Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind?
It’s the German teacher with all of his stuff!
As you probably know, this is the opening line of Goethe’s famous “Erlkönig” poem about a father burden with a heavy …
“Listening activities” seem like an oxymoron, right?
Either you sit and listen, or you actively do something—how can it be both?
And isn’t listening what your students do the entire class period, anyway?
You tell them about language, about …
If you speak English, there’s going to be a time when you misunderstand something.
I misunderstand, you misunderstand, she misunderstands, we all just misunderstand.
It happens, not a big deal.
However, German turns this into a nightmare.
I missverstehe, …
Don’t you love it when a plan comes together?
There is something magical about smoothly executing a well-coordinated plan.
It feels almost like you’re a commando in a special forces team named after a letter in the alphabet.
As a …
Are your students getting restless dreaming of the holidays and Christmas presents?
Can you already see the candles’ reflections in their eyes?
Can you feel the warmth and excitement of the Christmas season?
That’s great—let’s bring all that into your …
Do you want to know a German joke?
The teacher asks the student: “What case is it when you say ‘I really enjoy learning’?”
The student answers: “A rare one.”
Going Native: German Classroom Instructions
Imagine it is your first …
What were your favorite classes in school?
The ones where only the teacher talked and you had to listen?
Or perhaps the classes where your teacher talked, made you read something, and then talked with you some more.
If you …