Liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen! Classes have just started at

Liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen!
Classes have just started at Augustana, a bit
earlier than in previous years. Every new
semester feels like an opportunity to make
something like new year’s resolutions. For
example, this year, I promise to return student
assignments more quickly and to get more
work done on my own research projects. We
all know that resolutions sometimes fail, but
after a restful summer, it’s easy to be
optimistic!
I am also optimistic that we will have a good
year working together through AATG. I am
grateful for the opportunity to work and grow
with such an enthusiastic group of colleagues.
I especially want to thank Sarah Moreno for
her work as chapter president the last two
years; I appreciate her help as I learn the ropes
as president!
I am also grateful to John Paluch and
colleagues at Northwestern University for
generously hosting our fall meeting as part of
their conference on the fall of the Berlin Wall;
the conference includes a special session for
AATG members on teaching East Germany.
John is also working to finalize details of the
annual immersion weekend which takes place
in February; this time, Bernie Schlafke,
Barbara Cartford and Byron Despres-Berry will
lead sessions on TPRS and content-based
instruction. You’ll find more information
about both events in this newsletter.
Since my husband and I both took part in
Goethe Institut seminars in July, we spent
three weeks in Germany with our one-year-old
daughter Olivia this summer. While traveling
internationally with a small child was a
challenge, the seminars themselves were
wonderful: great content, engaged instructors,
and friendly colleagues from around the globe.
Nick and I both received generous grants
which covered the cost of the course and
lodging, some meals, and even included a
travel allowance. The application was not
complicated—the only difficulty was
remembering to submit it on time—and I
encourage you all to think about applying this
fall for a wonderful experience next summer.
I wish you all a successful academic year and
look forward to seeing you at upcoming
meetings and workshops. Perhaps you could
invite, or better yet, bring along colleagues
who aren’t yet members of AATG, so that they
can see all that our group has to offer.
Viele Grüße!
Lisa Seidlitz
A SPECIAL NOTE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIP CHAIRPERSON
It is another exciting start to the teaching year for me. I hope yours is going well, too. This time of
year also reminds me that it is time to renew our AATG membership. We have a fantastic chapter
filled with dedicated professionals. We have thoughtful and knowledgeable members who are
willing to share their ideas and expertise with other teachers. It is what makes our chapter great. As I
go to renew my membership dues for 2010, I hope you do, too. Your timely payment of membership
dues ensures that our chapter gets all the money it has coming from the AATG headquarters. The
more current 2010 members our chapter has, the larger the chapter reimbursement will be in April of
2010. With this important financial distribution to our chapter in mind, please make your payment
by December 31, 2009. Have a great teaching year!
Craig Kohl
Membership Chair
To renew online go to www.aatg.org.
**The national AATG office has a limited amount of money available to subsidize membership payments for
those experiencing extreme hardship. This is called our membership support fund, and we hope it will help keep
those involved who might not otherwise be able to afford AATG membership. Contact Martha Blackburn in the
Cherry Hill office to apply.
Accomplishments
Ingrid Zeller, Senior Lecturer at Northwestern University, participated in the AATG-sponsored, two-week
seminar "Neuer Blick, Neue Stimmen" that examined intercultural living in Berlin. She also gave a
presentation on the "Influence of the Bauhaus on the Modern American City" in the context of the
Internationale Deutschlehrertagung (IDT) that met in Jena between August 2 - August 8.
Daniela Rossmann of New Trier High School, Jenny Hahn Keller of Harlem High School, and Ingrid Zeller
of Northwestern University served as AP German Language Exam readers in Lincoln, Nebraska, in June 2009.
Ingrid Zeller of Northwestern University is one of five recipients of the 2009 AATG/Goethe-Institut
Certificate of Merit for outstanding achievement in furthering the teaching of German in schools of the United
States. This award has been presented annually since 1978 by the AATG and the Goethe-Institut to a select
group of educators in the field of German. Congratulations to Ingrid for this award!
Notes from colleagues
As he approaches retirement, William Ewald at
Concordia University seeks collegial advice on
what to do with a library of several hundred
volumes of German literature, reference books,
histories, textbooks, dictionaries, and German
miscellany, gathered over 44 years of teaching and
dating back to graduate school at UIC in the 1960s.
What do you do with all that stuff? In this digital
age, are there younger colleagues who would like
to have it--all of it?! Please email him at
wm.ewald@cuchicago.edu or give him a call at
708/209-3017 with your suggestions. Hilfe!
Stammtische
German speaking Polyglots (Toastmaster Group)
meet the first and third Saturday mornings of every
month at the Des Plaines library. It is fun! Kathy
Louden is president this year ; Vicki Maiben is
immediate past president. Contact Vicki at
vmaiben@yahoo.com with questions!
German speakers in the Quad Cities area are
invited to attend Stammtisch at Augustana College.
During the academic year, we meet every
Wednesday, 4-5, in Denkmann B-33 on the
Augustana campus; during the summer and
college breaks, we meet at the Bier Stube in Moline.
Contact Lisa Seidlitz (lisaseidlitz@augustana.edu
or 309-794-7657) for more information.
Etwa einmal im Monat treffen sich
DeutschlehrerInnen in den westlichen Vororten
von Chicago, um gemeinsam zu essen. Wir haben
kein Programm, keine Tagesordnung. Es macht
uns einfach Spaß, zusammen zu kommen und
Deutsch zu sprechen. Wir haben keinen festen Ort
und kein festes Datum, überlegen uns jedes Mal
wie es beim nächsten Mal weitergehen könnte.
Wer Lust hat, soll sich bei Kathleen Betterman
(KBetter@aol.com) melden.
