Education: Hope for newcomers in Europe
I like the regular class better than the preparatory course because we only learned German and did not do maths and English and such subjects. (Interview with a student for a Master’s thesis)
However, it is often difficult for students to follow the lessons if they have missed years of school during their forced migration and during the preparatory German classes. Particularly in the upper secondary level, schools frequently do not cope well with the challenge of preparing students to achieve an appropriate leaving certificate. “There are four students in the class who understand nothing if they read Kafka. I mean Kafka is difficult enough for German students. Sometimes I get really sad when I get feedback from teachers in regular classes that a really bright kid will not be able to make it, to reach the tertiary entrance certificate. I know that if someone is really intelligent and hard-working, it is not his or her fault that they came here only at the age of 15”. (Teacher of a preparatory German class in a Gymnasium, in interview with Master’s degree student) “There is no point in putting a child in a class that matches her age group, but then she can’t really follow what is happening.” (Oberschule teachers, interviewed by Master’s degree student31)
Going to a regular class does not always mean full participation in the lessons. We have to move them to the regular class after one year, but for many of them this is too soon so that they cannot really participate. In sixth grade, this is still possible, but in grade 8 or 9, if the class does history or chemistry, the new students continue working on their German. (Oberschule teacher, interviewed by Master’s degree student)
After moving to a regular class, students may receive extra lessons to support their proficiency in German or to help them with their homework. However, in this scenario – where a student has moved from the preparatory German to the regular class – there are no significant additional resources to continue complementary German lessons. “Last year, we had two hours of German per week for former preparatory German class students who changed into the regular class. That is nothing! But this year, we do not even have that.” (Oberschule teacher, interviewed by Master’s degree student)
31 Report of a visit by a union delegation in Bremerhaven from 5 September 2017 https://www.nasuwt.org. uk/news/international/international-news/german-teachers-help-rebuild-refugees-lives.html Accessed 20 October 2017.
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