New project to boost learning German

There is a shortage of German speakers on the Slovak labour market.

Illustrative stock photoIllustrative stock photo (Source: Sme)

The Experimenting in German programme should support the practical study of German using the CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) methodology, based on effective teaching of the foreign language via experiments.

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English is the basic language skill, but German represents an add-on upgrade, with both languages being in demand on the Slovak labour market, the German Embassy to Slovakia press and culture department head Marián Gordzielik told a press conference in early May.

There is a shortage of German speakers on the Slovak labour market. Therefore, it is highly desirable to introduce more German classes at Slovak schools, Gordzielik added, as reported by the TASR newswire.

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“Parents show great interest in such language classes,” Gordzielik said about the programme, as quoted by TASR.

They now have eight classes in the first four grades of primary school, and one second-level class participating in the programme.

“Children really enjoy it because they learn the technical subjects of the curriculum in a playful manner while acquiring new vocabulary,” said Renáta Balogová, headmistress at Ivan Bukovčan Primary School in Bratislava, as quoted by TASR.

The project’s coordinator, Alexandra Pappová of the Volkswagen Slovakia Foundation, which supports the project in cooperation with the Goethe Institute, highlighted the fact that the programme, which links education in German with natural sciences, will be expanded to more schools in Slovakia. A total of 90 teachers have enrolled in information workshops and seminars, where they will learn how to use the CLIL methodology in their classes.

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“We’re confident that the project has its merits and the children will learn a great deal,” Pappová added, as quoted by TASR.

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