AATG`s Professional Partner Program

Newsletter
American Association of Teachers of German, Inc.
Volume 50, Number 1, February 2015
In this Issue …
Meet Outstanding German Educators
Honor Societies Induct New Members
Get Ready for Regional Language Conferences
National German Exam Level 1 Launches
GOLDEN Online Graduate Program Recognized
Preparing for German Summer Study 2015
2015 Summer Seminars in Vienna and Leipzig
MLA Releases Newest Enrolllment Statistics
Get the Latest from Goethe USA
Special Offers from Professional Partners
A Word from the President
Dear Colleagues,
Don’t you sometimes tell the same story to various groups of people and even repeat the same story to
the same people? You probably do this because you like the story or you strongly believe in the lesson
that it taught you. Well, this is what I will do now.
Ten years ago, my family and I were on vacation in Mexico. On our way back from Chichén Itzá to
Cancun, we saw a little 8 or 9 year old boy standing on the side of the road and waiving at us. He had a
few souvenirs to sell. I saw myself in this little boy and stopped the car. I asked him in my broken
Spanish, “¿Qué estás vendiendo?” (“What are you selling?”) and he answered in English that he was
selling Mayan calendars made out of plaster. He asked for $2. But I saw that the calendar had a little
piece missing on the edge. So I offered him $1 and said to him that it was broken. “No, no! Señor!” he said, “Not broken. It is not
finished.”
As I heard that, I wanted to get out of the car and give this little boy a hug. With his imperfect English, wit and humor, he had
broken the cultural barrier between us and doubled his money. In the end I gave him $4. You should have seen the smile on his
face. Maybe he thought I was just another gullible tourist. But this little boy taught me an invaluable lesson. “Our world is not
broken. It is not finished yet.” People with the ability to converse in more than one language will improve our world and make it
a better place.
AATG supports German teachers and their students in many different ways. This year and for the first time in our history we are
offering an online version of the Level I of the National German Exam. I would like to thank the NGE Committee and its chair,
Wiebke Strehl, for all of their hard work in developing this exam and also all the exams for levels 2, 3, and 4. I have already heard
many wonderful comments about these revised exams.
I would like to urge you to take advantage of the many summer professional development opportunities that AATG and our
partner organizations here in the USA and abroad offer. Also, please encourage your students to participate in the 2015 German
summer study program for high school students.
A few days ago a friend of a friend was commenting on a picture posted on
Facebook taken at a workshop I presented at the Goethe-Institut Boston. The
comment read: “Well, everyone looks so happy in this picture. Are you sure
that they are German?” It was in reference to a warm-up activity we did. I am
sure the friend was joking. But many think that fun and German don’t go hand
in hand. I always disagree and I prove that when I offer workshops for AATG
chapters, like the one in South Carolina in January, organized by Jan Marie
Steele or this one in Boston in February, organized by Lisa Parkes and Dine
Möller-Sahling. I am looking forward to many upcoming regional and
international conferences and workshops in Northern Illinois and Wisconsin,
Colorado, Minnesota, Indiana, New England, Niagara Falls, Leipzig or Vienna.
Ich wünsche euch, euren SchülerInnen und Studierenden ein himmlisches Vergnügen beim Deutschunterrichten und –lernen.
Spaß muss sein! German is fun!
Mit herzlichen Grüßen
Mohamed Esa
McDaniel College
Westminster, Maryland
[email protected]
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Looking for national leaders
Search for Treasurer
The AATG Executive Council has initiated a search for a Treasurer to serve 2016—2018.
Duties of the Treasurer include:

Serve as a member of the Executive Council and of the Steering Committee

Chair the Audit and Finance Committee

Serve as a member of the Investment Committee

Oversee financial records of the Association

Work with the Executive Director to prepare an
annual budget

Report annually to the Executive Council and the
membership on the financial state of the AATG
The Treasurer is appointed by the Executive Council for a three-year term and may not serve for more than
two consecutive terms. A person interested in the position of Treasurer must be a member of AATG.
Individuals should submit a letter of interest and experience, together with a current cv, to [email protected].
Nominations sought for Executive Council Elections
AATG is seeking nominations for the 2015 election to fill three positions on the
Executive Council.

A post-secondary (college/university) person from any region to serve as
Vice-President in 2016–2017, then as President in 2018–2019.

A pre-collegiate (K-12) Representative from the Southeast Region. Chapters
in the Southeast region: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi,
North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, European. The term of
office for this position is 2016-2018.

