German in the USA

German in the USA

Do Americans need more than one language?

The situation of German as a foreign language and the support offered by the Goethe-Institut in the United States

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German as a foreign language worldwide. 2015 survey

The survey of the number of German learners worldwide is an assessment of trends and developments in interest in the German language worldwide.
 

Deutsch 3.0 – debating language and its future

Deutsch 3.0 is an initiative organised by the Goethe-Institut in collaboration with the Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft (Association for the Promotion of Science and Humanities), the Institut für Deutsche Sprache (Institute for the German Language), and Duden.

Speaking about the future – Interviews with nine young German teachers

Good teachers are vital for the existence of German programs. Luckily, there are many German teachers in the U.S. who are full of enthusiasm, commitment and energy. However, many of them have been teaching for a long time and are nearing retirement. The German teaching profession is currently facing a generation change. It is, therefore, important to encourage and support the next cohort of teachers. Many professional development programs of the Goethe-Institut are aimed precisely at this target group. Nine of such teachers, from all corners of the country, are introduced here.

Jessica Burggraf © Jessica Burggraf

Jessica Burggraf

“It is important to note that German offers the most diverse opportunities and career options, and can serve as the point of differentiation for employers.”

Sarah Fetterhof © Sarah Fetterhof

Sarah Fetterhof

“It’s hard to convince that budget committee that German is worth learning.”

Josephine Gustavsen © Josephine Gustavsen

Josephine Gustavsen

“The most rewarding is when students approach me and tell me about how they used the language outside of class.”

Mirela Kimbrough © Mirela Kimbrough

Mirela Kimbrough

“Germany is among the top five leading exporters to the United States, so I believe that kids who want to go into the business world will benefit tremendously from learning German.”

Madeline O’Bryan © Madeline O’Bryan

Madeline O’Bryan

“Once I got my German 4 students speaking in the target language, they don’t like to speak in English anymore.”

Scott Partenheimer © Scott Partenheimer

Scott Partenheimer

“German as a foreign language faces an uphill battle in the US […]. Germany definitely hit the PR jackpot by winning the World Cup last summer.”

Christina Schultz © Christina Schultz

Christina Schultz

“One of my instructors recommended that I study abroad in Germany. I followed her advice and went to Bonn, and that is what really hooked me.”

Sarah Smith

“When I need to know how well something will be received, though, I will usually ask a friend who doesn’t know German—if they can get the concept, I know it will work.”

Ian Stutzman

“Rewarding – Definitely the progress the level 1 learners make throughout their first year. They come in knowing next to no German and by the end of the year they can do so much more!”