Program objectives and Organization
To generate and further interest in German language and German culture in the schools, the Department of Germanic Studies of the University of Texas (UT) offers a short German unit to elementary and middle schools of the Austin Independent School District (AISD).
UT students who have completed lower-division German (GER 612) are eligible to teach for the German Outreach Program by enrolling in the course “Introduction to Teaching German in the Schools” (GER 149T) which is offered each semester. For more information, please contact Prof. Kit Belgum (see sidebar).
Educators who would like more information about the program or who would like to have the German lessons offered in their school should also contact Prof. Kit Belgum.
Introducing German! An Outreach Program in the Schools
Who: UT undergraduate students of German
Levels: 5th- and/or 6th-grade students (or younger if interested)
Duration: 8-lesson unit conducted over 8-week period
How often: 1 language class per week with UT German student (more in middle schools)
When: To begin in early October or late February
Topics: Names, greetings, colors, numbers, parts of body, family members, animals, clothing, hobbies, foods, weather
Expressions: Greetings, polite phrases, descriptions of people and things, stating preferences
Techniques: Oral learning with written reinforcement, drawings and readings, songs and games, total physical response (TPR) = doing while saying
Assessment: Completion of student workbook and final project such as a poem or labeled picture
1-hour introduction for classroom teachers (available upon request)
- Introduction to optional cultural materials
- Overview of German outreach program and basic vocabulary
Please click on “Materials” in the left-hand menu to view the lesson plans for each of the different units provided. Linked to each lesson plan you will also find the relevant pages of the German student workbook (“Deutschbuch”) in downloadable format. We have received permission from the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) to reproduce some pages from its “Kinder lernen Deutsch” materials in our “Deutschbuch”.
Please let us know what you think of the program. We’d love to hear from you!