Meine Philosophie
Learning a language is an exciting opportunity and one I enthusiastically share with our students at SHS. Speaking a second language has innumerable benefits, such as increased job placement, higher salaries (particularly with German), opportunities to travel, increased empathy and respect for others, and as per recent brain research, resistance to Alzheimer's during the aging process.
In most countries around the world, students begin learning second languages early in their schooling. This is an area that is sorely lacking in the U.S.. I am committed to providing my students with research-based instructional practices, through which they will never simply learn words and vocabulary, do translations and grammar drills, but will actually APPLY and EMPLOY the language from the get-go.
Since we ALL acquire our first language without fancy methods and tricks, it makes sense to model a classroom after the first language acquisition process. How did you teach your child English? The most successful methods for teaching a second language simply follow those patterns! Students will hear the second language EVERY DAY, as it will be our PRIMARY classroom language. Just because a 1 year-old can't speak, and a 2 year-old doesn't use full sentences, does not mean we simply don't speak TO THEM. No, on the contrary, the MORE we speak to them, the MORE language they hear, the more quickly they will begin speaking themselves. Their speech is not perfect, nor do we expect it to be. This is exactly how beginning level language learners should be taught, I am committed to providing the kind of learning environment where experimentation and mistakes are ENCOURAGED and CELEBRATED!
Students WILL BE EXPECTED to be active participants, engaging in GERMAN conversation AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY, with each other and with me. It is my goal to provide a positive and engaging classroom where all students have the opportunity to answer, comment, share, reply and MAKE MISTAKES without fear of embarrassment or ridicule.
In most countries around the world, students begin learning second languages early in their schooling. This is an area that is sorely lacking in the U.S.. I am committed to providing my students with research-based instructional practices, through which they will never simply learn words and vocabulary, do translations and grammar drills, but will actually APPLY and EMPLOY the language from the get-go.
Since we ALL acquire our first language without fancy methods and tricks, it makes sense to model a classroom after the first language acquisition process. How did you teach your child English? The most successful methods for teaching a second language simply follow those patterns! Students will hear the second language EVERY DAY, as it will be our PRIMARY classroom language. Just because a 1 year-old can't speak, and a 2 year-old doesn't use full sentences, does not mean we simply don't speak TO THEM. No, on the contrary, the MORE we speak to them, the MORE language they hear, the more quickly they will begin speaking themselves. Their speech is not perfect, nor do we expect it to be. This is exactly how beginning level language learners should be taught, I am committed to providing the kind of learning environment where experimentation and mistakes are ENCOURAGED and CELEBRATED!
Students WILL BE EXPECTED to be active participants, engaging in GERMAN conversation AT EVERY OPPORTUNITY, with each other and with me. It is my goal to provide a positive and engaging classroom where all students have the opportunity to answer, comment, share, reply and MAKE MISTAKES without fear of embarrassment or ridicule.
HOW CAN YOU HELP AT HOME?
1. Allow your child to label everything in sight with a flashcard name in German! Let them TEACH YOU the names of everything in the house.
2. Encourage the use of the learning app "DUOLINGO". This resource is one I use with my own children and not only do they love it, but the app itself is VERY well designed and enhances/supports classroom learning.
3. MAKE SURE THEY ARE DOING GERMAN EVERYDAY! Especially on block scheduling, this is a challenge! "German time" can be reading websites, listening to German music, watching German TV and/or doing Duolingo! These are great ways to get the LANGUAGE INPUT that promotes language OUTPUT.
1. Allow your child to label everything in sight with a flashcard name in German! Let them TEACH YOU the names of everything in the house.
2. Encourage the use of the learning app "DUOLINGO". This resource is one I use with my own children and not only do they love it, but the app itself is VERY well designed and enhances/supports classroom learning.
3. MAKE SURE THEY ARE DOING GERMAN EVERYDAY! Especially on block scheduling, this is a challenge! "German time" can be reading websites, listening to German music, watching German TV and/or doing Duolingo! These are great ways to get the LANGUAGE INPUT that promotes language OUTPUT.