International Relations
Oak Park River Forest
Twenty students from Oak Park and River Forest
High School enjoyed a 26 day trip through
Germany June 13-July 7. After 2 1/2 days in Berlin,
they spent two weeks with gracious host families in
Hamburg, where OPRF HS students have
visited eight times in alternate years. The
Hamburg visit included a city and harbor tour,
Neuengamme concentration camp, Lübeck,
Lüneburg, an overnight trip to the island of Sylt,
and lots of time interacting with their German
partners and improving their German. This year
the partners all seemed well matched.
The second half of the trip included Rothenburg,
Munich, and four nights in the Alps at Mittenwald,
the students' favorite youth hostel. From
Mittenwald, day trips were taken to Salzburg, the
Bavarian castles, and a day on the Karwendelberg,
followed by a cold swim in the Lautersee. It was a
great group of students, probably the best we've
had. If you're traveling in Bavaria, we especially
advise using the "Bayernkarte" on the trains.
They cost 28 Euros and are valid for 5 students for
an entire day of travel through Bavaria, including
public transportation in Munich. When traveling
with students, in Berlin we highly recommend
the Hotel Aletto, in Munich the Haus
International, and the Mittenwald youth hostel,
with possibly the most scenic setting of any
German hostel.
The Hamburg German exchange students arrive
September 13 for 11 days. Their itinerary in
Chicago is already pretty well planned, but if
AATG members have special suggestions for
something out of the ordinary the Germans would
enjoy, please call Carol Ewald at 708/848-3206.
Lake Zurich
This August, 16 Lake Zurich area families,
including families of some District 95 students,
welcomed a group of 31 adults and children from
our sister city, Nittenau, Bavaria. We celebrated
the 10 anniversary of the Lake Zurich-Nittenau
sister city partnership and showed our visitors the
Lake Zurich area, including public facilities, the
high school and local sights. Highlights of the visit
were a visit to Navy Pier for the Chicago Air &
Water Show, a tour of the Chicago Board of Trade,
lunch in the Hancock tower, a dinner cruise on the
Odyssee, and a Pat Benetar concert at Ravinia.
Several Lake Zurich High School students were
hosts and enjoyed using their German. This was
the fourth time that a large group from Nittenau
has visited Lake Zurich, and everyone had a great
time seeing old friends and making new ones.
Lake Zurich students hosted two exchange
students from Nittenau last year, and a junior from
LZHS will spend this fall semester in Nittenau.
Submitted by: Andrew Ziarnik, Lake Zurich High
School
Chicago Tours auf Deutsch
Ingrid Zeller was certified as a volunteer
docent for the Chicago Architecture
Foundation in May 2009. She leads "Rise of the
Skyscraper" tours and "Modern Skyscrapers"
tours in English and Combination
Historic/Modern Skyscrapers tours in
German. If you are interested in planning an
excursion to Chicago with your classes and
would like your students to take a tour in
German, please contact Ingrid for more
information: izeller@northwestern.edu
Create Your Own Swiss
Cross-Curricular Unit
Craig Kohl will be presenting October 9th and 10th
in Des Moines, Iowa at the Iowa World Language
Conference. Craig will demonstrate how to create
your own cross-curricular unit with your German
class and the Advanced Foods class of the Family
and Consumer Sciences department. Using Swiss
cuisine of the German speaking cantons,
students take a hands on approach to learning
German food related vocabulary and Swiss
culture while preparing Swiss recipes. This
cooperation between the German and the Family
and Consumer Sciences departments was
designed to create student awareness of these two
elective courses offered at our school and to
increase enrollment in our programs. This unit was
done in the spring of 2008 at Wilton Jr/Sr High
School. If you would like Craig to help you with a
project like this, please contact him.
Upcoming Events
October 24, 2009: Northern Illinois AATG Fall Meeting, Northwestern University
October 22-24, 2009: ICTFL, Lisle, IL
November 20-22: ACTFL, Orlando, FL (http://www.actfl.org)
February 19-21, 2010: Immersion Weekend (see following pages for details)
February 24, 2010: High School Day at UIC (see following pages for details)
March 4-6, 2010: Central States Conference, Minneapolis, MN
http://www.csctfl.org/2010conference.html
Northern Illinois AATG Fall Meeting and Workshop
Business Meeting: 12:30-1:30 Saturday, October 24, 2009
Teaching the GDR: 1:30-3:15 Saturday, October 24, 2009
To memorialize the 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall, the Department of German at Northwestern is organizing a
conference that will examine the complex historical and political developments of the last twenty years. The department
is pleased to invite Northern Illinois AATG members to the conference and will present a special session on Saturday that
will demonstrate how the topic of German history and politics is integrated into the Intermediate Language program at
Northwestern.
Session 5 will include a presentation on Drehort Neubrandenburg and its film website which includes interactive
comprehension exercises. Filmed in 1991 and 2002, the documentary provides students an opportunity to learn about how
life in the former GDR has changed and how individuals have adjusted to life Post Wall. AATG members will receive
access to the Internet program, a DVD with the film clips and the teacher/student workbook for working with the
materials. The second half of session five will include a presentation by Dr. Andreas Eis from the Johann Wolfgang
Goethe University in Frankfurt on how GDR history is taught in Germany today.
AATG members are encouraged to attend additional sessions on Friday and Saturday, before and after the scheduled
AATG meeting and workshop. The department is pleased to be able to invite AATG members to this event and has
arranged for complimentary attendance at the Friday reception, and lunch and dinner on Saturday.
