The presence of German societies in the United States goes as far back as the early 17th century. Most early immigrants migrated due to religious reasons but were provided a haven as political refugees.
Currently, the United States Of America houses the highest number of native German speakers outside Europe. Furthermore, according to American Community Survey, it is the sixth most spoken language in the states.
However, the number of speakers lowered by a staggering 11% and 20% between 1990-2000 and 2000-2007.
This also led to a significant decline in German language teaching in middle and elementary school levels from 1997-2008.
Still, German is readily taught in American high schools as a foreign language. It is one of the prerequisites to getting a top-notch European degree.
So if you want to know more about high school German classes in the States, keep reading:
The Origins Of German Language Classes In America
Before discussing the contents of a high school German class, let's review the scenario that led the US to teach the "enemy's" language.
After the first and second World Wars, the language disappeared from the public ear, and its decline started in the American school system. But this was not the end.
Proponents of German culture and parents of school-going children united to create a private solution via German Sprachschulen, typically known as Saturday schools.
Before the war, around half a million students attended both public and private German bilingual schools.
And the first of these schools was founded in 1874 (Boston) and 1892 (New York). Yet, most of them opened after WWII.
Finally, in 1977, GLSC (German Language School Conference) was founded with the support of the Consulate General in New York. It aimed to generate collegiality and cooperation among these schools.
Since then, this umbrella organization has:
- Provided support in administrative and pedagogical affairs
- Assisted in establishing new Sprachschulens
- Focused on teacher development by conducting annual conferences
Even though these classes initially faced backlash because of anti-German sentiments, they persisted and maintained their position in the diverse ethnocultural American society.
What Do Students Learn In High School German Courses?
In high school, students who enroll in German language courses are taught to focus on four areas of language study:
- Listening
- Speaking
- Reading
- Writing
But know that high school German courses will only lay the foundations for basic Deutsch. It won't help you speak German like a native.
The four areas mentioned above cover various vocabulary themes; whereas, the grammar concepts include reading and listening comprehension activities.
Furthermore, your high school teacher will conduct speaking and writing activities, interactive cultural presentations, and task-based activities to reinforce your German vocabulary and grammar.
The initial focus will be to emphasize context and conversational examples; while presenting language concepts in each unit.
This helps you or your students become familiar with common vocabulary terms and phrases, further enhancing comprehension of various grammatical patterns.
Not only that, through these classes, students become confident to participate in conversations and respond to basic conversational prompts.
Some institutes have expert teachers who compel students to compare cultural practices and perspectives of various German-speaking countries.
And lastly, they also take frequent assessments to monitor language growth. Hence, learning German is highly beneficial for students of all ages.
Levels Of German Language
High school German courses include six levels with a 1-2 month syllabus, providing novice to experienced qualifications.
You must understand whether you are a student or a teacher that no one can progress automatically. It depends on the teacher, who may promote it by conducting weekly tests.
Therefore, if students want to transfer from one level to another mid-course, they must speak to their teacher or the institute's management.
So without further ado, let us look at the various German classes offered in high school:
A1 Level
The A1 level is the first stage of proficiency, it covers 80 lessons in four weeks, and the certificate is called ÖSD Zertifikat A1.
At this point, teachers help students make simple inquiries in writing and conversing, followed by multiple instructions.
Therefore, as a student, you build foundational grammatical skills and enhance vocabulary for communication.
This level is for students with a basic grip on Deutsch, typically those who know what some of the most well-known words and phrases mean.
The A1 standard course has 20 lessons, whereas the intensive program has 30 lessons – both of them include five cultural and special interest programs per week.
In addition, it will arm you to:
- Ask for and provide directions
- Ask for and provide information
- Conduct everyday household discussions
- Describe people, characters, and behavior
- Define shapes, size, and color
- Ask and offer opinions on the primary subject matter
A2 Level
This level is divided into A2.1 and A2.2, resulting in the ÖSD Zertifikat A2 exam. In this course, students learn the ability to express themselves.
A2 level shapes a student by helping them enact day-to-day situations. And this is usually done by reading and understanding simple texts.