A post-secondary (college/university) Representative from the Northwest Region. Chapters in the
Northwest region: Alaska, Colorado/Wyoming, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Northern California, Oregon, Utah,
Washington. The term of office for this position is 2016-2018.
The Executive Council is the elected, policy-making body of the AATG. All candidates for office must be AATG
members. More information on responsibilities of Executive Council members is available here, along with the
nomination form. Nominations should be sent to the chair of the Nominating Committee, Ulrike Brisson, by
March 31, 2015.
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Tomorrow's German Teachers: A Recruitment Project
Encourage your students to explore a career teaching German!
Follow our Teacher Recruitment social
media campaign on Twitter and Facebook
throughout 2015—and share the materials
with colleagues and students. Each month,
a new i-IMAGE will be released to highlight
German teaching.
Watch for a fun quiz and aptitude test to
pique interest in teaching German and
attract future exemplary educators—set to
launch soon!.
Our recruitment video is also available on the TEACH GERMAN section of our website is The two-minute
video features many of our members all with one message: i TEACH GERMAN.
AATG’s Teacher Recruitment project focuses on the early identification of prospective teachers of German
to begin averting German teacher shortages that many times result in program closures. Planting the seed
that teaching German is a viable and highly rewarding career choice is at the core of the project. The
project team has drafted a media campaign to promote German teaching and various strategies to be
implemented by German educators when talking with students, parents, and counselors.
Many of you have already received our TEACH GERMAN poster
with its four powerful images i INSPIRE, i DISCOVER, i EXPLORE,
i MATTER. You can request a free copy of the TEACH GERMAN
poster (24” x 36” full color) sent to you by simply filling out the
form on our website.
Encourage your best students—teaching German is a rewarding
career.
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2015 National German Exam for High School Students
Level 1 National German Exam
Now beginning students of German can earn national recognition and prizes for
their achievements in learning German with our new Level 1 Exam. The Exam is
similar in length and structure to the other exams—but tailored to the knowledge
and skills of a beginning German student.
Specially designed to allow beginners to show what they know, the exam will be
administered between April 1 and May 1. This later administration will allow up to
three more months of German instruction before students take the test.
Registration for the Level 1 Exam runs through March 14.
Like the exams for more advanced levels, the Level 1 Exam is divided into two sections: Section I assesses
listening and viewing and consists of 50 questions, Section II assesses reading and consists of 50 questions.
Students have 40 minutes to complete each section. The exam is delivered in electronic format compatible with
Windows and Apple operating systems and various internet browsers. The content of the exam focuses on
family, friends, school, and hobbies. Find out exactly what the Level 1 Exam looks like by viewing our free, online
practice exam!
Register your students now for the Level 1 Exam. Testing is April 1 to May 1, 2015.
National German Exam Levels 2, 3, 4
Over 20,000 high school students across the country participated in this year’s National
German Exam. National German Exam results provide a means of comparing students in
all regions of the country. The results also serve as a diagnostic tool to inform curricular
decisions. Teachers will receive a National German Exam Results Report, a detailed Skills Report, and Individual
Student Reports—in a printable format.
The Results Report includes student raw scores as well as percentile rankings, which indicate the performance
of each individual student in comparison to all students who took the National German Exam across the US. The
achievement level for each student’s performance and whether or not they qualify for the Study Trip Award are
also included.
The Skills Report provides information on how students performed on specific question types, such as
identifying main ideas, comprehending idiomatic expressions, and making inferences. This report is provided to
help teachers better understand where their students did well and where students may need more instruction.
NEW THIS YEAR! Individual Student Reports include raw scores and percentile scores for the entire exam,
raw scores and percentile scores for each section of the exam, and individual skills reports with details on
individual student performance on specific question types.
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You have to know the language
Jo Ferguson Garrison received the 2014 AATG Outstanding German Educator Award, K–8 level.
She teaches German at Ligon Middle School and Martin Middle School in Wake County Public
Schools, North Carolina. She has played a leading role in the Foreign Language Association of
North Carolina’s (FLANC) Project CAFÉ—Calling All Future Educators—to identify and recruit
talented students, and encourage them to become language educators. She was named Foreign
Language Teacher of the Year in 2009-2010 by FLANC.
Why did you become a German teacher?
I realized many of the advantages of learning another language early on, through my mom, her
family, and travel. But my experience in school was so hard! I was terrible at grammar and couldn’t memorize lists of
