This article focuses on the benefits of using short film in the German classroom at the secondary or post-secondary level. The article addresses a number of characteristics of short films that lend themselves well to the classroom, including their abbreviated length, artistic innovation, and compact storytelling. In addition to discussing specific…

The Kinder lernen Deutsch Committee (KLD) is a standing committee of the AATG that has existed since 1987 and that was originally charged to support the advocacy of German in grades K-8. With generous funding by the Standige Arbeitsgruppe Deutsch als Fremdsprache (StADaF) from the German government and the Goethe-Institut, the Kinder lernen…

Podcasts provide a straightforward opportunity to stay connected with language, culture, and recent events of German-speaking countries. Podcasts offer clearly articulated, authentic material that can be automatically and regularly delivered to your computer and classrooms; continuously exposing students and teachers to German. This article…

In the context of teaching culture, this article presents teaching materials that provide learners of German with opportunities to reflect about, analyze, and practice, how Germans commonly react to compliments. Based on findings from conversation analysis, the materials provide students with rich contextual information and a variety of…

This article discusses the rich cultural resources embedded with German hip-hop music and its potential impact on the foreign language classroom. In particular, this article suggests methods and materials for integrating German hip-hop music in the discussion of recent controversial cultural events and attitudes in German after the "Wende."

Highlights the use of novice-level books produced from or for the Internet in the beginning level German as a foreign language classroom. Such books can be used for pleasure reading, for learning content, and for the development of vocabulary. Techniques for such use are provided. (Author/VWL)

Argues that despite the decline in enrollments in German at elementary and secondary schools and colleges and universities, there is reason to hope that interest can be invigorated. Suggests that there are easy instructional methods and materials for developing a new motivation in learning the language. (Author/VWL)

Presents strategies used in the International Engineering Program at the University of Rhode Island for incorporating technical German in first year classes. Outlines the language functions that can be developed in this way, gives concrete examples of the materials used, and provides specific suggestions for coordinating these materials with a…

Discusses the use of young adult books in teaching high school and college-level German, particularly "Damals war es Friedrich" and "Brandstiftung." The didactic intentions of these books are to inform younger adults about the Nazi periods of the past and the Neo-nazi resurgence of the present, encourage them to confront the issues, and to take a…

Argues for the expansion of the German culture classroom by incorporating materials about the Roma and Sinti, and Kurds. Suggests valuable resources and materials for German instructors and discusses teaching strategies that combine teaching cultural content and language proficiency. (Author/VWL)

Examines the latest developments in business German on the basis of up-to-date statistics and attempts to draw initial conclusions about the effectiveness of programs offered and materials and skills taught in a growing array of applied linguistics offerings at colleges and universities in the United States. (Author/VWL)

Identifies areas that need improvement in teaching assistant training programs in the foreign languages if graduates are to be competitive in the job market, including course design, syllabus writing and identification and statement of curriculum and course objectives; design of content courses; materials development; articulation between the…

Shows which visual materials are employed in five modern German textbooks and describes what functions they fulfill, if and how they support learning, and what additional positive effects could be derived from them. Suggestions for improvement are provided.(DMK)

Focuses on Paul Maar's "Eine Woche voller Samstage," a children's novel revolving around the humorous and disruptive antics of the creature "Sams," and discusses its employment in the classroom as an opportunity to learn German and examine the role of language in the constitution of social, political, and cultural forms. (Author/VWL)

Proposes a context for use of authentic German-American texts and materials such as letters, photographs, and other archival immigrant materials at various levels in the college German-language classroom. Suggests that such an approach may be useful in boosting enrollment in language and literature courses. (Author/MSE)