Furthermore, there are 80 lessons covered with four to eight weeks of duration. With that said, the primary topics for this level include:
- Living abroad
- Traveling (vacationing)
- Family
- Environmental topics (nature)
- Population
- Generational gaps
- Living
- News
- Politics
- Homelife
- Radio programs
Therefore, to enroll in this course, there are particular grammatical prerequisites you need to learn:
- Nominative
- Imperfect tense
- Dative
- Genitive
- Adjective declension
- Basic prepositions
- Simple subordinates
B1 Level
The B1 level is divided into B1.1 and B1.2 and the exam is ÖSD Zertifiakt B1, ÖSD Zertifikat B1 Deutsch / Jugendliche. Like the A1, it also has 80 lessons within the duration of 4 to 8 weeks.
Students consolidate and revise basic grammar structures in this course, helping them continue learning smoothly and efficiently.
In addition, this approach helps teach them how to lead discussions on exciting topics. And with similar grammatical prerequisites as A2, the outline of this course applies when a student completes elementary 3.
Therefore, here are some other aspects an individual must be capable of before qualifying for this course:
- Must have a grasp of the foundations of the grammatical nuances of the language
- Should be able to partake in conversations and comprehend straightforward texts
- Able to retell the salient features of press releases or articles
So to be eligible for this course, you as a student need to capitalize and brush up on foundational grammatical layouts.
The topics will range from traveling and employment to the working world and school, including history, culture, politics, and literature
Search for German classes near me here on Superprof.
B2 Level
This course has more lessons than the previous ones amounting to 160 lessons within eight weeks. The certificate is called the ÖSD Zertifikat B2, a prerequisite for the German university entrance exams.
At this level, students are considered to be in good standing with their Deutsch skills. It includes practicing reading and writing, also including discussing challenging narratives and employment-related issues.
The grammatical prerequisites to advance in this level are:
- An individual must have a conversational grasp of the language
- Must understand and know how to use tenses
- Display moderate knowledge of the passive and active, subordinate clauses, sentence structure, and adjective declension
This level demands students to express fluently on any topic, and they can be assigned anything without prior preparation.
Additionally, they must analyze and state views and interpret more straightforward texts. Finally, they are expected to summarize the given thoughts, and further account them.
C1 Level
This level further shapes a student to express clearly via writing and speaking. They can choose from a wide variety of sub-topics and become adept with almost all textual nuances.
In addition, the level has 160 lessons for eight weeks, and the exam certification includes ÖSD Zertifikat C1.
To qualify for this course, a student must understand articles, newspapers, and films. Additionally, they must be able to discuss intricate topics. However, the grammar prerequisites include:
- Should display a colloquial and formal grasp of the language
- Should be adept at using tenses and all their forms
- Should be aware of the imperfect and present subjunctive
- Must know subordination, prepositions, and participle construction
C2 Level
This level is also known for individual (& WEP), which means wired equivalent privacy.
Individuals can express themselves fluently in German, working on literary, scientific, socio-political, and cultural topics. The exam is called ÖSD Zertifikat C2 / Wirtschaftssprache Deutsch.
Overall, this level asks for all the skills stated in the previous level to get through this high school German course.
Lastly, the student must be able to express themselves fluently in German. Then, the students work on literary, cultural, socio-political, and scientific topics.
The Procedure Of Placement
For placement, students need to enroll for a written assessment and an oral assessment interview. After assessing the performance of the test, they receive the appropriate level.
The written assessment test takes 60 minutes. It covers grammar, writing skills, and reading comprehension.
Every program has instructions, and you can find these details in your booking materials and online. Therefore, with these resources, it would be beneficial to practice at home.
In addition, you need to return the placement test via email once you receive the booking confirmation. That is to ensure you might not miss the first day's class.
But if you are not sure where to start with your German classes, then why not head to Superprof and get in touch with hundreds of German tutors near you.
With many high school German tutors with years of experience and expertise near you, you will be able to kickstart your journey to learning German as a second language.
Enjoyed this article? Leave a rating!
Loading...
