors from around the world and sharing ideas for successful instruction. The instructors were absolutely outstanding and kept the group totally engaged from morning through evening. We experienced amazing sights and formed bonds that continued after the seminar. The instructional materials I came away with are likely enough to fill several semesters with no additional planning. It was amazing and I would totally recommend it to anyone. —Kathy Fegely, PA

Find more information on the seminars and apply here.

Applications are due March 1.

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Neues von der Zentralstelle für das Auslandsschulwesen (ZfA)

Endspurt im Jahr 2017 Der Herbst war wieder voller Projekte, spannender Konferenzen und interessanter Begegnungen: Angebote wie Theaterworkshops, Slam Poetry, Blended-Learning, Radioprojekte, Deutschlernen mit Musik sowie der ZfA-Kreativwettbewerb rundeten das Jahr 2017 erfolgreich ab.

Kreativwettbewerb „Deutsch—Vielfalt und Veränderung“ Erneut fand dieses Jahr der ZfA-Kreativwettbewerb statt, bei dem Schülerinnen und Schüler aus den ganzen USA zeigen konnten, wie originell sie die deutsche Sprache in verschiedenen Medien und Textsorten zu benutzen in der Lage waren.

Dieses Jahr stand der Wettbewerb unter dem Motto „Deutsch – Vielfalt und Veränderung“. Die Schülerinnen und Schüler konnten dieses Jahr zeigen, was ihnen zur Heterogenität des Deutschen an sich alles einfiel.

Das heißt, dass sie sich mit der deutschen Sprache in all ihren Varietäten, in ihrer Vielfalt beschäftigen sollten—seien es Dialekte, Soziolekte oder aber die Veränderung des Deutschen durch Migration oder Jugendsprache.

Blended-Learning-Fortbildung DSD GOLD in den Vereinigten Staaten Seit September 2017 wird die BlendedLearning-Fortbildung DSD GOLD, Kurs DSD I auch in den Vereinigten Staaten angeboten.

Am 11. November 2017 wurde diese Fortbildung auf der German Language School Conference (GLSC) in New York vorgestellt.

Die GLSC ist eine Konferenz vieler Samstagsschulen der Vereinigten Staaten und findet jährlich statt.

Helmut Kehlenbeck; BDU Richmond, stellte auf einem sehr gut besuchten Workshop die Blended-Learning-Fortbildung DSD GOLD vor, die seit September 2017 in vier Regionen der USA eingeführt wird.

Foto: Deutsche Botschaft, Washington DC

Eingereicht werden konnten Gedichte oder Kurzgeschichten als Einzelbeiträge oder Hörspiele und Videos als Gruppenbeiträge. Es nahmen Schülerinnen und Schüler aller Schularten teil. Finanziell gefördert wurde das Projekt durch Mittel aus dem Netzwerk Deutsch.

In der Botschaft in Washington traf sich am 29.08.2017 die Jury, bestehend aus den beiden Beratern für Deutschunterricht Helmut Kehlenbeck und Michael Göttert, der Schulleiterin der deutschen Sprachenschule Washington, Kerstin Hopkins, der Deutschlehrerin Jasmin Zadegan sowie Andreas Gebert und Dominik Steimann von der deutschen Botschaft. Dabei fiel den einzelnen Jurymitgliedern die Auswahl nicht leicht, da sich alle Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer sehr kreativ mit dem vorgegeben Thema auseinandergesetzt hatten und aus ganz unterschiedlichen Blickwinkeln sprachliche Vielfalt betrachteten.

Gewinnen konnte man IPads und Büchergutscheine. Die drei ersten Preise gingen an Theo Nelson von DSS White Plains (NY) für seinen Text „Deutsche Sprache, schwere Sprache“, an Erica Brooks, Leni Fries, Yanina D'Iapico und Devika Mukherjee von der DSS Morris (NJ) für ihr Hörspiel „Frankfurterische Radiosendung“ sowie an Zehra Hrbatovic, Valerie Lombogia und Bailey Reifenberger von der Cherry Creek High School (CO) für ihr Video „Die Anpassung der Jugendsprache: SMS mit Opa“.

Foto: Helmut Kehlenbeck

Die ersten Rückmeldungen von den teilnehmenden Lehrkräften sind sehr positiv.

Die Möglichkeit zu einem gemeinsamen fachlichen Austausch und zu einer systematischen Fortbildung zur Vorbereitung und Durchführung des DSD I wird ausgesprochen geschätzt.