THE FALL OF THE WALL - - RECONSIDERED
The year 2009 marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall, and thus the beginning of the end of Soviet dominance
over large parts of Europe, and in fact, the beginning of the end of the Soviet Union itself. In 1989, it was not just the East
German dictatorial regime which fell, but also most of the satellite states: from the peaceful transition in Poland,
Czechoslovakia, and Hungary to the bloody revolt and subsequent execution of its dictator in Romania. The fall of the
wall on November 9, 1989 and the opening of the Brandenburger Tor in Berlin on December 22, 1989 paved the way to
reunification: East and West Germany were officially reunited on October 3, 1990. The purpose of this conference is to
commemorate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the wall. The presentations are interdisciplinary in nature and highlight
the impact of German reunification on politics, journalism, culture, education and on the life of ordinary citizens in their
attempt to balance out the ideological and cultural separation. The changes were far-reaching and continue to be felt
today.
Die Wendezeit, ja, die war für uns vollkommen unvorbereitet, nicht? Vollkommen. Nie hätte ich das gedacht, dass die
Grenze sich mal öffnet. Das kann sich gar keiner vorstellen, nicht? Das kann sich gar keiner vorstellen. Schön ist, dass
man sich jetzt als Familie, die sonst getrennt war, dass man sich da besuchen kann und sich sehen kann, und am Telefon
sagen kann, was man denkt, und im Brief schreiben kann, was man denkt. Das ist schön. Das ist sehr schön, das haben
wir ja die ganze Zeit nicht gekonnt. Die Freiheit haben wir jetzt. Da brauchen wir keine Angst zu haben. Renate
Usedom
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 23, 2009
1:00 - 1:30 Welcome
1:30 - 3:00 Session 1: Historical/Political
Changes
3:00 - 3:30 Break
3:30 - 5:00 Session 2: Social Changes
5:00 - 5:30 Exhibit
5:30 - 7:00 Reception
7:00 - 8:30 Keynote Address
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2009
09:00 - 10:30 Session 3: Art and Film
10:30 - 11:00 Break
11:00 - 12:30 Session 4: Literature
12:30 - 01:30 AATG Business Meeting/Lunch
01:30 - 03:15 Session 5: Teaching the GDR
03:15 - 04:00 Session 6: The GDR in Public Discourse
04:00 - 04:30 Break
04:30 - 06:00 Session 7: Music
06:00 -0 8:00 Dinner and Closing Remarks
08:00 - 09:30 Concert
Conference Program: http://www.german.northwestern.edu/wende-conference
Registration for Northern Illinois AATG Meeting & Conference
The Fall of the Wall - - Reconsidered
AATG registration fee is $12 if paid by October 16, 2009, or $15 at the door. On-site registration is
$15. Registration fees are paid to Northern Illinois AATG and allow members entrance to all lectures
and events, including the Reception on Friday and lunch and dinner on Saturday.
Name
Address
Phone
Email
School
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
I will attend:
Reception & Keynote Address
(Friday, October 23, 5:30-8:30)
Morning Sessions
(Sat. October 24, 9:00-12:30)


AATG Lunch and Business Meeting ($12/15)
(Sat. October 24, 12:30-1:30)

Session 5: AATG Workshop
Topic: Teaching the GDR
(Sat. October 24, 1:30-3:15)

$ _________
Dinner, Closing Remarks & Concert

(Sat. October 24, 6:00-8:00)
***The Dept. of German will pay for Northern Illinois AATG members to attend the final
dinner and closing remarks. Advanced registration is required!
Payment Enclosed (Payable to Northern Illinois AATG)
$ _________
Mail registration form and check payable to AATG Northern Illinois to:
John Paluch
Dept of German at Northwestern
1880 Campus Drive
Evanston, IL 60208
Inquires: John Paluch, 847-491-8081 paluch@northwestern.edu
Please let us know in advance if you would like a letter certifying that you participated in this
presentation/workshop. The AATG is a State of Illinois Preferred Provider and hours earned at this
workshop can be used for the re-certification process.
I would like a Certificate of Participation Yes ___________ No ____________
Immersion Weekend for Teachers of German - February 19-21, 2010
Northern Illinois AATG - Wisconsin AATG - Trainernetzwerk of the Goethe-Institut-Chicago
Wonderland Camp and Conference Center, Camp Lake, Wisconsin
Engaging the Learner - - Personalized, Culture Based Storytelling in the German Classroom
Bernie, Barbara, and Byron all structure their teaching around personalized, culture based storytelling. This style of
teaching makes strong use of the TPRS (Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling) techniques developed by
Blaine Ray, who based (what has become known as) TPRS on the research of reading and acquisition guru, Dr. Stephen
Krashen. All presenters will model the types of personalization techniques they have used and developed since becoming
trained in the acquisition techniques gathered at TPRS conferences and the Concordia Language Villages (CLV). The
weekend will open with Barbara Cartford’s award-winning TPRS presentation in Swedish. (bloß, weil das
Schwedischlernen so viel Spaß macht!) Over the course of the weekend, participants will gain more insight into the types
of culture based teaching techniques that have stemmed since TPRS emerged in the early 1990’s.
