A balance of fun and learning, trips and dedication means the German department is a happy, productive and successful environment in which to work and learn.  German is taught through a wide-range of modern teaching methods, inspiring not only pupils, but their teachers too.  Small classes enable each girl to get the attention she needs to achieve her potential and enjoy conversing in such an important European language. 

German can be studied from Lower IV (Year 8) to Upper VI (Year 13).  Up until the AQA GCSE (taken in Upper V), we use the ‘Logo!’ course, which introduces the language in a colourful and varied way.  This is supported by an extensive bank of professionally compiled as well as staff produced ICT materials.  All girls studying languages have weekly access to our virtual language laboratory and this enhances both linguistic and ICT skills.

Topics are studied through exercises developing all four skills (speaking, listening, reading and writing), supplemented by the rigorous teaching of grammar.  As a result, girls are using structures and vocabulary well beyond the course requirements from an early stage.  This makes them highly competent linguists, easing the transition from GCSE to A Level, as well as from the Sixth Form to further study of the language at University level.

German in the Sixth Form is divided into two halves – culture and language.  In the former, we use inspiring texts involving youth in the Nazi period, ranging from the factual ‘Die Weiße Rose’ (Scholl) about a student resistance group in 1942/3 Munich to ‘Der Vorleser’ (Schlink), a tale looking back on the era.  Our aim is to encourage pupils to empathise with these stories and learn about the ‘other side’ of German history from this period.

This year, the Lower VI are embarking on the exciting and challenging new AS/A2 specification from AQA.  The language course revolves around the latest Nelson Thornes A-Level text book.  This has been written to support the new exam specification, complete with tailor-made Internet-based materials, so that students can revise and consolidate topics in their own time, with instant feedback.

For the AS, the topics made familiar at GCSE are revisited in more depth and pupils begin to move their focus from themselves (as required at GCSE) to the wider world.  More challenging subjects for debate and discussion are introduced at A2, enabling pupils to express their opinions maturely, on an extensive range of international issues.

The AQA examination at AS now entails:

Unit 1: Listening, Reading and Writing

Candidates answer a range of questions based on 5 minutes of heard material and on a selection of written texts.  They also respond in writing to a question based on one of the AS topics (from a choice of three).

Unit 2: Speaking Test

Candidates discuss a target-language stimulus card based on one of the AS topics and take part in a conversation covering three further AS topics.

AS topics: media, popular culture, healthy living/lifestyle, family/relationships

The AQA A2 examination now entails:

Unit 3: Listening, Reading and Writing

Candidates answer a range of questions based on 6 minutes of heard material and on a selection of written texts.  They respond in writing to a question based on one of the A2 cultural topic areas. 

Unit 4: Speaking Test

Candidates present a point of view based on a target language stimulus card from one of the A2 topic areas and take part in a conversation based on the two cultural topics they have studied.

A2 general topics: environment, the multicultural society, contemporary social issues

A2 cultural topics (two studied at WAS): a period of 20^th century history from a target language speaking country (reunification- causes/consequences); the work of an author from a target language speaking country/community (Heinrich Böll).

In the past few years we have also prepared candidates for the AEA paper and Oxbridge entrance.

Finally, German is well supported outside the classroom.  All girls sitting GCSE, AS and A2 have a weekly conversation class with a native speaker to enhance their oral skills.  A-level students have a weekly session in the language laboratory to watch the German news (and listen to the latest German music hits).  Furthermore, a wide variety of excursions (theatre, cinema, Europa Centre) and residential trips (Aachen and Munich) are offered to help foster a real interest in German and German-speaking cultures with impressive success.

Staff say:

Teaching German to such enthusiastic pupils is exciting, challenging and thoroughly enjoyable – what more can one hope for from a teaching career?

Pupils say:

I find German übercool.  (A LV pupil)

It is truly inspirational to study the language of a great nation whose writers, musicians, scientists and politicians have been a major force throughout modern history.  (A Sixth Form pupil)

Some useful websites: www.deutsch-lernen.com, www.goethe.de, www.germantutoring.com, www.vistawide.com