Best Summer camps to learn German

HEIMAT TRAVEL | abroad ReisenRubrik

The Best SUMMER CAMPS to Learn German

Die besten SUMMER CAMPS zum Deutschlernen

While many German-speaking expats and emigrants struggle with English when moving to the U.S., the bigger challenge for their children is learning or maintaining proper German. Especially reading and writing does not come easy to most of them. Luckily there are special summer camps where children can catch up on their deficits and meet peers from all over the world. Below are some of the most well-known summer language camps in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland as well as in the U.S.

Kids and teens who grow up abroad, sometimes struggle with learning German. That’s not surprising: in everyday life they usually speak the language of their host country and even if they speak German at home, learning to read and write is a whole different story. Only few children living in or near major cities have the opportunity to attend a German school abroad.

Luckily there are summer camps where kids receive German lessons for several weeks in a row to improve their language skills. This has a few advantages: On one hand, the long summer break in the US can be used in a productive and meaningful way. On the other hand, learning or improving a language is often much easier for children when they are not in their usual environment. In camp they are spending time with many peers who are facing the same challenges. In addition, most camps are in the D-A-CH region (Germany, Austria, Switzerland), which means kids are immersed in their host country’s culture and language all day long. Also, the general activities are offered in German which helps to acquire vocabulary in a playful way.

Here are the best summer camps to learn German in the U.S. and in the D-A-CH region:

Während sich viele erwachsene Expats und Auswanderer mit der englischen Alltagssprache in den USA schwertun, ist für deren Kinder oft die deutsche Sprache die größere Herausforderung. Vor allem das Lesen und Schreiben fällt ihnen schwer. In speziellen Summer Camps können Kinder und Jugendliche die Sprachdefizite ausbügeln und dabei Gleichaltrigen aus aller Welt treffen. Wir stellen die bekanntesten Sommer-Sprachkurse im D-A-CH-Raum und in den USA vor.

Kindern und Jugendlichen, die im Ausland aufwachsen, fällt das Deutschlernen mitunter schwer. Kein Wunder: Im Alltag sprechen sie in der Regel die Sprache ihres Gastlandes, und sogar, wenn sie Zuhause deutsch sprechen, bleibt das Lesen und Schreiben meist auf der Strecke. Nur wenige haben die Möglichkeit in den Ballungszentren deutsche Auslandsschulen zu besuchen.

Zum Glück gibt es Summer Camps, in denen Kinder und Jugendliche mehrere Wochen am Stück Deutschunterricht bekommen und ihre Sprachkenntnisse verbessern können. Das hat gleich mehrere Vorteile: Zum einen können die sehr langen amerikanischen Sommerferien sinnvoll genutzt und verplant werden. Zum anderen fällt das Sprachenlernen den Kindern und Jugendlichen in der Camp-Atmosphäre häufig sehr viel leichter als Zuhause in gewohnter Umgebung. Denn dort sind sie nicht nur mit anderen Gleichaltrigen zusammen, die vor ähnlichen Herausforderungen stehen. Viele Summer Camps finden außerdem im deutschsprachigen Raum statt – die jungen Teilnehmer sind also rund um die Uhr von der deutschen Sprache und Kultur umgeben. Auch die vielen Aktivitäten werden auf Deutsch angeboten und somit wird Vokabular spielerisch erlernt.

Im Folgenden stellen wir dir die besten Summer Camps zum Deutschlernen im D-A-CH-Raum und in den USA vor:

24 | HEIMAT abroad | SPRING 2019

TRAVEL | Reisen

Waldsee German Language Village

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Link: www.concordialanguagevillages.org/youth-languages/ german-language-village

►► Location: Bemidji, Minnesota USA

►► Summer Camp Dates: June 10 - August 24, 2019

►► Age Range: 6-18; Family Weeks; Adult Weeks; Day Camps

►► Minimum stay: 1 week

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Description: Waldsee offers übercool adventures in German for beginning through advanced learners, all in a fun, motivating setting with master teachers, talented counselors and participants from across the country and around the world. Waldsee is North America’s premier residential German language immersion program and recognized as a national Center of Excellence by the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG). Have fun with hands-on practical language learning. We play, dance, sing, experiment, explore, bike, canoe, cook, eat, celebrate and party in German. Four, two-, and one-week programs for adults; families; high school, middle- and elementary school students. See you this summer!

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Oldest, largest residential German immersion program in North America.

young austria

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Name of the camp/organization: German Language Camp / young austria - Österreichs Erlebnisgästehäuser GmbH

►► Location: Mariapfarr and Obertauern, Salzburg region, Austria

►► Summer Camp Dates: June 15 – August 31, 2019

►► Age Range: 8-16, overnight camp, language camp

►► Minimum stay: 2 weeks

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Description: For 70 years young austria organizes educational and recreational trips for children and is Austria’s biggest tour operator for summer camps.

Children from all over the world are coming to our camps and experience a summer full of fun, different cultures, action and adventures in the nature. Our teachers and counsellors are all native German speakers, so immediately what has been learned can be applied in everyday situations. "Live languages instead of learning them!" is the motto at our German Language Camp! Playing, biking, dancing, hiking, swimming – even dreaming is done with a German touch.

We offer two-, three- and four weeks programs for children and can’t wait to say: “Guten Tag” to you!

HEIMAT abroad | SPRING 2019 | 25

HEIMAT TRAVEL | abroad ReisenRubrik

Alpadia Language Schools

►► Summer Camp Dates: June 23 - August 10, 2019

►► Age Range: 8-17 years old

►► Minimum stay: 1 week

►► Link: www.alpadia.com

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Location: Montreux, Leysin, Engelberg, Ascona (Switzerland), Berlin-Wannsee, Berlin-Werbellinsee, Freiburg, Frankfurt-Lahntal (Germany)

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Description: Learn French, English, German or Italian! Since 1996 Alpadia have been organising summer camps in Switzerland, France, Germany and England. With 14 destinations, they provide an enjoyable approach to language learning combined with one of the richest all-inclusive activity programmes available.

GLS German Language School Berlin

►► Summer Camp Dates: June 23 - August 18, 2019

►► Age Range: 8-18 years old

►► Minimum stay: 1 week

►► Link: www.gls-german-courses.de/language-school-berlin

►► Location: GLS Campus Berlin, Kastanienallee 82, 10435 Berlin

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Description: The GLS German Language School in Berlin has been honored 5 times with the Star School Germany award, i.e. as one of the best language schools in Germany. For junior students GLS offers 10 summer camps in Berlin and Munich, all with German courses and excursions after class.

26 | HEIMAT abroad | SPRING 2019