German Language Immersion Elementary Classes – Kindergarten to Fifth Grade

The Educational Concept

The German Language Immersion approach at German ISD uses an immersive environment to teach young children by connecting words, phrases and hand-on experiences.  Students rise to the challenge of reading fluently, writing proficiently, and building vocabulary and comprehension when their lessons are engaging and fun. Interactive lessons and assessments guide elementary learners from phonemic awareness (reading readiness) all the way to fluency, while also developing skills in sight reading, grammar, the writing process, and reading for understanding in German language.

 

The German language is spoken by over 100 million people worldwide. In addition to Germany, German is also spoken in Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Luxembourg. German ranks third in the list of most commonly taught languages, right behind English and French. German and English are similar in nature; in fact, these two languages share 60% of their vocabulary.

 

 

Language learning happens in a spontaneous and playful way. German ISD strives to provide excellent conditions that increase the chances of acquiring a language in an effortless, child-friendly environment that inspires and supports student success.
Generally, young children acquire a second language easily. Human linguistic ability is designed for multilingualism. Multilingual children are regarded to be linguistically agile in the long-term, to think more critically, and to be more open to learning and styles of other cultures internationally.

At German ISD, instruction is taught in German with English classes daily. Contemporary research shows that the early onset of a second language  promotes overall cognitive development.

• Multilingual children have a greater awareness of language. The acquisition of the native language benefits from the use of different languages. Children can develop faster interpretations and structures from the context. They reflect on the languages and try them out playfully. They will learn other languages easier.
• Multilingual children have higher social sensitivity.
• They have greater mental flexibility and can implement abstract thinking.
• Multilingual children can be better able to consider different perspectives.
• The longer, more intense, and more varied the immersion situations are, the better the development of competencies. First comes the comprehension, followed by the speaking. The longer a child is in the bilingual institution, the better the second language will be developed.

German ISD school program provides a range of benefits above and beyond traditional immersion schools. It entails academic concepts such as literacy, science, mathematics, movement, arts, and music. Our goal is for children to develop the essential skills that build the foundation for lifelong learning within positive social and emotional experiences. The program will facilitate learning using children’s natural curiosity, imagination, and thinking skills.

German ISD’s curriculum is designed for a child to achieve maximum growth as a learner, through a specifically designed German Immersion curriculum for children from 5 to 10 years of age.