DIE UNTERRICHTSPRAXIS/ TEACHING GERMAN

The May issue 2023 (56.1) has been published. This issue introduces a new type of article — the Forum Article

These short articles of about 2,000 words are always in response to a call for papers, which sets the topic for a forum with different voices We had issued the call for papers under the title "(Re-)Discoveries in a Time of Disruption" in November 2022. The 21 Forum Articles of the latest Unterrichtspraxis focus on two broad 'disruptions': COVID-19 and the enrollment crisis in German studies and language learning. In the context of COVID-19, several instructors rediscovered reading practices that they had abandoned in prepandemic curricula (Elizabeth Mittman; Renata Fuchs; Alyssa Howards) Martina Caspari went back to the natural approach and total physical response of the 1980s. Other authors discussed the inclusion of activities that support student mental health, community engagement, and accessibility in foreignlanguage learning (Heidi Denzel & Nicolay Ostrau; Penelope Kolovou; Jacob van der Kolk; Sabrina Link; Kathleen Condray). Colleagues reflected on the benefits of the pivot to technology-enhanced teaching-and-learning during the pandemic (Albrecht Classen; Adam Oberlin; Alysha Holmquist; Felicitas Starr-Egger; Beate Brunow & Kerstin Kuhn-Brown; Abhimanyu Sharma). German programs had been shrinking already before the pandemic. The rapid transition to online learning under lockdown conditions generated additional pressures on teachers of German.

However, the use of simple technologies also triggered positive change (Lynn Kutch). Authors showed how they are adapting the German program to make them more attractive to students (Melissa Elliot; Karin Schutjer, Kaleigh Bangor, & Robert Lemon). Such opportunities often lie in the practical utility of learning German (Anita McChesney; Marija Stanojevic Veselinovic). Kiley Kost, Seth Peabody, and Juliane Schicker re-imagine the firstyear German curriculum by focusing on equity and inclusion. This last Forum Article of this issue bridges the topics of enrollment crisis and diversity, equity, and inclusion The latter will be the primary focus of these short articles in the second issue (56.2) of this volume of Die Unterrichtspraxis / Teaching German in November. We anticipate also having Forum Articles in May of next year; a call for papers on the broad topic of student recruitment and retention in both the secondary and post-secondary sectors of German-language education will come out soon. If you are thinking of sending in a manuscript and would like to discuss your specific project or idea, feel free to get in touch with the co-editors Karin and Mat by email (unterrichtspraxis@aatg.org).

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DearAATGFriends,

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Herzlichst, MichaelR.Shaughnessy ExecutiveDirector,AATG mike@aatgorg