FIS Curriculum Document

German as a Second Language

Mission Statement

The mission of the Franconian International School is to educate students in an international environment according to high academic standards and to create an atmosphere and spirit which respects diverse cultures and promotes responsible citizenship. The FIS primarily serves the international community of Nürnberg, Erlangen, Herzogenaurach, Fürth and Schwabach in northern Bavaria.

Philosophy

The school provides challenging programs in academics, information technology, sports and fine arts. Education at the FIS is viewed as more than just the acquisition of knowledge. It includes inquiry, discovery, application and creativity as core elements of the learning process.

The Franconian International School accomplishes its mission by:

§ Accepting children from all over the world regardless of race, color, sex or religion, and helping them to reach their fullest potential intellectually, socially and physically.

§ Providing well qualified, motivated, caring teachers who support the school’s mission.

§ Offering a structured program based on a curriculum which ensures that the students acquire the skills and techniques necessary to meet the challenges of the future.

§ Providing appropriate resources in a safe, challenging, adaptable and supportive environment in which the student is an active participant.

§ Building a team atmosphere, in which students, teachers, parents and administrators are partners in the learning and growing process.

§ Promoting a positive and reciprocal relationship with the host nation at the local, regional and national levels which maximizes the educational opportunities of living in Germany and Europe.

Development Perspective

The Franconian International School will:

§ Grow with its students one year at a time and ultimately becoming a fully accredited school, which prepares students for a graduation with the International Baccalaureate diploma.

German as a Second Language

Learning a foreign language is important in the development of a young person.

Learning the German language is of importance Franconian International School, as the students of the FIS will be able to make use of German in their daily lives. By using German they are able to closely experience and gain an insight into the host country’s traditions, customs and culture. The lessons taught are appropriate and suitable for the children’s ability level. The teachers provide an interactive hands-on approach, using games and manipulatives to facilitate learning. Here emphasis is placed on natural language acquisition.

The experience which our students gain in a relaxed and supportive atmosphere, helps form the basis for further devoting their attention to the German language and culture once they have returned to their home country, or moved to another country. New perspectives and opportunities are open for the students towards a multilingual and culturally varied future in a globalized society.

General Objective

The curriculum for German as a Second Language serves as an initiation and extension of competence in communication and pursues the following goals:

Language Objectives:

Development of listening comprehension

Development of reading comprehension

Ability to establish verbal contacts

Ability to gain and give information orally and in writing

Command of an active vocabulary from the topics studied

Acquisition of idiomatic expressions from every-day life

Learning and using basic grammatical structures

Promoting an interest in German literature

Cultural Objectives:

Further curiosity about and interest in German life

Developing an understanding for other nationalities and cultures

Accepting people who are different

Working on mutual interests

Social Objectives:

Developing tolerance towards fellow students

Learning politeness and respect for others

Working well in a team

Being open to learning from one another

Furthermore, studying German as a foreign language helps a student develop by:

Encouraging him/her to enjoy the practical use of the foreign language.

Promoting independence and creativity.

Building up self-esteem.

Imparting a feeling of achievement irrespective of the child’s level of ability.

Teaching skills, as well as flexibility when learning a foreign language.

Curriculum for German as a Second Language (GSL)

1. Instructional plan

a) Kindergarten and Elementary School

Kindergarten

Grade1

Grade 2

Grade 3

Grade 4

Beginners

10 kleine Zappelmänner

Tamtam

Tamburin 1

Tamburin 2

Tamburin 3

Advanced

Tamburin 2

Tamburin 3

Ping Pong 1

b) secondary education

Grade 5

Grade 6

Grade 7

Grade 8

Grade 9

Beginners

Ping Pong 1

Ping Pong 1, Ping Pong 2

Ping Pong 2

Ping Pong 3

Blick 1

Advanced

Ping Pong 2

Ping Pong 3

Blick 1

Blick 2

Blick 3

2. Curriculum

Kindergarten

Objectives for the beginning course of German as a Second Language in Kindergarten

Instruction is based on a playful, interactive use of the German language appropriate to the students’ age-level:

- no course instruction

- developing the interests and mental capacity of the individual child

- language of instruction is solely German, supported by mimic and gestures of the teacher and by pictures

- playful way of learning

- no assessment of performance, no pressure to perform

- topics which relate to the children’s interests:

Colors, numbers, family, school, body, clothes, leisure, animals, food, drinks, parties, house, home/apartment,....

The above topics lead to corresponding vocabulary and sentence patterns.

Authentic materials are used, such as:

Picture books, counting rhymes, poems, games, ....

Curriculum activity units are hands-on mini projects with the objective of letting the students experience the foreign language as a communication medium. Here, the children learn that one does not have to know every word to understand the context.

Speaking and listening comprehension are the core objectives

Listening comprehension:

- grasping the rhythm of the speech

- discerning and repeating intonation and emphasis

- discerning, differentiating and correctly forming sounds and sound combinations

- understanding simple statements within familiar situations and topics, and reacting to those (verbally and non-verbally)

- grasping longer texts in general

Oral fluency:

- Speaking within familiar situations and topics

- Correct pronunciation

- Vocabulary

- Repertoire of songs, rhymes, poems and verses

è preparing oral communication ability

Use of alphabetical combinations as an optical help, after the word’s sound characteristics have been understood.

Basic Course Elementary School

Unit 1: Me and You

Essential Contents

Understanding Rituals from every-day School life

Learning to listen

Saying Hello and Good-bye

Exhibiting Politeness in Speech

Introducing one another

acquiring Information through conversation

Stating likes and dislikes

Asking for help

Philosophy

Development Perspective

German as a Second Language

General Objective

Advanced

2. Curriculum

Objectives for the beginning course of German as a Second Language in Kindergarten

Speaking and listening comprehension are the core objectives

Listening comprehension:

Oral fluency:

Basic Course Elementary School

Unit 1: Me and You

Essential Contents

Topics

During Lessons

Syntactic Instruments

Topics

Syntactic Instruments

Topics

Syntactic Instruments

Topics

Syntactic Instruments

Topics

Syntactic Instruments

Topics

Syntactic Instruments