Family Style Foreign Language and Geography Classes

This is a proposal for a Community Class I wrote to teach German.

“Family style” German language class

Learning a foreign language opens up windows and doors in your life.

So why not learn German?

In this class, we will learn conversational skills in a multi-generation “family-like” setting.   Students range in ages from 8 to 108.   Native speakers will visit every week to work with small groups of students to encourage speaking practice, listening comprehension and fun. We will make and write own pocket phrase books.

Each week we start a new theme as well as review the previous week’s theme, words and phrases. Come join us!

EXTRA INFORMATION:

1.      Learn the German Language in a “Family Style” setting.  .  The class goal is to bring all ages of language students together to learn German in a fun, friendly, family-like setting.

It is crucial that this class not be a “kids only” or “adults only” class.  We learn languages best in a

more “natural” and extended family-like setting.   We learned our first language this way when we were infants

2.      The teacher, me, is motivated and committed because the class enables her to keep her language and teaching skills polished. This is a skill worth keeping.    

The teacher has 10 years of teaching experience.  The teacher has family, friends and acquaintances that want to enroll in the class.

3.      Most native speakers are looking for chances to speak their first language.  This class fills a gap in the lives of many native speakers in our area.  The class serves as a “Stammtisch” for local

German language speakers to gather and build community.

German Language Lessons

I did these German language lessons annually for a 6^th Grade class.  The teacher was a Spanish teacher, but the 6th graders had a week long introduction to other languages such as French, German, Japanese and Chinese.

Objective:   to practice being polite by saying please and thank you when offered "food" (pictures of food.)   To practice food vocabulary.

Introduction:  
I would spend 5 minutes or so introducing myself and teaching them how to be polite to me and to each other.

On the board I would write:  Frau Carlson, sei hoeflich, ja danke, nein danke, bitte, Ciao, Tschuess,

My name is Frau Carlson,    Carlson means "son of Carl"      My maiden name was Frau Bauer, Bauer= farmer, builder     Names have meanings.

My only rule is "Sei hoeflich"    Can you guess what hoeflich means?  German uses a lot of compound words to make words or words like this one that adds an "ly."  hof = courtyard, lich = ly. Courtly is an old word meaning polite.  Here are other words you will need to know and say during this lesson:

                                    Ja, Danke 

                                    Nein  Danke

                                    Bitte, Ciao, Tschuess,Wiedersehen

Review these words on the board before going on.

When learning a language don't be afraid to make mistakes.  

Practicing a foreign language is like practicing a musical instrument.

1. Intro to foods   Show the food, photo of food, etc. and have the students repeat after you.  Brot, Kuchen, Plaetzen, Schololade, Sprudel, Mineralwasser, Kaffee, Kuchen, usw
2. Guided Practice   offer the food to several students by saying:   "Brot?"  They answer:  Brot, ja, danke or brot, nein danke.                    
3. I print out 15 things to offer.  Then switch and have them offer to me and to each other.  Give out photos of the food having them trade back and forth. Getting up out of their seats to do this. 
4. Independent Practice