Speak up! Demokratie erleben

The project consists of three consecutive and interconnected workshops in 2026: one per term during Terms 1 to 3. The workshops will take place at participating schools that offer German in Year 9, as this project is specifically designed for Year 9 students.

Each workshop session runs for at least 120 minutes. The more time available, the more intensive the learning process will be. Topics from other subjects can also be integrated.

The three project dates (one per term) will be scheduled in consultation with the selected schools. Planning will be organized by city or region so that sessions in the same area can be grouped together.

The workshops are designed to be experience-based and promote democratic thinking through collaborative action. Students engage in a process of linguistic negotiation to find solutions to a shared problem. This problem can either be introduced by the workshop facilitator or inspired by current issues within the class, school, or community.
The exercises are combined with creative activities and moderated in a way that allows participants to truly experience democratic processes. Students learn how to actively participate and shape their environment.
The activities are tailored to the students’ language level and strengthen their communication skills – both in direct negotiation and in subsequent reflection. At the same time, the workshops promote a democratic classroom culture and help develop social skills.

The workshops will be conducted primarily in English but are closely linked to German lessons.
The content and methods offer numerous opportunities for linguistic and thematic follow-up work in German classes.

Although the workshops are conducted in English, they offer both linguistic and thematic connections to German lessons. They foster language awareness, expressive ability, and critical thinking—key goals of foreign language education. Students experience that language is a tool for participation and shaping their environment, which also motivates them to learn German.
Moreover, promoting democracy is a core mission of the Goethe-Institut. These workshops contribute to teaching values, encouraging participation, and developing social skills—all aspects that also play an important role in foreign language learning.