Wed, Mar. 25, 8 - 9 PM EDT:
Music and Language - Multisensory learning with the MAL method
MAL is the abbreviation for Music and Language, a program that supports the creative learning of basic German vocabulary with the help of music and multisensory learning. Each lesson is accompanied by melodies from well-known German children's songs, which are combined with the vocabulary to be learned in each unit. Guitar, boomwhackers, and rhythm instruments are used to explore syllable count, stress, and intonation. Movement games, puppet play, painting, crafting, and storytelling are also part of the daily routine. While having a lot of fun, we are laying the foundation for understanding, speaking, and writing German for the first time.
Thu, Apr. 23, 8 - 9 PM EDT:
Watch out for "Socke"! - How a knitting star supports German lessons
The workshop shows how this learning program introduces children aged five to ten to the German language in a motivating way. The short, clearly structured episodes and supplementary material provide a reliable basis for vocabulary work, simple dialogues, and initial communicative activities. The program is particularly suitable for teaching situations in which audiovisual stimuli and dialogical scenes are intended to support learning. Participants analyze typical teaching sequences, try out methodological approaches, and receive practical ideas for preschool as well as elementary school. It becomes clear how humorous elements and recurring linguistic patterns facilitate the introduction to German and promote learning processes in the long term. The workshop offers a compact, practice-oriented introduction that can be immediately implemented in your own teaching.
Word of caution: This workshop may cause spontaneous laughter and sudden teaching ideas!
Mon, May 25, 8 - 9 PM EDT:
Wuschel has landed – and with him a new approach to early German language learning
This program is based on the beautifully illustrated children's book Wuschel auf der Erde (Wuschel on Earth), created by Axel Scheffler, the illustrator of The Gruffalo. Wuschel is a friendly alien who lands on Earth and learns his first German words. The program is particularly suitable for learning environments that focus on pictures, stories, and low-threshold materials without requiring a lot of technical expertise. Participants learn how to use Wuschel's curious perspective to create motivating opportunities for conversation and gently introduce learners to the German language. The workshop offers an introduction to a visually appealing concept that supports teachers in their daily work and gives children an easy start in German.
