Viewpoints on learning and teaching German as a foreign language

German is the standard language that is used above all in Germany, Austria and parts of Switzerland. But how did German come to be the standard language? And how has the perception of standard German changed in recent decades?

Speech communities have more or less fixed expectations regarding typical ways of speaking and writing. What role is played in linguistic communication by different purposes and contexts? And what significance does this have when it comes to choosing an appropriate style?

We live in an age of media diversity and heterogeneous learning goals. Which German is best-suited to which context? And how does teaching of German as a foreign language need to respond to changes in communication culture and linguistic style? Some suggestions.

The political, social and economic changes that have been triggered by globalization processes are having a lasting impact on the reasons why people learn foreign languages and on their goals and interest in doing so. Who learns German these days? And why?

In language learning, “external” aspects such as political and social requirements are combined with “internal” factors which characterize the individual learner. What does each individual learner of German bring with them to the classroom?

In recent years, the socioeconomic conditions for language learning have changed, as have learners’ individual reasons and goals. This has a fundamental impact on GFL and GSL teaching. So what new challenges do teachers face as a result?

How are foreign languages learnt and second languages acquired? Many answers to these questions remain hypothetical in relevant research, though some reliable findings are also available. An overview.

How does a knowledge of two or more languages influence the way a person learns a foreign language? And what are the consequences for foreign language teaching if learners bring experiences of many different languages to the classroom? Multilingualism research is providing initial answers to these questions.

We always learn the language of others. Engagement with the language environment in question is the engine which drives the development of language, but how does this work in practice? And how can this knowledge be used to help us learn a foreign language?

In many cases, German is learnt not only in the classroom but also in a wide variety of other settings. What role can such settings take on? And what significance is assigned to the classroom within the network of places of teaching and learning?

Classroom-based learning is increasingly frequently being supplemented or replaced by online courses. Which forms of virtual learning have been developed? What impact does this have on the place of learning and the learning environment? And what is the relationship between “analogue” and “digital” learning?

Can learning a language really be fun? Absolutely! If teachers understand how to take best advantage of the possibilities offered by language games, this is an excellent way to learn, assuming that enjoyment of the game is not lost in the pursuit of the learning goal.

Is it really more difficult for an adolescent or adult to learn a foreign language, and if so, why? Findings from neuroscience are helping to answer this question, and have encouraging news for older learners.

Acquiring a foreign language is not merely brain work, but also takes place within a social environment. What role is played by interaction in this context? And what practical relevance does this have for the correction of grammatical errors, for example, or indeed for GFL lessons as a whole?

How important are linguistic skills for academic success – and indeed for social participation? This is a key question in education research into language development and involves a quest for answers and new insights.

When we use the term “multilingualism”, we are referring to a variety of phenomena which, though fairly closed linked, occur on quite different levels. How then can multilingualism be defined? Which factors are important? Or are there in fact several types of multilingualism?

Multilinguals acquire the languages of which they have a command at different times during their biography – and in different contexts such as the family, at school or while abroad. Multilingualism has a whole host of benefits to offer, particularly for children.

In big cities, and indeed in language border regions, it is particularly common for people to use more than one language in a single statement in their everyday lives. Is such multilingual practice really as “chaotic” as people often assume? Or is not linguistic mixing in fact a quite “normal” phenomenon?

Training of teachers of German is the basis for the proper teaching of German as a foreign or second language. But what sort of qualifications are needed if the new global and indeed regional challenges are to be met?