—Helmut Kehlenbeck, BDU Richmond, richmond@auslandsschulwesen.de

—Michael Göttert, BDU Atlanta, atlanta@auslandsschulwesen.de

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Neues von der Zentralstelle für das Auslandsschulwesen (ZfA)

Deutsche Sprache, Schwere Sprache (Theo Nelson, 15 Jahre) Oder auch—wie soll ein zweisprachiges Kind, das im Ausland aufwächst, jemals anständiges Deutsch lernen? Als ich klein war, hatten wir bei uns im Haus jede Woche eine tolle deutsche Spielgruppe. Die Mamas der Kinder kamen aus allen Ecken von Deutschland, „Nord-Süd-Gefälle“ sagt meine Mama dazu. Einmal am „Faschingsdienstag“ gab es köstliche Krapfen. Im Süden Deutschlands heißt es „Fasching“, in der Mitte und Norden Deutschlands nennt man Foto: Mariaanna Zose die lustige Zeit „Fastnacht“ und „Karneval“, wie z.B. im Ruhrgebiet, wurde uns Kindern erklärt. Sagt man dann zum „Faschingsdienstag“ auch „Fastnachtsdienstag“ und „Karnevalsdienstag“?

Die Mama aus Berlin aß „Pfannkuchen“, obwohl diese Dinger ja gar keine „Eierkuchen“, „Plinzen“, „Palatschinken“, „Flädle“ oder „Crêpes“ waren. Die Hamburger Mama nannte sie „Berliner“. Warum wohl die Berliner Mama sie nicht „Berliner“ nannte, hatte mich damals sehr gewundert. Die Mama aus Frankfurt fragte ihre Kinder, ob sie einen „Kreppel“ wollten und meine Mama gab mir einen „Krapfen“ mit leckerer Marmelade gefüllt, oder war es vielleicht Konfitüre? Also das war alles sehr verwirrend für Vier- und Fünfjährige Kinder.

Für uns sahen sie alle aus wie „Donuts“ und auch die orange Schachtel war vom Dunkin Donuts. Komisch! Auf alle Fälle waren sie sehr lecker: die „Krapfen“, „Kreppel“, „Berliner“, „Pfannkuchen“, „Donuts“ oder wie auch immer sie wirklich heißen...

Wahrscheinlich gibt es nächstes Mal nur noch frische „Semmeln“, „Wecken“, „Schrippen“, „Rundstückchen“, „Knüppel“, „Laibchen“ oder „Brötchen“, auf die wir unsere Marmelade oder Konfitüre selber schmieren müssen, weil wir uns die Namen nicht merken können. Na ja, verhungern werden wir schon nicht! Noch was: warum es Bahnhof und nicht „Zughafen“ heißt, konnte mir in all diesem Jahren auch noch nie jemand erklären. Mit einem Flugzeug landet man ja schließlich auch am „Flughafen“ und nicht im „Flughof“.

German goes radio Im Oktober konnten Schülerinnen und Schüler an High Schools und Sprachschulen in Montana, Colorado und Texas mit dem Medientrainer und Radiomoderator Elvis Katticaren von dem in Deutschland bekannten Radiosender Radio Köln die Gelegenheit einen eintägigen Radioworkshop durchführen.

Dieses Radioprojekt, finanziert vom Netzwerk Sprachvergnügen der Deutschen Botschaft in Washington D.C., gab den Teilnehmern die Gelegenheit, mehr über Medienkultur in Deutschland zu erfahren und eigene Interviews und Umfragen auf Deutsch professionell zu erarbeiten und aufzunehmen, die dann in den sozialen Netzwerken und Schulradios veröffentlicht wurden. Die Schülerinnen und Schüler wählen für ihre Beiträge anspruchsvolle Themen wie z.B. „Umweltverhalten in den USA und in Deutschland“, „Warum sollte man Deutsch lernen?“, „Freizeitverhalten in den USA und in Deutschland“ und „Vorurteile“.

Radioworkshop an der Bozeman High School.

Foto: Natascha Milde

Besonders anregend waren die zahlreichen Vorübungen zur Stimmbildung, zum Sprechverhalten und zur Gruppendynamik, die die Gruppen meist mit viel Gelächter begleiteten und die Stimmung gleich zu Beginn auflockerten.

—Julia Ibold, BDU Houston, houston@auslandsschulwesen.de

Deutsche Sprache, Schwere Sprache!

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Neues von der Zentralstelle für das Auslandsschulwesen (ZfA)

„Hallo Lieblingsmensch!“ Die Erfindenker-Tour durch den Westen

Deutsch lernen mit Slam Poetry Die erste gemeinsame USA-Tour der Berliner Slam Poeten Bas Böttcher und Felix Römer führte nach Louisiana, Kentucky, Ohio und Pennsylvania, wo sie insgesamt an zehn Schulen und einer Universität Workshops für Schüler und Studenten veranstalteten.

Das erste Gedicht, das Bas rhythmisch vortrug, war den meisten schon bekannt: Der Erlkönig. Aber man hörte das Pferd galoppieren! „How does he do it?“, flüsterten die erstaunten Schüler. Danach wurden die Gruppen gebildet.

Die erfindenker an der Eastside German Language School, Bellevue, WA. Foto: Natascha Milde

„Lieblingsmensch“ war eines der ersten Wörter und Lieder, die die Jugendlichen in den Schulen auf der Tournee lernten. Unter dem Motto „Deutsch lernen mit Musik und Spaß“ tourten Fabio Niehaus und Caroline Leuzinger durch Arizona, Washington und Oregon. Die BDUs Natascha Milde und Vera Dindoyal zeichneten verantwortlich für die Planung und Durchführung der Workshops. Finanziell wurde das Projekt durch Sondermittel der deutschen Botschaft ermöglicht.