Bernie Schlafke has taught German for the School District of Sun Prairie (WI) since 1991, after having spent two years
studying, singing, and teaching English in Regensburg, Germany. He worked for Waldsee, the German Village of
Concordia Language Villages (CLV), since 1988. Bernie is the author of TPRS and the Songs of Waldsee, a teaching
manual published by CLV. At Waldsee he could also combine his love for German and choral music, as he served as its
Ethnic Music Program Leader. Barbara Cartford is currently Minnesota’s World Language Teacher of the Year! She
has taught Spanish and Swedish in Minnesota since 1980, and has worked for CLV’s Spanish and Swedish villages since
1976. In 1982 Barbara founded Cartford Language Services, a private institute for language teacher training located in
Minneapolis. She began to shift to a more personalized, culture based approach to language teaching at a TPRS workshop
in 2001. Byron Despres-Berry has taught German in the Appleton (WI) Area School District since 2001, after returning
from two years teaching English in Japan. He has also worked as a counselor for Waldsee from 1985 to 2006, was
himself a Kursteilnehmer in its summer program in his youth, and a student for a year at its college immersion program,
Das Concordia College Institut für deutsche Studien. Most recently Byron has spent his summers assisting Donna
Clementi with her CLV methods courses for future Chinese and Arabic teachers, serving as a link between CLV and the
world and ways of TPRS.
*New teachers and teachers in training are strongly encouraged to attend. Participants must be willing to communicate in
German at all times.
Lodging and Meals The Immersion Weekend will be held at the Wonderland Camp and Conference Center. Housing is
in double rooms in the 30-room hotel which has been reserved for our group. The program begins on Friday evening with
a light supper and introductory activities and ends with lunch on Sunday.
Wonderland Camp and Conference Center http://www.usc.salvationarmy.org/usc/www_usc_wonderland.nsf
The Salvation Army Wonderland Camp and Conference Center
9241 Camp Lake Road, Camp Lake, WI 53109
Main Office 262-889-4305
(5 miles north of the IL/WI border, just east of Wilmot, north of Antioch)
Participant's Fee:
Advanced Registration before Dec. 15, 2009 Double Room: $125, Single Room: $175
Late Registration after Dec. 15, 2009 Double Room: $150, Single Room: $200
*The housing and board costs charged by the conference center are significantly more than the price we are charging. We
are able to run the weekend with minimal registration costs because of substantial support provided by the GoetheInstitut-Chicago along with other benefactors.
**We are charged a per person fee by the conference center for housing and board. Thus we have to charge full
registration fees even for those people not participating in the program. There is a contract with the conference center,
committing us to pay for all reserved rooms, whether or not participants are able to arrive for the weekend.
***There are no refunds after receipt of registration and check.
Project Leaders: Charles James, University of Wisconsin, John Stark, Illinois Math and Science Academy, Mark Wagner,
Nicolette High School, John Paluch, Northwestern University.
Registration Form for Immersion Weekend 2008 (Feb. 19-21, 2010)
Please register by December 15, 2009 to facilitate planning!
Registration includes room, board, instruction, and instructional materials (2 nights lodging and 6 meals). This workshop is made
possible through the generous support of the Goethe-Institut-Chicago, the Northern Illinois AATG Chapter Projects Fund, the
Wisconsin Chapter AATG, a StaDaF grant and contributions from private corporations. The participation fee is non-refundable once
registration has been acknowledged.
Registration: First come, first served. Priority given to AATG Members. Maximum 60 Participants. Advanced Registration Deadline:
December 15, 2009. (Late registration accepted based on availability, higher fees apply. Please send a quick email of inquiry to check
on the status of the weekend.)
Project Leaders: Bernie Schlakfe, Sun Prairie High School, Charles James, University of Madison at Wisconsin, John Stark, Illinois
Math and Science Academy, Dan Stoyak, Illinois Valley Central High School, Mark Wagner, Nicolette High School.
Administration: John Paluch, Northwestern University Department of German 1880 Campus Drive Evanston, IL 60208-2203 Phone:
847-491-8081 Fax: 847-491-3877 paluch@northwestern.edu
The Northern Illinois AATG Chapter is a certified provider for the Illinois State Board of Education. Participants may earn CPDUs.
Make check payable to: Northern Illinois AATG
Mail to: John Paluch, Northwestern University, Department of German 1880 Campus Drive,
Evanston, IL 60208-2203 (847-491-8081) paluch@northwestern.edu
*****Advanced Registration Fee Received BEFORE December 15, 2009
Double Room: $125 Single Room: $175
*****Late Registration Fee Received AFTER December 15, 2009 (Based on room availability)
Double Room: $150 Single Room: $200
Amount enclosed: ________________ Requesting Double Room/ Single Room (Circle one)
Name ___________________________________________________________________________________________
Address _________________________________________________________________________________________
Town, State, Zip __________________________________________________________________________________
Home phone: _____________________________________ Email _________________________________________
School __________________________________________________________________________________________
School Address ___________________________________________________________________________________
Location ___________________________________________Work phone __________________________________
1st & 2nd year text ________________________________________________________________________________
Levels taught: ____________________________________________________________________________________
Remarks on special diets or other needs: _____________________________________________________________
High School Day at the University of Illinois at Chicago
Wednesday February 24, 2010
Each spring, UIC hosts High School Day. German teachers and their students from throughout the Chicagoland
area visit the campus to participate in various German language competitions, visit German classes, or play
games. The competitions are judged by UIC faculty and Teaching Assistants and representatives of the
Austrian, Dutch, German and Swiss Consulates and the Goethe Institut. First, second and third place winners
take home a trophy and other special prizes!
Participating teachers have the opportunity to meet with David Weible, Germanic Studies Department Head,
and Susanne Rott, Language Program Director and Director of the UIC Sandi Port-Errant Language and Culture
Learning Center, for breakfast to talk about the current teaching situation at the high schools and to discuss
areas of cooperation between the schools and the UIC Department of Germanic Studies. The event starts at 9:30
am and ends at 2 pm.
For further information on High School Day,visit: http://www.uic.edu/depts/germ/HSDay/HSDay.htm. The preregistration deadline for 2010 is December 11, 2009. If you would like to be added to the mailing list please
contact Agnes Herget at aherget@uic.edu.
