Author Tour for Primary Schools with Viviane Schwarz

Text: Viviane Schwarz - I am Henry Finch

Workshops with Author and Illustrator Viviane Schwarz

After a successful author tour in England and Scotland in autumn 2025, the Goethe-Institut UK invites your school in Northern Ireland to this special, free offer: The renowned author and illustrator Viviane Schwarz and the Goethe-Institut UK will come to your school during German Week 2026 in January and deliver an exciting programme for your pupils.

What is the aim of the programme?

The Goethe-Institut aims to support primary schools and primary teachers in teaching languages and creating engaging lessons. To this end, we provide fully developed lesson plans and materials - such as our German Clubs - and offer ongoing programmes to support lessons and motivate pupils. (Previous knowledge of German is not required) Viviane Schwarz's visit and the supporting teaching materials are designed to inspire students to learn German and help your school to incorporate German into the language curriculum.

When & Where

Viviane Schwarz will visit your school in Northern Ireland as part of the German Week, 19th-23rd January 2026.
You can apply for a school visit until 20th November 2025.

What is included?

Viviane Schwarz will conduct an interactive programme for children aged 6 to 12 who speak little or no German:

German-English reading from the book I Am Henry Finch
Q&A session with the author
Creative workshop on illustration and storytelling

The programme lasts about two hours.

In the lead-up to the visit, the Goethe-Institut will also provide you with resources for your classroom that you can use to prepare for the visit and to work with the book I am Henry Finch.

The workshop will result in a small project that can be submitted to the Goethe-Institut - with the opportunity to network with other primary schools.

How can schools apply?

To apply, please use the registration form below including a short letter of motivation containing the following points:

Why do you want to implement the programme at your school? Is there a long-term interest in German or literature?
How could the programme support your language programme?
Do you or your school already have experience with German or other languages?
Do you already have a German Club or are you interested in starting one?
How many children would participate?
We welcome applications with a partner school (e.g. as part of a joint project) > please indicate if you are applying jointly with another school.

Practical Requirements:

A spacious room for the reading including a projector and large screen
Preparation for the visit with the provided resources (no more than 1-2 hours)
Follow-up work/participation in creative project (no more than 1-2 hours)

Please note:
Previous knowledge of German (either by the teachers or students) is not required.

Are you interested?

If would you like to take part in the author tour with your school please register via the link below until 20th November. Please note that registering does not guarantee your participation.

Registration form

About the author

Viviane Schwarz makes books, comics and games.
She specialises in interactivity and encouragement of creativity in a range of media and hold a Master’s degree in Authorial Illustration from Falmouth College of Arts.
Viviane was born in Germany. As a child, she spent a lot of my time inventing and making things with her family. She developed a strong interest in science and technology as well as traditional methods and crafts. Since her mother is an author and editor of primary school textbooks, she began to learn how to teach art and literacy by assisting her from an early age.
Her first book was published in 2001. Since then, she has written and/or illustrated over a dozen picture books and a graphic novel. Viviane's books have been translated and published internationally and won awards, most notably two shortlistings for the CILIP Kate Greenaway, winner of the 2016 Little Rebels Award and an IBBY Honour List nomination for illustration in 2018.
She also designs games and interactive installations which have featured at events on South Bank and international games festivals. She has worked as a lecturer at multiple universities, currently teaching illustration and game design at Kingston University.
Viviane lives and works in Brighton.

Wuschel and Micky lie under a tree and watch the sky.

@Goethe-Institut London/Axel Scheffler

Our German Clubs with interactive starter-kits for teachers

German Club Starter Kits include a German Club Handbook (digital or hardcopy) for club leaders, gamified learning challenges, badges, and awards for students, with different learning routes according to students' ages. Previous knowledge of German is neither necessary for students nor teachers.