Bas und Felix nahmen sich Zeit für ein Gespräch mit jeder einzelnen Kleingruppe und erteilten Ratschläge, halfen bei der Themen-findung und mit dem Vokabular. So entstanden Gedichte in unterschiedlicher Länge—je nach Sprachstand—, deren Vortrag auf der Bühne für alle Beteiligten ein beeindruckendes Erlebnis war!

Die besuchten Schulen konnten unterschiedlicher kaum sein, aber für jeden hatten die erfindenker etwas Passendes mitgebracht. Mit ihrer „Singfabrik“ gelang ihnen eine mitreißende Koproduktion mit der Band der Wildcats. In Chinle befindet sich die größte Highschool der Navajo Nation. Seit vier Jahren betreut Kathleen Shull hier das Deutschprogramm. Auch SchülerInnen, die noch kein Deutsch hatten, waren neugierig auf den Workshop. Und so entstand ein ca. 40-köpfiger Chor, mit dem moderne Poplieder einstudiert wurden. Sowohl Chor als auch Band waren begeistert und hatten am Ende Lust auf mehr: deutsche Sprache, Kultur und Musik.

An der Oro Valley High School in Tucson gab es mit den Deutschklassen dann eine Theateraufführung („Szenexpress“).

In Oregon und Washington wurden ebenfalls High Schools sowie Immersionsschulen und Samstagsschulen besucht. Die jüngeren Schüler der einer Samstagsschule (Eastside German Language School, WA) durften wiederum Bekanntschaft mit dem „Liederaffen Bonobo“ machen. Auch hier stand jeweils eine Aufführung am Ende, die Darsteller wie Publikum gleichermaßen mitriss.

Insgesamt war die Tour ein voller Erfolg, und wir danken allen, die dabei mitgeholfen haben! Auf Wiedersehen!

—Vera Dindoyal, BDU San Francisco, sanfrancisco@auslandsschulwesen.de, Natascha Milde, BDU Olympia, olympia@auslandsschulwesen.de

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F. Römer, L. Martinkari, M. Herman, B. Böttcher. Foto: Maria Herman)

Wieder daheim, erreichte Bas und Felix eine schöne Überraschung: Dankesbriefe von Schülern aus der Centerville High School in Dayton, OH. Ein Schüler schrieb „Die deutsche Sprache ist nicht genau für mich, aber jetzt will ich mehr über die deutsche Sprache lernen!“, viele äußerten den Wunsch „Kommt bitte nächstes Jahr wieder!“ —Leeni Martinkari, BDU Columbus, columbus@auslandsschulwesen.de

Neues von der Zentralstelle für das Auslandsschulwesen (ZfA)

Die ZFA auf der ACTFL Vom 16. bis 20. November 2017 fand die größte Fremdsprachenmesse Nordamerikas in Nashville, Tennessee statt. Die Messe des American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) wird von mehr als 7.000 Lehrkräften des Primar-, Sekundar- und Universitätsbereichs besucht.

Die Zentralstelle für das Auslandsschulwesen (ZfA) wurde am ZfA-Stand und in Workshops durch Helmut Kehlenbeck, Berater für Deutschunterricht (BDU) in Richmond, Michael Göttert, BDU in Atlanta, Vera Dindoyal, BDU in San Francisco, Leeni Martinkari, BDU in Columbus, vertreten.

Am Messestand konnten sich die Besucherinnen und Besucher über das Deutsche Sprachdiplom ebenso informieren wie über Unterstützungsangebote der sieben BDU der ZfA und der beiden vom GoetheInstitut entsandten Kolleginnen.

Foto: Kerstin Hämmerling

Michael Göttert vertrat die ZfA auf der Podiumsdiskussion zum Thema "Supporting the Teaching and Learning of German", an denen Vertreterinnen und Vertreter der Deutschen Botschaft, des AATG, der Auslandsvertretungen der Schweiz und Österreichs sowie des GoetheInstituts teilnahmen.

Der Workshop von Vera Dindoyal und Leeni Martinkari zum Thema „Using Theater Techniques in German Language Teaching“ bot den teilnehmenden Lehrkräften einen informativen und bewegenden Ausklang eines langen Tagungstages.

—Helmut Kehlenbeck; BDU Richmond, richmond@auslandsschulwesen.de

Impression vom ZfA Workshop auf der ACTFL. Foto: Helmut Kehlenbeck

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Technology in the classroom In this column, Doug Philipp of Cheyenne Mountain High School in Colorado Springs, Colorado, introduces Internet resources that are school-safe and can be used in various ways in German classrooms. Please send Doug your ideas for future columns.

