Language Schools

With so many German friends wanting to practice their English on you, it's not always easy to learn German. A language school is the answer.

An expatriate living or working in Germany probably will do better if he or she is reasonably proficient in the language, whether it involves business related activities or merely dealing with the immediate environment. A certificate of proficiency in a language can also be beneficial to a career.

Many institutions in Germany offer courses in "German as a Foreign Language" (Deutsch als Fremdsprache).

Learning German at one of the 13 Goethe-Instituts in Germany (www.goethe.de/germany) is one of the prime ways to attain real proficiency - and certification.

The Goethe-Institut is the Federal Republic of Germany's official cultural institute. It has worldwide reach and has been promoting the knowledge of the German language abroad for nearly 60 years. It fosters international cultural cooperation at 146 cities in some 90 countries.

The Goethe-Instituts in Germany offer language courses of the highest quality. The courses in Germany and abroad are fully compatible and attract 207,000 participants per year. Acquiring language skills in German effectively and successfully; expanding your knowledge of German; preparing for university studies and taking exams: it's all possible at the 13 Goethe-Instituts in Germany.

The Goethe-Institutes offer a wide range of German courses varying in length, intensity and level - from beginner to university level. You can choose between Intensive 8 (eight weeks, 170 units of instruction), Intensive 4 (four weeks, 85 units of instruction), Intensive 2 (two weeks, 45 units of instruction), Intensive 2 - Language and Culture (two weeks, 50 units of instruction) Courses start once a month and can be booked for any period from two weeks to a whole year. Special programs in German for Professional Purposes, are also offered as well as company courses designed for individual firms, one-to-one instruction and intercultural training.

For foreign students the Goethe-Institute regularly conducts preparatory courses for studies in Germany in cooperation with German universities.

The 'very modern Mediothek' multimedia centers at the 13 institutes have extensive collections of literature, textbooks and practice materials, computer-assisted learning programs and a wide variety of audio and video materials. These self-help facilities are vital factors in Goethe-Institut programs and a key factor in the learning process.

Certificates issued by the Goethe-Institut are recognised by companies and educational institutions around the world as proof of your standard of German. The Goethe-Instituts offer a certification system based on European standards - for all levels, from beginners to fluent speakers. More than 166,000 learners of German around the world take Goethe-Institut's proficiency certification examinations annually.

Each Goethe-Institut in Germany offers a wide range of extracurricular activities including cultural highlights, excursions and sports events. The extensive programs will help students to become familiar with Germany while improving language skills and having fun with new friends from all over the world.

During the summer months courses for young learners bring together children, teens and young adults from all over the world who have an interest in the German language, are attracted to the international atmosphere and take pleasure in the exciting leisure program. Goethe-Institut offers language courses for all levels, from beginners to advanced, and for the following age groups: 9-12 years, 12-15 years, 14-17 years and 18-21 years. The courses for young learners last three weeks. They take place at renowned boarding schools, sport academies, conference centers and hotels, where participants' accommodation is also located.

Adult Education Centers

Most cities have these Volkshochschulen, and many of them offer language courses for foreigners. Instruction is usually in the evening for a very small fee.

Universities

More than sixty of them, from the Alps to the North Sea, offer intensive language studies, plus cultural and literature courses. And they can be quite inexpensive, costing around $500 a month for instruction and housing. (See box.)

Commercial Schools

These usually cost more than the government sponsored and non-profit courses, but have the advantage of carrying out instruction at the company headquarters or wherever else the client wishes. And, more than the other institutions, they can be a friend in other aspects of life.

Working adults, retirees and professionals constitute a majority of the foreigners studying German in Germany. Courses are offered in a variety of different locations, providing a cultural as well as a linguistic experience.

It's usual to give a potential student a written proficiency test before beginning a course, to determine the level of instruction necessary. This is sometimes followed upby an oral examination to verify the level determined by the written test.

Courses are very flexible as to time. You can totally immerse yourself in a course full time. The ideal length for full-day intensive courses is thought to be two weeks. Alternately you can take courses in the afternoon or evening or on weekends. Or you can study whenever you can, even at irregular intervals over a long period.

For total beginners semi-intensive courses are best, especially if they are in the country where the language is spoken. But they need a good introduction as to how the huge "classroom" (the country they are in!) is best used.

Instruction is usually by native speakers and the "total immersion" system, under which only German is spoken in class, is generally employed. Teaching devices used include speaking, reading, role playing, dialogue, translations, grammatical exercises and telephoning. Some of the university courses even offer the showing of German films.

Dialogues are recorded on cassettes, which the teacher can use for critiques and which the student can listen to for fixing mistakes in his or her mind. Telephone training is very popular. It's based entirely on simulations and role plays during which telephone calls are made, recorded and reformulated.

Instruction can be either one-to-one or in groups. The former has definite advantages. In one-to-one the trainer can focus on that individual and his or her specific linguistic needs and interests. No compromises need be made with other participants. Those who tend to learn more quickly are not held back by others, and slower learners don't find themselves being left behind.

However, it is only partially true that one-to-one training is superior to group training. There are certain areas, such as negotiations, that are better approached in a small group. Spontaneous communication is also more difficult to organize in one-to-one lessons.

But groups shouldn't be too large. Accent Business Languages feels that "for cost effective language training groups should have no more than eight participants. Ten is possible but 12 is too large." Beginner groups, it feels "should be no larger than the ideal number of eight, particularly if the language is to be used effectively in business."

Some schools have found that, especially with business instruction, it isn't necessary that everyone in a group have the same proficiency level. If, say, they all work in the same department of a company they can benefit even if there are slight differences in their comprehension of the language. Some schools stress that it isn't necessary to study General German first and then Business German. All necessary grammar and other needs can be incorporated into a Business German course.

Students sometimes have an opportunity to try out a course before making a commitment. Accent offers trial instruction at reduced cost or no cost.

Outside of school there are several things a student can do to keep improving his or her German. Among the hints for those who are serious about the language: watch German TV, and do lots of reading, especially less intimidating things like children's books, comic books and trash novels

Sometimes it's necessary to force oneself to speak German. There are too many Germans about who want to improve their English by practicing it on you.

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