Children's Classes

Children new to the German School will be evaluated by a teacher and assigned to the appropriate classroom according to their skill level and age.

A textbook and workbook are used in each class except the Kindergarten classes. At the end of each Saturday class the teacher will inform the parents what work was conducted during the lesson and about the homework assignment. Please make sure that time is reserved during the week for homework.

All children need to bring in addition to their book / books, a notebook, a pencil, colored pencils or crayons (for younger children) and a snack to be eaten during one of the breaks.

KB Kindergarten Bilingual Children (4 to 7 years old)

This class is welcoming all children who are bilingual or near-native German speakers, are 4 years or older by September 1st of that school year and can independently use the restroom.

In this class German is spoken during the majority of the lesson. The children will expand and strengthen their vocabulary through songs, poems and play. The teacher will read German children books with the children, talk with them about interesting topics and watch short German video clips. The children in this class will not use a book, as they can not yet read and write or are just beginning to do so.

Children starting with 4 years of age in the KB class will remain in the class for three years or until they have a good command in writing and reading in English.

KG Kindergarten German as a Second Language (4 - 7 years old)

This class is for children who learn German as a second language and have so far no or very little experience with the German language, are 4 years or older by September 1st of that school year and can independently use the restroom.

The children will learn basic German expressions and vocabulary. The emphasis is on playful learning. In this class the children learn German mainly through playing, singing, coloring and saying short poems. The teacher will use many props to introduce and repeat German words like greetings, animals, colors, food, etc. The children in this class will not use a book, as they cannot yet read and write or are just beginning to do so.

Children starting with 4 years of age in the KG class will remain in the class for three years or until they have a good command in writing and reading in English.

A1-1 Beginner 1 (Children 7 - 11 years old)

This class is for children who are ready to learn German in a structured way with a text and a workbook. Homework is assigned including writing and listening exercises using clips and videos provided by the book series online. This class starts our main book series and is the basis for the subsequent classes. Topics include: greetings, numbers, introducing oneself, animals, activities, family, and school subjects. The grammar taught includes articles, present tense verbs, and negation. The students will be able to introduce themselves, talk in simple sentences about their family, and name animals, and school subjects.

We alternate between two book series. This way a child has the option to repeat the class with a new book. Please see our book list under Classes / Textbooks for your books this year.

A1-2, Beginner 2 (8 – 12 years old)

This class builds on the knowledge acquired in the A1-1 class. It is possible that children with native or near native German knowledge start with this class. The topics in this class include the house, my week in school, my daily routine, birthdays, describing animals, seasons and holidays and travels. At the end of the A1 level, the child is able to answer simple questions regarding the topics learned and write a short postcard or email. The grammar learned includes accusative, ordinal numbers, modal verbs, asking and stating the time, accusative pronouns, imperative, and the verbs haben and sein in the written past, Präteritum.

We alternate between two book series. This way a child has the option to repeat the class with a new book. Please see our book list under Classes / Textbooks for your books this year.

A2-1, Intermediate 1 (9 – 14 years old)

This class builds on the previous classes. The child will learn to communicate with simple sentences about familiar and every day topics, like vacations, preferences, friendship, and giving directions. The listening and writing skills are continually practiced to improve letter and email writing and understanding simple texts. The grammar includes the spoken past, present perfect, dependent clauses, comparative and superlative of adjectives, modal verbs in the Präteritum, dative and two-way propositions.

TWe alternate between two book series. This way a child has the option to repeat the class with a new book. Please see our book list under Classes / Textbooks for your books this year.

Children in this class can take the German test Internationale Vergleichsprüfung A1 provided by the ZfA (Zentralstelle für Auslandsschulwesen or Central Agency for Schools Abroad).

A2-2, Intermediate 2 (10 -14 years old)

This class builds on the previous classes. The students continue to improve their verbal, reading, listening and writing skills. At the end of this level the students will be able to communicate in more complex sentences about the topics learned like describing cities, ordering and buying food, historical events, fairytales, media, and school. They will have increased their knowledge about German culture and everyday living. They will be able to order food and ask for directions while in Germany. The children will learn about the written past tense, Präteritum, prepositions, adjective endings, reflexive verbs, and relative clauses.

We alternate between two book series. This way a child has the option to repeat the class with a new book. Please see our book list under Classes / Textbooks for your books this year.

Children in this class can take the German test Internationale Vergleichsprüfung A2 provided by the ZfA (Zentralstelle für Auslandsschulwesen or Central Agency for Schools Abroad).

B1, Advanced (13 – 16 years old)

This class is for children who know all of the above, and can talk about themselves, daily events and family for one to two minutes. They will improve their ability to use dependent clauses and other higher level grammar skills. In this class, the children will work on projects and start reading original German texts. Students will prepare for the German test DSD I (Deutsches Sprachdiplom I). The student will stay for two years in this class as it covers the B1.1 and B1.2 level. It does not matter which level the student takes first.

After two years of the B1 level, most students are prepared for the DSD I exam, an official German government language exam. Passing this exam shows the necessary level in the German language to enter into a Studienkolleg in Germany.

We alternate between the B1.1 and B1.2 book. Children can start with either volume. Please see our book list under Classes / Textbooks for your books this year.

B2, Advanced (15 – 18 years old)

This class is for children who know all of the above. This class prepares for the DSD II (Deutsches Sprachdiplom II). Students will learn and discuss topics of more global and social importance such as tourism, consumption, and professional education. Formulating opinions, weighing pros and cons, grasping the main points of an article and summarizing them will be the new skills the students will develop. Engaging videos, games and podcasts ensure entertaining and fun-filled lessons.

After two years of the B2 level, most students are prepared for the DSD II exam, an official German government language exam. Passing this exam shows the necessary level in the German language to enter a university in Germany.

We alternate between the first half of the book in one school year and the second half of the book in the second school year. Please see our book list under Classes / Textbooks for your book this year.