In my last column I wrote about various sources for German music materials, and in this column I am going to continue that strand with songs from current German musicians. Some ideas and sources are from my portion of a presentation about newer German music that Mohamed Esa and I gave in November at the ACTFL conference in Nashville. Let’s start with some examples of newer songs by German-speaking musicians, as well as songs by newer music artists. Instead of including full video downloads in this column, I have listed links to YouTube videos that work. If you should ever need a copy of a video, please write to me, because I have all the mentioned videos downloaded and saved. I have tried to include online lyric links with most of the songs; please know that such lyrics may contain small errors, so it’s always best to check before simply handing your classes the lyrics.

One of the artists that my students have told me they enjoy hearing is Sebastian Hämer, born in 1979 in Rostock. He got his start by singing in a party band, and his first hit single appeared in 2006, entitled Sommer unseres Lebens (lyrics). I have used this song in the springtime, when we begin to talk about summer plans, as well as at the start of school in the autumn, when we look back at our summer breaks.

A more recent song by Hämer is a 2016 version of Ein bisschen Frieden. This is indeed the song that Nicole first made popular back in 1982 when she won the Eurovision contest with her version (lyrics). One activity is to compare the lyrics as sung by Nicole to those that Hämer sings. With one of my German levels we have taken the lyrics further and substituted in other concepts that the class wished for themselves. This song is essentially a plea for peace, so an interesting idea is to compare both the lyrics and melody of Ein bisschen Frieden with a version of Sag mir, wo die Blumen sind, such as this version by Marlene Dietrich.

The theme of trying to understand others while examining one’s own traits and beliefs is one that is present in many songs. Yvonne Catterfeld, with help from Bengio, sings about this in her song Irgendwas (lyrics). Catterfeld is an accomplished actress, known for her role in the movie Keinohrhase, as well as numerous TV productions and other films.

The video for Irgendwas starts out with a portrayal of frustration following a change in plans, and then moves to a series of pondering statements. The lyrics are especially good for talking about modern life, what each person longs for, and the search for something in life.

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Exploring internet music resources Bye Bye, sung by Cro (lyrics) is another song that has appealed to many of my students. The words discuss aspects of friendship and relationship, tossed together with longing for more from another person. With firm instructions to keep their ideas suitable for the classroom, my students made brief lists of activities that they would like to do with a friend or acquaintance, before they heard the song. We then discussed stumbling points in friendships and possible solutions to overcome them.

Namika is a German singer/rap artist and her song Lieblingsmensch (lyrics) helps to develop further the theme of friendship and appreciation for people. This song may be an Ohrwurm for some people; several of my students told me that was the case for them after we heard it in class. We compared the two songs from Cro and Namika to extract out more ideas about aspects of expectations that people can have for others. For this my students had one minute to talk with each other about their expectations for friendships, and then they had a brief minute to write down what they remembered from their partners’ statements. We then discussed how various attributes of friendship can be viewed as important, depending upon each person’s personal background and experiences.

Lotte (Charlotte Rezbach) has been a back-up singer for many German musicians and in March 2017 she released Auf beiden Beinen, a song that deals with personal traits and perceptions of others (lyrics). Focusing purely on language constructions, this song contains both reflexive verbs and commands that use dative and accusative pronouns. More than constructions, though, this song seems to express very well the complexity of being human and wanting to have both freedom and attachment to others. I have used this song in classes as a tool for creative phrasings practice, and as a springboard to discuss what each of us wants in life. Several students told me they really like this song, as well as video, because Lotte expresses well how they personally feel.

I hope that this column has helped you to discover some songs or artists that are new to you. One of my columns in 2018 will feature more newer musicians and/or songs, so please send me any suggestions for ones that you would like featured.

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Liebe Kolleginnen, liebe Kollegen, Es war uns eine große Freude, viele bekannte Gesichter bei der ACTFL Konferenz in Nashville wieder zu sehen und neue Kontakte zu knüpfen! Auch dieses Jahr beteiligte sich das Goethe-Institut an der Tagung mit einem vielfältigen Programm und einem Messestand. Zu den Highlights zählte die feierliche Verleihung der Merit Awards an Deutschlehrer, die sich um die Verbreitung der deutschen Sprache in den USA verdient gemacht haben, sowie die Verlosung, wobei zwei Hauptgewinne -- ein zweiwöchiger Goethe-Institut Fortbildungskurs in Deutschland und drei Online Deutschkurse für Deutschlehrer -- vergeben wurden. Wir freuen uns schon darauf, Sie bei der nächsten ACTFL Konferenz in New Orleans 2018 zu sehen!

Mit den besten Wünschen für die Feiertage und das Neue Jahr, Ihr Christoph Veldhues

Dr. Christoph Veldhues Leiter Spracharbeit Nordamerika Goethe-Institut Washington

Fortbildungsangebote des Goethe-Instituts Planen Sie jetzt schon für 2018 ihr Teacher Training Programm, es ist für jeden etwas dabei.