Special congratulations to the winners from High School Day 2009!
Culture Essay
First Place: Prairie Ridge - Bianca Bracht
Second Place: Oak Park / River Forest - Evangelie
Zachos
Third Place: Lycee Francais de Chicago - Michael
Corbett
Skits
First Place: Niles West - Nancy Blumenfeld , Molly
Gstalter, and Katarina Sostaric, David Chervony,
Chris Olivares, and Daniel Friedman
Second Place: Oak Park / River Forest - Tom Kasand,
Dan Scherer-Emunds, Evangelie Zachos, Peter
Hanneman, Helen Beilinson, and Kurt Granhnke
Third Place: Maine South- Joyce Hanch, Rebecca
Hoffman, Katie Kinell, Daniel Petrokas, Garrett
Pluhar-Schaeffer, and Brian Siwek
City Guide
First Place: Niles North - Tina Tillmann and
Annemarie Reid
Second Place: Niles West - Angelika Przewonznik
Third Place: Maine East- Ariana Serna and Erica
Sieghart
Poetry
First Place: Oak Park / River Forest - Paul Deziel
Second Place: Oak Park / River Forest - Katie Wilkes
Third Place: Prairie Ridge - Jake Stefan
Spelling Bee
First Place: Glenbrook Academy - Lisa Tang
Second Place: Oak Park / River Forest - Abby Lyons
Third Place: Oak Park / River Forest - Joshua
Novatsky
Werbespot Video
First Place: Maine South- Natasha Grosskoph, Kate
Hurley, Jennifer Roeslmeier, and Garrett PluharSchaeffer
Second Place: Prairie Ridge - Courtney Yuen and
Jenny Meodor
Third Place: Lockport Township - Mary Johnson, Tim
Moran, Connor Shattuck, Alana Halper, Max
Teichman, Ryan Slattery, and Max Pohlmann
Eindrücke
First Place: Oak Park / River Forest - Moritz Ullmann
Second Place: Crystal Lake Central - Carmen
Rommelfanger
Third Place: Crystal Lake Central - Thorben Blanke
German program at ISU
The German faculty at ISU would like to share some information about their program
and recently developed materials with high school German teachers and their
students:

German Alumni New Student Scholarship ($500 scholarships for incoming German
majors)
 David J. Parent Scholarship for advanced students
 C.A.P. credit: Up to 8 hours of tuition credit (around $1,700) for taking an advanced
course and getting a C or better
 Popular double-major options, as in International Business
 Innovative Internships for International Business and German majors in alternative
energy area
 Various opportunities to study abroad
 New Advanced German Review and Introduction to Reading course online that might
serve as a high school 5th –year or Advanced Placement exam preparatory course
 New Media to share: Materials developed to be used by advanced students in
conjunction with the German television series “Lindenstrasse”
 Numerous extracurricular activities
For more information and contact addresses visit the German website at
http://www.llc.ilstu.edu/german . Any students interested in attending ISU next year are especially
encouraged to contact the German faculty and visit campus and German classes.
German School Chicago (GSC), the very first German language
immersion day school in Chicagoland, will open its doors September 8,
2009 in the 47th Ward of Chicago.
GSC is a tuition-based German language immersion day school for
children ages 3, 4 & 5 (pre-school and kindergarten years). Half- and full
day programs are offered Monday-Friday. Students will be admitted
from German and non-German speaking families. Special emphasis will
be placed on spoken language development in the early years with the
goal of total oral fluency in German upon entering first grade at age 6.
With approximately 800,000 people of German ancestry in the Chicagoland area, demand for a
German language day school is high. Moreover, the school offers parents the opportunity to provide
their children with fluency in a second language in a community of increasing global connections.
GSC will be holding a public Grand Opening Ceremony September 15, 2009 at the school building at
1447 W. Montrose Avenue at 10 a.m. Speakers will include German Consul General Onno
Hueckmann, and Austrian Consul General Dr. Robert Zischg.
For more information, please contact us at 312.504.5646.
Submitted by: Christa Garcia
Der „dritte Weg“ - Total German Immersion in den USA
Deutsch Sprechen in den USA hat Tradition. Es gibt Regionen, nicht nur in den „typischen“
Einwandererstaaten für Deutsche, in denen der Bevölkerungsanteil deutschstämmiger Einwanderer bei über 30
Prozent liegt - so zum Beispiel im Raum St. Louis, in einigen anderen Gegenden von Missouri und Kansas.
Schwergewichte in Sachen Deutschlernen sind aber die Staaten an der Ostküste, der Norden der
Midwest-Region und – aus anderen, nämlich wirtschaftlich-industriell geprägten Gründen – die Westküste.
Deutsch Sprechen hat Tradition in den USA. Aber die Anzahl der Deutsch Lernenden ist gleichwohl
gering, liegt im Landesdurchschnitt in bezug auf die Fremdsprachenlerner bei zwischen 2 und 3 Prozent.
Spanisch als Fremdsprache ist ein Riese, Programme für Japanisch, Chinesisch, Arabisch finden zurzeit kräftige
staatliche Unterstützung, viele Schulen verlangen gar keine Fremdsprachen zur Qualifikation; das sind nur
einige der Gründe, warum Deutsch als Fremdsprache oft ein Mauerblümchen ist.
Nun ist zu beobachten, dass neben dem der Tradition stark verbundenen Deutschlernen ein neuer Typus
des Fremdsprachenlernens anscheinend im Aufwind ist. Es handelt sich um sogenannte Immersionsschulen,
Schulen, die den Lernenden ein totales Eintauchen (total immersion) in die Fremdsprache bieten.
