Children's Classes

The German School Association of St. Louis provides affordable German language classes for children. The classes are presented by highly qualified teachers who enjoy teaching children.  After an initial evaluation by a teacher, children are assigned to appropriate classes according to their skill level and age. Children work from textbooks and workbooks purchased from the school. Since language must be practiced continually, homework is assigned each Saturday.

The school now has two branches within the children's curriculum. Branch 1 is for children learning German as a foreign language.  Branch 2 is for children with German as a First Language who are fluent or near-fluent speakers. Age requirement Children who begin to learn German as a Foreign Language must be between 5 to 10 years of age. Suitable beginner classes are available for this age range only. Children who are near native speakers are admitted at any age. Our current age range is 6 to 15 years of age. Older children usually enroll in one of our adult classes.

Class for the youngest children This class is intended for our youngest learners ages 5 to 7. The children in this class sing songs, learn short poems and fun counting-out rhymes. The teacher will read picture-rich storybooks to them, review vocabulary using pictures, incorporate a lot of movement in language exercises and include language related drawings. The children in this class are in the process of learning how to read and write. Both skills are practiced in class, however emphasis is placed on verbal language acquisition. This class is mainly in German. Foreign language learners and fluent/near-native speakers are welcome in this class.

Branch 1 - German as a foreign language.

	During these classes, the teachers use as much German as possible. Throughout the year, the use of German for classroom interaction is increased. Children with no previous knowledge of the language and children with some knowledge of the language will enjoy these classes.
German as a Foreign Language - Class 1 This class is designed for children ages 8 to 10 at the beginner level. A German textbook following the European Framework of Language Learning* is introduced. All following classes built on it. The children learn basic German vocabulary, and by the end of the school year will be able to converse in short, basic sentences. The curriculum includes the alphabet, numbers, vocabulary and parts of speech with topics including greetings, hobbies, animals etc. Learning games, songs, dances and cultural topics add to this fun-filled class.
German as a Foreign Language - Class 2 This class is designed for children who have successfully completed class 1. The children continue with the German textbook and workbook . The teacher reviews basic skills and adds systematically to the acquired knowledge. During the lessons the children learn more advanced vocabulary and are encouraged to speak German in the classroom. The grammar is slightly more advanced featuring, the conjugation of irregular verbs, pronouns and the accusative case. These lessons are creatively presented through activities, songs, and learning games.     German as a Foreign Language - Class 3 This class is designed for children who have successfully completed class 2. Children continue to use the German textbook and workbook based on the European Framework of Language Learning*. The curriculum builds upon the existing skills of the children with vocabulary and sentence structures becoming more sophisticated. Children learn the use of time designations, are introduced to separable prefix verbs, commands, and much more. Branch 2 - German as a First Language These classes are held entirely in German and are designed for children who already have a good command of the German language. The children in these classes are usually from bilingual families or have lived in Germany for an extended period of time and understand German (at their age-level), can follow the teachers instructions in German with ease and are able to answer in short German sentences. The classes provide an opportunity for students to continue to practice and improve their German. Initially many of these children do not know how or have trouble with reading and writing. Both skills are usually not practiced on a daily basis within the family, however are important parts of one's language proficiency. In our near-native speaker classes we focus on improving especially these skills. Interesting child/teenager-relevant topics improve in addition the vocabulary of the child/teenager extending it to subjects usually not discussed in a family setting. Class for the youngest children See above. German as a First Language - Class 1 This class is designed for children ages 8 to 10. The German textbook used follows the European Framework for Language Learning*. The class will use a German textbook and work book and the teachers will hand out additional material. The main focus of this class is to introduce reading and writing, to increase vocabulary, and to teach basic grammar rules. Classroom topics are diverse and play to the interest of the child (traffic and vehicles, insects and live cycles, food and plants, family and emotions, ...). Children will love this interactive class filled with role playing, activities, learning games and songs.     German as a First Language - Class 2 This class is designed for children ages 11 and older. The class builds on the previous class. Children who are 11 years or older but have not participated in the previous class are also admitted. A German textbook and workbook builds the foundation of this class and modern media (websites, DVDs) are added to achieve an up-to-date and demanding yet fun and cool learning environment. The children continue to increase their vocabulary, learn and apply German grammar, and further improve their writing and reading skills. One or more children’s novels, appropriate for the age level, will be read as part of the class activities. This class prepares for the internationally recognized A2 certificate*, which takes place at our school for the first time in Spring 2011 and is intended to be an annually recurring event. *Learn about the European Framework of Language Learning and Assessment, including the A2 test HERE