Methodik-Didaktik für Experten – DLL (Deutsch-Lehren-Lernen) Fortbildung für Deutschlehrer/innen Vom 22. Januar bis 18. März 2018 finden die nächsten Online-Fortbildungen zur Methodik-Didaktik aus der Fortbildungsreihe „Deutsch-Lehren-Lernen – DLL“ statt. Deutschlehrer/innen in den U.S.A., Kanada und in Deutschland haben die Möglichkeit, ihr Wissen praxisnah aufzufrischen und zu erweitern sowie mit anderen Kollegen über Unterrichtserfahrungen zu debattieren und mit einem Praxiserkundungsprojekt in Ihren Unterrichtsalltag zu übertragen.

Die Teilnehme am Fortbildungskurs DLL ist kostenfrei, die Anmeldegebühr beträgt 100USD, Sie können sich aber für ein Stipendium bewerben, das die Anmeldegebühr übernimmt.

Kurszeitraum: 22. Januar bis 18. März 2018.

DLL 8: DaF für Kinder DLL 10: DaF für Jugendliche Anmeldefrist ist der 05. Januar 2018.

Weitere Informationen finden Sie hier.

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Sommerschule für Deutschlehrer/innen 2018 Vertiefen Sie Ihre Sprachkenntnisse und Ihr Fachwissen vor Ort, erleben Sie Deutschland in Deutschland und tauschen Sie sich intensiv mit Kollegen über Themen zu Unterricht, Deutsch Lehren und Sprechen aus. Bewerben Sie sich jetzt für die Sommerschule in Deutschland—3 Wochen Online mit erfahrenen Tutor/innen als Vorbereitung und 2 Wochen Präsenzphase in Deutschland.

Mehr Deutsch geht nicht!

Weitere Informationen: www.goethe.de/usa/sommerschule.

Online-Sprachkurse für Deutschlehrer/innen Sie möchten Ihre Deutschkenntnisse auch außerhalb Ihres Schulalltags verbessern und trainieren? Dann sind unsere Online-Sprachkurse für Deutschlehrer/innen genau das richtige für Sie! In den Niveaustufen B1, B2 und C1 haben Sie die Möglichkeit Ihre Hör-, Lese- und Schreibfertigkeiten zu trainieren sowie mit anderen Kollegen über aktuelle Themen zu debattieren. Erfahrene Kursleiterinnen begleiten Sie durch den Kurszeitraum und sie treffen sich in Online-Live-Sitzungen um sich mit den anderen Teilnehmern live auszutauschen und Aufgaben zu bearbeiten. Die Teilnehme am Online-Sprachkurs ist kostenfrei, die Anmeldegebühr beträgt 100 USD, Sie können sich aber für ein Stipendium bewerben, das die Anmeldegebühr übernimmt.

Kurszeitraum: 05. Feb bis 01. April 2018. Niveaustufen B1, B2, C1. Anmeldefrist ist der 19. Januar 2018. Weitere Informationen finden Sie hier.

Die Virtuelle Deutschlehrerkonferenz GETVICO 2017 war auch dieses Jahr wieder ein Erfolg. Es gab insgesamt über 200 Teilnahmen und 60 Referenten aus den U.S.A und Kanada sowie aus der ganzen Welt von Südafrika bis Südkorea. 95% der Referent/innen unterrichten selbst. Die behandelten Themenbereiche waren:      

Mit digitalen Medien unterrichten Film, Musik und Literatur im Unterricht Deutschland aktuell Individuelle Förderung – Feedback und Binnendifferenzierung Schüleraustausch und Study-abroad Möglichkeiten Handlungsorientierte Modelle der Unterrichtsplanung

Ein besonderes Highlight waren außerdem die Plenumsvorträge von Thomas Strasser (PH Wien) zu Schule 4.0 und eine aktuelle Zusammenfassung zu Deutschland vor der Wahl von der Journalistin Kerstin Fritzsche. Die Aufzeichnungen der Präsentationen finden Sie hier: www.goethe.de/usa/getvico.

Auch im nächsten Jahr freuen wir uns wieder auf eine interessante Fachkonferenz: die nächste GETVICO wird am 29. September 2018 stattfinden. Teilen auch Sie Ihre Expertise und Erfahrungen und reichen Ihren Abstract zu einem der obengenannten Themen ein.

Anmeldeschluss ist der 01. April 2018. Weitere Informationen finden Sie hier.

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Trainernetzwerk USA Das Trainernetzwerk USA unterstützt Deutschlehrerinnen und Deutschlehrer aller Stufen und Schultypen (K – 16) durch regelmäßig angebotene Fortbildungsveranstaltungen zu US-relevanten Aspekten des Deutschunterrichts. Die Trainer/ innen des Netzwerkes sind kompetente und engagierte Deutschlehrer/innen an Schulen und Universitäten, die bereit sind, ihre Fachkenntnisse und Erfahrungen im Bereich Deutsch als Fremdsprache weiterzugeben. Zu diesem Zweck werden die Trainer/innen regelmäßig in Veranstaltungen des Goethe-Instituts aus- und fortgebildet und führen selbst Fortbildungen durch. Als Deutschlehrer/in können Sie an diesen Fortbildungen durch DaF-Trainer/innen des GoetheInstituts individuell teilnehmen oder ein bestimmtes Fortbildungsseminar für ihre Bildungsinstitution buchen. Jedes Seminar beinhaltet den Grundbaustein und variable Anzahl von Ergänzungsbausteinen. Informieren Sie sich über das Trainernetzwerk hier.