War Deutsch an Highschools und Colleges in den letzten Jahren auf dem Rückzug und waren die
Samstagschulen, deren Bedeutung hier keineswegs geschmälert werden soll, häufig Anbieter für die –
traditionell – deutschstämmige Klientel bestimmter Regionen, so richten sich die Immersions-Schulen zum
einen keineswegs überwiegend an deutschsprachige, deutschstämmige oder sonst wie mit deutscher Sprache
und Kultur verbundene Lerner, sondern sie sprechen ein auch in den USA in vielen Elternhäusern modernes
Bedürfnis nach Erweiterung des kulturellen Horizonts an. Die dem Verfasser bekannten Immersionsschulen
verzeichnen im Schnitt weit über 50 Prozent solcher Schülerinnen und Schüler, bei denen es bisher überhaupt
keine Verbindung zur deutschen Sprache im Elternhaus gab.
„Bieten wir unseren Kindern die bestmögliche Erziehung, geben wir ihnen die Chance, während der
Phase schulischen Lernens über den Tellerrand zu schauen, den Horizont zu erweitern.“ So lauten die
Beweggründe für viele an eine globalisierte Welt denkende Eltern, wenn sie begründen, warum sie ihre Kinder
an eine Schule schicken, an der im Unterricht (fast) ausschließlich in einer Fremdsprache gesprochen wird.
Diese Art von total immersion (es gibt kein wirklich passendes deutsches Wort dafür) haben
selbstverständlich immer schon die von der ZfA (Zentralstelle für das Auslandsschulwesen) betreuten Deutschen
Schulen im Ausland geboten. Waren diese zunächst, in den Jahren ihrer Gründung, eher sog. Expertenschulen
für Deutsche, die aus meist beruflichen Gründen mit Familie im Ausland waren, so ist der neue, moderne Weg
der der Begegnungsschule, die bewusst und gezielt die Kulturen des Stammlands Deutschland und des
jeweiligen Gastlands zusammenbringen möchte. Dazu gehört selbstverständlich auch die Aufnahme von
Schülerinnen und Schülern aus dem Gastland und das Angebot dualer bzw. internationaler Abschlüsse.
Maja Oelschlägel, von der ZfA entsandte Schulleiterin der German International School of Silicon Valley:
„Beeindruckend ist die große Anzahl und Verschiedenheit der Immersion-Schools, die mit unterschiedlichem
Anteil englisch- und deutschsprachige Kinder beschulen. Der Anteil an deutsch- und englischsprachigem
Unterricht, die Art der Alphabetisierung und die schulischen Abschlüsse sind sehr unterschiedlich. Bilinguales
Lernen bleibt in den USA genauso ein spannendes Entwicklungsfeld wie in Deutschland.“
Das Neue an diesem Weg ist also nicht die Deutsche Schule im Ausland, das Neue ist die in den USA
gegründete Schule, sei es öffentliche oder private, die sich dem Weg der total immersion verschrieben hat.
Oft sind die Ursprünge in den bereits angesprochenen Samstagschulen zu finden, manchmal ist es
vielleicht ein besonders erfolgreiches Schulprogramm, was zur Gründung führt. Immer ist es aber die Initiative
engagierter Menschen, auf Eltern- wie Lehrerseite, die eine solche Schulgründung erst möglich macht.
Der „dritte Weg“ - neben Samstagschulen und Deutschkursen an englischsprachigen („normalen“)
amerikanischen Middle- und Highschools – der Weg der German Immersion School ist ein in die Zukunft
weisender, Erfolg versprechender Weg.
Eine ganz besondere Bedeutung kommt in dieser Hinsicht den jährlichen Konferenzen der Deutschen
Immersionsschulen in den USA zu, die im übrigen bisher vom Ständigen Ausschuss Deutsch als
Fremdsprache (StADaF) USA gefördert wurden.
Die nächste dieser Konferenzen findet vom 25. bis 27. September an der Rilke-Schule in Anchorage
statt; die Konferenz für 2010 wird vom neuen Fachberater USA Midwest organisiert werden.
Es gilt zum einen, die Aufbruchstimmung vieler junger Gründungen zu unterstützen, die engagierten
Gründerinnen und Gründer oder jetzigen Schulleiterinnen und –leiter zu ermutigen, zum anderen gilt es auch
für die ZfA zu prüfen, wo und inwieweit diese Schulen von Deutschland aus unterstützt und gefördert werden
können. Für einige der Schulen bestehen bereits konkrete Fördermaßnahmen, andere sind auf einem
vielversprechenden Weg dorthin.
Was macht diesen hier beschriebenen „dritten Weg“ bei gleichzeitigem Rückgang der Deutschlernenden
an Highschools so erfolgversprechend? Könnten nicht amerikanische Eltern gerade diesen Schulen gegenüber
besonders skeptisch sein? Und richtig: Schulleiterinnen und –leiter berichten von der Besorgnis der
amerikanischen Eltern. „Wird mein Kind auch genügend gut in der Muttersprache gefördert?“ – „Wie soll mein
Kind denn Englisch lesen und schreiben lernen?“ Solche und ähnliche Fragen bewegen natürlich potenzielle
Anmelder und sind berechtigt. Auch wer eine Immersion School gründen will, muss sich sofort mit diesen
Fragen auseinandersetzen. Und wieder findet sich die Antwort in der Zusammenarbeit der Schulen. Die bereits
länger bestehenden Immersionsschulen sind, wenn sie öffentlich sind, wie alle amerikanischen Schulen
eingebunden in die verschiedenen landesweiten testings. Die Ergebnisse aller Immersionsschulen, soweit sie
vorliegen, sprechen für sich: In den Bereichen Mathematik und Leseverständnis (beides auf Englisch
standardisiert getestet) wie auch in allen anderen getesteten Bereichen schnitten die Lernenden mit jeweils
landesweiten Bestergebnissen ab.