Unten stellen wir Ihnen einige unserer Trainer/innen vor! Allen haben wir 3 Fragen gestellt: Können Sie kurz Ihren Unterrichtskontext vorstellen? Was macht Ihren Unterricht besonders? Was sind die Themen, zu denen Sie Fortbildungen für andere Deutschlehrer anbieten, und wann ist Ihr nächster Workshop?

Jess Duran Ich habe dieses Jahr eine neue Stelle an der Standley Lake High School in Westminster, CO, bin aber schon seit 7 Jahren Lehrerin. Ich arbeite an einer High School mit Deutsch 1-4 und ungefähr 150 Schülern, die Deutsch belegen, 1200 insgesamt an der Schule. Ich betreue einen German Club und den GAPP Austausch. Mein Unterricht ist besonders im Bezug auf Technologieintegration und Spiele, die die Schüler zum sprechen bringen. Ich bin neu im Trainernetzwerk und freue mich darauf, mit den Themen vertraut zu werden und in der nähen Zukunft einen Echo-Workshop anzubieten, besonders zum Thema „Digitale Medien und produktive und rezeptive Fertigkeiten“, zu dem ich im Sommer zusammen mit Ester Eichler Workshopsmaterialien entwickelt habe.

Ester Eichler Ich unterrichte seit 1995 an der Abington Senior High School in Abington, Pennsylvanien, 10 Meilen nördlich von Philadelphia. An der High School unterrichte ich 110 Schüler in Deutsch 3, 4, und AP. Wir haben auch seit 1999 einen GAPP Austausch mit dem Karlsgymnasium in Bad Reichenhall in Bayern.

Leider ist mein Unterricht nicht jeden Tag atemberaubend, aber wenn es klappt, dann denke ich, dass es die interaktivsten Stunden sind, wenn die Schüler singen, sich bewegen, und mit dem neuen Lernstoff problemlos miteinander kommunizieren und voneinander lernen. Mein Ziel ist, dass die Schüler/innen jeden Tag, etwas Neues über die deutschsprachige Welt erfahren, sei es denn durch Nachrichten, Lieder, eine Grafik, oder ein Wort, und dass die Schüler nicht nur diese Information lernen, sondern auch verarbeiten, indem sie das Neuerworbene analysieren, vergleichen, und diskutieren.

Ich bin seit ungefähr 2010 Trainerin. Ich biete gern Workshops über Kunst im Unterricht, das AP Curriculum, Articulation zwischen Deutsch 1 und AP (Curriulumsplanung), und Kommunikationsmodi.

Mein nächster Echo-Workshop ist am 09.02., um 13 Uhr bei NECTFL Konferenz in New York, wo wir zusammen mit Christopher Gwin und Margaret Gonglewski die Unterrichtseinheit “Powerfrauen—Frauen mit Macht” vorstellen.

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Für Ihre Schüler Ein Studium in Deutschland ist Ausbildung auf höchstem Niveau – die optimale Grundlage für eine erfolgreiche Karriere im Heimatland und weltweit. Die Studienbrücke ist ein Programm, das Schülerinnen und Schüler der Junior High School Klasse mit Deutschkenntnissen und herausragenden Leistungen in Mathematik, Informatik, Naturwissenschaften und Technik (MINT-Fächer) sprachlich und fachlich auf ein Studium in Deutschland vorbereitet und in die deutsche Lehr-, Lern- und Campuskultur sowie in das soziale Umfeld einführen soll.

Dabei durchlaufen die Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer mehrere Vorbereitungsmodule, darunter u.a. Sprachkurse bis zum B2/C1 Niveau, akademische Vorbereitungskurse, interkulturelles Training sowie der Aufenthalt an einem deutschen Gymnasium und in einer Gastfamilie in Deutschland für ein Jahr.

Deutsche Partneruniversitäten stellen jährlich eine bestimmte Anzahl an Studienplätzen für die Teilnehmenden der Studienbrücke zur Verfügung, so dass erfolgreiche Absolventinnen und Absolventen sich direkt an einer dieser Universitäten bewerben können.

Die Studienbrücke ist ein weltweites Projekt des Goethe-Instituts, das in den USA im Jahr 2016 gestartet ist. Die Schülerinnen und Schüler unseres ersten Jahrgangs befinden sich derzeit in Deutschland, wo sie in einer Gastfamilie leben, in ein deutsches Gymnasium gehen und sich bereits intensiv für die Bewerbung an einer deutschen Universität vorbereiten. Die Teilnehmerinnen und Teilnehmer des zweiten Jahrgangs sind in diesem Sommer mit einem zweiwöchigen Intensivsprachkurs und MINT-Erkundungsprogramm in Göttingen in das Studienbrückenprogramm gestartet und lernen nun fleißig Deutsch auf B1-Niveau in einem Onlinekurs.

Bewerbungsschluss für den nächsten Jahrgang ist der 30. März 2018.

Die Internationale Deutscholympiade startet in die zweite Vorrunde Die erste Vorrunde der Internationalen Deutscholympiade in den USA ist beendet.

Nach vier aufregenden Tagen mit vielen Hürden, die Deutsch als Fremdsprache jungen Lernenden eben gerne einmal stellt, haben sich 14 besonders motivierte und sprachgewandte Kandidatinnen und Kandidaten hervorgetan.

Am 1. und 2. Dezember wird es für sie wieder ernst: Sie werden sich in der zweiten Vorrunde in Chicago erstmals persönlich gegenüberstehen. Dann gilt es, in den fünf deutscholympischen Disziplinen Leseverstehen, Hörverstehen, Sprechen, Schreiben und Präsentieren noch einmal alles zu geben – denn die beiden Finalist/innen reisen im nächsten Jahr zum internationalen Finale nach Freiburg und treten gegen die Siegerinnen und Sieger aus über 50 anderen Nationen an.

Bei allem sportlichen Ehrgeiz darf natürlich der Spaß nicht zu kurz kommen – die Veranstaltung soll schließlich nicht nur Teamgeist fördern, sondern vor allem die Freude an der deutschen Sprache. Aus diesem Grund erwartet die Olympionikinnen und Olympioniken aus dem ganzen Land ein buntes Programm. Mit der stadttypischen Deep Dish-Pizza werden sie sich für die Anstrengungen der nächsten Runde stärken und zur Erholung ein wenig Weihnachtsluft auf dem Christkindlmarkt schnuppern. Außerdem geht es hoch hinaus: Vom 94. Stock des berühmten Hancock Towers aus können sie die Stadt aus einer atemberaubenden neuen Perspektive kennenlernen.

Teilnehmer/innen der zweiten Vorrunde USA sind: Alena Rooney, Chicago Waldorf School, Chicago, IL; Rebecca Liu, Wilson High School, Florence, SC; Rebecca Blum, Shining Mountain Waldorf School, Boulder, CO; Ryan Dolan, New Prague High School, New Prague, MN; Bryan Besselman, Wentzville Holt High School, Wentzville, MO; Gus Eberlein, Camp Hill High School, Camp Hill, PA; Jadyn Vaidya, ConVal High School, Peterborough, NH; Giovanna Truong, Cedarburg High School, Cedarburg, WI; Fiona Balfe, Mt. Lebanon High School, Pittsburgh, PA; Dunia Suuck, Claremont High School, Claremont, CA; Benjamin Murdoch, San Marcos High School, Martindale, TX; Nicholas Kime, John Burroughs High School, St. Louis, MO; Joey Clough, Guajome Park Academy, Vista, CA; Max Bowman, Barrington High School, Barrington, IL. Wir gratulieren allen Schüler/innen ganz herzlich und freuen uns auf die zweite Vorrunde in Chicago.

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Student Scholarship Essay Contest German-American Hall of Fame Essay Contest for High School and College Students The German-American Hall of Fame (GAMHOF) Board of Trustees is pleased to announce an exciting initiative, the 2018 GAMHOF Student Scholarship Essay Contest. The mission of GAMHOF is to highlight the contributions of outstanding Americans of German ancestry, underscoring the tremendous positive impact of America's largest immigrant group. Such notable Americans as President Eisenhower, Babe Ruth and Albert Einstein have been inducted into the Hall of Fame.

This year's student essay contest asks each applicant to write an essay, in 750 words or less, about the impact of an athlete of German descent in the United States. The athlete can be male or female, immigrant or not. But the athlete's primary impact should be in the United States.

With separate competitions for college and high school students, the essay contest will offer cash awards totaling $3,500 for the winning students in 2018. The two First prize winners will each take home $1,000, with Runners-up winning $500 each, and Third place winners earning $250 prizes. Students who will have graduated high school prior to July 31, 2018 should enter the college competition. Student who have completed their Bachelor's/college degrees are not eligible for this competition.

The GAMHOF Student Scholarship Essay Contest application can be found here. The deadline for all applications is Monday, January 15, 2018, 11:59 PM Eastern Daylight time. Essays must be written in English. ONLY electronic entries will be accepted, and should be e-mailed to herbertstupp@gamhof.org. In an applicant's e-mail to GAMHOF, he or she must list their name in the "subject" line, along with the words: "2018 Essay."

Good luck to all the applicants!

Spotlight

John aus PA

John McLaughlin, Trinity Area High School, Washington, Pennsylvania Fach und Klassen: Deutsch I, III, V Was mögen Sie am Meisten an Ihrer Stelle? Seit 32 Jahren lerne ich jeden Tag etwas Neues. Was ist deutsch?

Was würden Sie tun, wenn Sie Leiter der Fremsprachenwelt wäre? Ich würde Fremdsprachen ein Pflichtfach machen.