(Beispiel in Kasten einfügen)
[Beispiel: German Immersion School Milwaukee*:
Übersicht über die Ergebnisse kombinierter Leistungstests Nov. 2005 / Grade 4 an der Milwaukee German Immersion School:
Reading
Language
Mathematics
Science
Social Studies
Enrolled
64
64
64
64
64
No WSAS
0%
0%
0%
0%
0%
Min Perf
2%
2%
13%
2%
2%
Basic
3%
9%
5%
16%
2%
Proficient Advanced
50%
45%
39%
50%
44%
39%
61%
22%
27%
70%
Quelle: WINSS Successful School Guide; Data Analysis; im Internet unter:
http://data.dpi.state.wi.us/data/graphshell.asp?Grade=4&GraphFile=GEDISA&DETAIL=YES&Group=AllStudentsFAY&SubjectID=0AS&Eligible
Only=NO&Level=ALL&WOW=WSAS&ORGLEVEL=SC&FULLKEY=013619040146&DN=Milwaukee&SN=Milwaukee+German+Immersion
*Die Milwaukee German Immersion School unterrichtet die getesteten Fächer vom ersten Tag des Kindergartens bis einschließlich 5. Klasse auf
Deutsch. Englisch kommt als einzelnes Fach in der 2. Klasse hinzu. ]
Dazu gehört selbstverständlich auch ein Programm der Schulen, wie und wann Englisch in den
Stundenplan integriert wird. Hierzu gibt es durchaus unterschiedliche Ansätze und Vorgehensweisen – wieder
ein überaus interessanter Punkt für die Kooperation der Schulen.
Die meisten der Immersionsschulen starten früh, was das Eintrittsalter der Lernenden angeht. Sie
nehmen häufig die Kinder ab dem 3. oder 4. Lebensjahr auf – amerikanisches System der Pre-School und
Kindergarden Erziehung. Anders als die Deutschen Schulen im Ausland führen sie i.d.R. die Kinder nicht bis
zum Abschluss, sondern geben sie in einem gewissen Alter an benachbarte Middle- oder Highschools mit
verstärktem Deutschunterricht ab. Wie sich dieser Bereich in der Zukunft entwickeln wird, lässt sich heute noch
nicht sagen. Denkbar ist eine Verstärkung der Kooperation mit den aufnehmenden Schulen genauso wie ein
Weiterführen an den Immersionsschulen zu dualen oder internationalen Abschlüssen, wie es die Deutschen
Schulen anbieten.
Festzuhalten bleibt aber in jedem Fall, dass das Deutschlernen in den USA mit diesem „dritten Weg“
eine Bereicherung erfährt, die nicht zu unterschätzen ist und aus dem Mauerblümchen vielleicht in Zukunft eine
kräftig sprießende Pflanze werden lässt.
So resümierte Elke Miller, Leiterin des Deutschen Kindergartens in Los Angeles im Anschluss an eine
Konferenz Deutscher Immersionsschulen in den USA:
„Für mich als totaler Anfänger war dieses Treffen natürlich hochinteressant. Ich habe mich immer gefragt, wie
andere Leute diese Schulen angefangen und vor allem dann auch wirklich aufgebaut haben. In dieser Gruppe
gab es mehr als zufriedenstellende Antworten auf all diese Fragen. So viel Wissen, Erfahrung und Einsatz in
einer Gruppe ist Gold wert!... Ich jedenfalls bin hochmotiviert nach Los Angeles zurückgekommen und habe
sofort das erste Treffen zur Gründung der Deutsch-amerikanischen Immersionsschule in die Hand genommen.“
_________________________
Gert Wilhelm
Fachberater / Koordinator für Deutsch
- Zentralstelle für das Auslandsschulwesen –
USA Midwest
Anmerkungen zum Autor:
Der Autor ist seit 01. August 2009 als neuer Fachberater / Koordinator für Deutsch in Chicago tätig. Die Stelle
wurde neu eingerichtet. Vorher war der Autor seit 01. Januar 2006 als Experte für Unterricht des GoetheInstituts in St. Louis tätig. Er ist ausgebildeter Lehrer (Staatsexamina in Germanistik und Anglistik;
Zusatzstudium Deutsch als Fremdsprache) mit langjähriger Unterrichtspraxis in den Sekundarstufen I und II in
Hamburg. Seine Kenntnisse im Bereich Deutsch als Fremdsprache konnte er als Leiter der entsprechenden
Abteilung an der Deutschen Schule Barcelona ausbauen.
Kontaktadresse:
1319 Ivy Lane ‚ 201
Naperville, IL 60563
Tel: 630-857-3648
Fax: 630-857-3639
Email: wilhelm-zfa@gmx.com)
Submitted by: Christa Garcia
Northern Illinois AATG chapter contact information
President (09-11)
Lisa Seidlitz
Augustana College
639 38th Street
Rock Island, IL 61201
309-794-7657
lisaseidlitz@augustana.edu
Vice President (09-11)
Karen Calvert
Neuqua Valley High School
2360 95th Street
Naperville, IL 60564
630-428-6000 x. 4889
Karen_calvert@ipsd.org
Secretary (08-10)
Julie Orgler Konetzki
Barrington H.S.
616 W. Main St.
Barrington, IL
JOrgler@barrington220.org
Treasurer (07-09)
Maries Huening
Glenbard East H.S.