Was ist eine Aktivität, die besonders gut bei Ihren Schülern ankommt? Infogapaufgaben haben meine Schüler gern. Wir reisen jedes Jahr nach Pittsburgh, um Schlittschuhzulaufen und den Weihnachtsmarkt zu besichtigen.

Was ist Ihr Lieblingsfach? Mein Lieblingsfach ist Geographie. Ich könnte ewig und drei Tage eine Landkarte anschauen. Die sind hochinteressant.

Etwas Interessantes über Sie: Ich trinke normaleweise 15-20 Tassen Kaffee pro Tag.

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Professional Development Opportunities DAAD Opportunities Upcoming deadlines: January 15: Visiting Professorship

January 31: Undergraduate Scholarship

January 31: Summer Academy in Leipzig

January 31: Learn German in Germany

Visit this website for a comprehensive overview of the many scholarship and grant opportunities DAAD offers for study in Germany for undergraduates, graduate students, Ph.D. and postdocs, and faculty and researchers.

Literature, Media, Form — DAAD Faculty Summer Seminar in German Studies Cornell University, June 17-July 27, 2018 This six-week seminar for North American faculty and recent PhDs investigates the enlivening relationship that ties literary criticism to media studies within the interdisciplinary field of German Studies. The purpose of the summer seminar is to promote the interdisciplinary study of historical, political, social and cultural aspects of modern and contemporary German affairs and to advance their understanding among scholars in the United States and Canada. The seminar will provide a cross-disciplinary framework for examining the evolving relation between literary practices, technological developments, and conceptions of media within significant historical junctures and by drawing on influential methodological paradigms. Participants will be encouraged to incorporate their own fields of interest as well as present their work in progress.

The program is open to faculty members and recent PhDs in germane social science and cultural studies fields. Detailed information and applications are available here. Application deadline: March 1, 2018.

DEUTSCHE WOCHE Bar Harbor 2018 Germany in the new Millennium: Teaching cultural change through popular culture and media College of the Atlantic, July 22- July 28, 2018 When Helmut Kohl died in June 2017, some obituaries claimed his death announced the end the old Federal Republic, too. By way of symbolism the authors acknowledged the fact that Kohl’s Germany feels like a different country in comparison with today. Without doubt the last 20 years have seen tremendous cultural and societal changes in Germany. Join Professor Hendrik Michael from the OttoFriedrich Universität Bamberg and German teachers to discuss topics related to cultural and societal changes in Germany in the 21st century; explore where and how this is presented in the media; define key characteristics of media in Germany; learn where to find material; gather material and devise a corpus; assess new or already known material; prepare strategies to engage students with the material; work out how specific material can be of relevance for different teaching backgrounds; combine different materials on a specific topic and map out a teaching block. Above all, you will be immersed in German the entire week, spend evenings engaged in conversation, culturally relevant activities, film evenings and music.

More detailed information and applications are available here. Application deadline: July 1, 2018. Early bird discount for registration received before December 31, 2017.

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AATG Executive Council Hal Boland, President Heritage High School, VA Susanne Rinner, Vice President University of North Carolina at Greensboro Katrina Griffin, Treasurer North County High School, MD Cindi Hodgdon, Presiding Officer, Assembly of Chapter Presidents Conval High School, NH Keith Cothrun, Executive Director

Joan Campbell, Northeast Region Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, MA Candis Carey, Central Region Crown Point High School, IN Albrecht Classen, Southwest Region University of Arizona

Beth Gulewich, Southeast Region NB Broughton High School, NC Susanne Wagner, Midwest Region University of St. Thomas, MN Johanna Watzinger-Tharp, Northwest Region University of Utah

The American Association of Teachers of German supports the teaching of the German language and German-speaking cultures in elementary, secondary and post-secondary education in the United States. The AATG promotes the study of the Germanspeaking world in all its linguistic, cultural and ethnic diversity and endeavors to prepare students as transnational, transcultural learners and active, multilingual participants in a globalized world.

With 4,000 members, the AATG serves teachers of German at all levels of instruction and all those interested in the teaching of German. AATG is an allied organization of the Modern Language Association, a constituent member of the Joint National Committee for Languages/National Council for Languages and International Studies, the National Federation of Modern Language Teachers Associations, and an organizational member of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, and the Internationaler Deutschlehrerinnen- und Deutschlehrerverband.

The AATG Newsletter is a publication of the American Association of Teachers of German, Inc. Correspondence and news items should be sent to the editor at: AATG, 112 Haddontowne Court #104, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034.

Contact us Keith Cothrun Executive Director keith@aatg.org John Capasso Membership Coordinator john@aatg.org

April Hemphill Program Coordinator april@aatg.org

Deborah DiAngelo Finance Manager deb@aatg.org

Mercedes Pokorny Communications Coordinator mercedes@aatg.org

Lorena Haberern Program Assistant lorena@aatg.org

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Have some good news to share with your colleagues?

Have a teaching tip that will benefit others? Has a recent advocacy effort proven successful?

We’re looking for ideas for feature articles. Send your comments and suggestions to info@aatg.org.