1014 S. Main Street
Lombard, IL 60148
630-424-6664
maries_huening@glenbard.org
Program Chair (07-09)
Anne Schreiber
Wheaton College
Foreign Languages Department
Wyngarden 208
Wheaton, IL 60187
630-752-5795
anne.schreiber3@gmail.com
Testing & Awards Chair (08-10)
Daniela Rossmann
New Trier H.S.
385 Winnetka Avenue
Winnetka, IL 60093
Phone: 847-784-6665
Fax: 847-501-6400
rossmand@newtrier.k12.il.us
Membership Chair (08-10)
Craig Kohl
Wilton Junior-Senior High School
1002 Cypress St Wilton, IA 52778
(563) 732-2629
ckohl@gmtel.net
Immediate Past President (09-11)
Sarah Moreno
Downers Grove South H.S.
1436 Norfolk Street
Downers Grove, IL 60516
630-795-8724
smoreno@csd99.org
Fundraising Chair (08-10)
Carol Ewald
Oak Park River Forest H.S.
201 N Scoville Ave Oak Park, IL
60302 (708) 383-0700
carolewald3@aol.com
CEwald@oprfhs.org
Newsletter Editor: Karen Calvert. The next newsletter will be published in Spring, 2010. If you have
announcements that you would like included, please email them to Karen_calvert@ipsd.org.
This newsletter is distributed to AATG members and others interested in the teaching of German. Help us
stay in touch with you by sending updated contact information to membership chair Craig Kohl.
Our chapter website ( www.northernillinois.aatg.org/ ) is a great source of
information on chapter events, local and national conferences, grant application
deadlines, and German events. Many thanks to John Paluch for maintaining this
useful site!
Minutes from the Northern Illinois Spring 2009 Meeting
April 25, 2009
future workshops included TPRS with Susan
Gross, technology focus on real resources to
use in the classroom, and consulting the AATG
consultant list and the Goethe Institut’s
Trainernetzwerk site.
EXCO members present: Sarah Moreno, Lisa
Seidlitz, Anne Schreiber, Craig Kohl, Maries
Huening
1. President’s Welcome (Sarah Moreno)
Election candidates for Vice President,
Program Chair, and Treasurer were explained.
2. Secretary’s Report (Sarah Moreno for Julie
Orgler)
Minutes from the fall meeting were
reviewed and approved.
3. Testing and Awards Chair Report (Sarah
Moreno for Daniela Rossmann)
Our chapter’s three non-senior
candidates won the study trip. Our senior
candidate did not win on the national level,
but he did win the GLOW award. We also
awarded one student a two-week trip to
Concordia Language Villages.
4. Treasurer’s Report (Maries Huening)
We are in good standing with about
$9,000 in the account.
5. Membership Chair’s Report (Craig Kohl)
Membership is down 19 people from
last year. Craig has called about 100 people to
encourage them to renew their membership. If
members know of new teachers or those in
extreme hardship, free memberships are
available through Martha Blackburn at the
Cherry Hill office. For new teachers, the idea
is that current members will serve as a mentor,
as well.
6. Vice President’s Report (Lisa Seidlitz)
Lisa reported that she will be
transitioning to her new role as President.
7. Program Chair’s Report (Anne Schreiber)
We will most likely be holding our fall
meeting at Northwestern University, during
their conference on the 20th anniversary of the
Berlin Wall’s fall. There will be a special
presentation for our members on the former
East Germany. The tentative time is 12:30-2:30
on Saturday, October 10. Other ideas for
8. Immediate Past President’s Report (Sabine
Woerner)
Not present. No report.
9. Fundraising Chair’s Report (Sarah Moreno for
Carol Ewald)
Carol has been working on soliciting
donations from German organizations and
establishments such as restaurants and stores.
The suggestion was made to compile a list of
German businesses in our region, so that we
can frequent them more.
10.
President’s Report (Sarah Moreno)
The election results were announced.
Maries Huening will continue as treasurer,
and Anne Schreiber will continue as Program
Chair. Karen Calvert joins the Executive
Council as the new Vice President.
To be added to an e-mail list of local
German jobs, e-mail John Paluch at
paluch@northwestern.edu..
Charles James reported on the success of
the German Day at the University of
Wisconsin. They had nearly 700 students in
attendance. Members from the northern part
of Illinois may want to consider taking their
students to Wisconsin in the future. Adrianne
Dost reported on a similar event at UIC.
Kathleen Betterman was accepted to an
AATG program to Vienna and Budapest. She
was also featured in the April edition of the
Naperville Glancer magazine. It was noted
that teachers can gain recognition for their
programs by submitting press releases and
inviting local papers to special events that
showcase what they are doing in the
classroom, German club, or through trips and
exchanges.
John Stark mentioned that
www.aatg.org has a new look and more
features, so teachers can look to that site for
more information on specific programs. Here
are a few highlights:
There is an opening for a program for
young teachers in Leipzig. Interested teachers
should contact Mercedes at the Cherry Hill
office. There are also various other programs
for teachers available each year.
One can purchase a CD of copyrightfree pictures of Germany by Mike Schaunessy
for only $5 through the AATG online store.
A new national treasurer is
needed, and would be responsible for most
aspects of the funds, except for the
endowments.
Gregory Wolf from local North Central
College is working on starting TrainDAF again
to focus on developing leadership among
young colleagues.
In one or two years, National Board
Certification will once again be offered. Rather
than language-specific, there will be a general
foreign language certification. A teacher must
complete about 400 hours of work over the
course of three years and submit artifacts from
at least two different classes. It costs about
$2,300, but Illinois will pay teachers $3,000 per
year for ten years, and some schools offer
additional incentives. This information is from
the last round of certification that was offered.
More information should be available later this
year.
The meeting was adjourned at 9:55 AM.