words. During my 9th grade family trip to visit my grandmom, I fell in love with Germany: that was the motivation. I had
wanted to be an educator since I was a little girl. It was a logical connection.
What do you hope your students will be able to know and do when they leave your program?
Embrace this new language and culture. Love it. Just like I did at almost their age. I want them to feel comfortable when
they hear something in German and to listen for words and phrases so that they might deduce meaning. I want them to
know enough about German geography and culture so that they are dying to travel there! I want them to be bold learners
and to speak with their memorized phrases. I want them to go into high school knowing that they CAN learn a language,
but that it will take work and diligence.
How does membership in AATG benefit you, your career,
and your students?
In so many ways. I feel like I know almost all of the German
teachers in the state, K-18, due to AATG. Over the years I
have worked with colleagues on a variety of projects,
workshops, and conferences—and now many of us are
personal friends. The fall and spring workshops provide
such intellectual stimulation, especially for me as a middle
school teacher. I have learned so much from so many! I
feel I am a valued member and I am never afraid to offer
my ideas. Our AATG chapter also sponsors an Immersion
Weekend, an outstanding event which I have worked on and gone to with my middle school students for years. German
Day is another memorable statewide event for students and teachers.
How has the teaching of German changed throughout your career?
TECHNOLOGY! It has brought the world to our fingertips. From tools like Google Voice for students to record speech,
PowerPoint and Blendspace for the presentational mode, Quizlet and other vocabulary building apps, to iPhone, iMovies,
iPhoto for recording skits and plays and ideas, online music videos and podcasts for German realia, FaceTime and Skype
for real chats, to forums for exchanging ideas with German teachers from around the world. What a difference from my
early days of carting home suitcases of German children’s books, games, and month-old magazines. It is an exciting time
to be a teacher. Group collaborations, partner work, self-explorations are a far cry from the early years of rows of desks. I
am also pleased to see communication and not grammar as the driving force: I struggled with that same issue as a
teenager and was hopeful that things would change. The AP themes and testing have guided many on this path.
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Jo Garrison, Outstanding German Educator
What makes a successful German educator? What
advice would you give a new German teacher?
You have to know the language well because we are
teaching the students to communicate, not to diagram
sentences. A love of German and things German…this
is infectious to our students. Lots of energy…there are
all levels to teach and to prepare for. Know your
technology and be creative with the many tools that
are available. Love your little or not-so-little people:
that is what they will remember. Be a 21st century
educator: make connections with the real world, make
students use real German in real situations, use real
materials from the internet. Travel whenever possible,
with or without students. And take care of yourself.
Try to use your summers to rejuvenate…we don’t
want you to burn out. Re-read those nice notes from
students and parents who appreciate you. Don’t beat
yourself up about the ones who didn’t. Stay connected with your German colleagues…you are a lone wolf at your school
and you need support. Be involved professionally…you really do have a lot to share. Don’t forget to work for change in the
big picture…don’t just get bogged down in your school politics.
Who or what inspires you?
My students…really. Middle school is such a funny time. Students are very child-like in their imaginations and their
playfulness, and yet cognitively they are so advanced. They love participating in plays, skits and songs, and love watching
films and hearing music. Their styles and self-image are not yet set or determined. Most of them don’t have a clue about
what is cool or not, so they are very open. There is so much that they don’t know about, so they have an innocence and
clarity when talking about a new place and language and culture. They are growing up in a time of unfettered knowledge,
so they come to the table with a variety of interests and stories.
Could you tell us about one of your successful classroom activities?
I like the pre-work that goes into our German Day performances. For last year’s STEM theme, 8th graders at Ligon Middle
School used a medley of fairy tale characters to report their findings on Ötzi the Tyrolian Iceman at an archeological
conference. Each group researched a different aspect of the Iceman in English and German: clothing, food, death, survival
techniques, preservation, history, and made presentations in German. The students wrote a play about fairytale
characters as presenters at an archeological conference: Frau Aschenputtel reported on his clothing, Frau Doktor
Rottkäppchen on his meals, etc. In a similar fashion, the 8th graders at Martin Middle School adapted the story of the
miller’s daughter in Rumpelstilzchen—she used her engineering skills to solve environmental issues. Students explored
science careers in German and English, and researched famous German scientists. The 7th grade German 1 students at
Martin Middle School used Märchen to focus on fracking issues. They learned about fracking in our state in English, and
watched a video in German about fracking. After reading a version of Hänsel and Gretel in German, the students wrote a
new version—the evil witch had fracked, ruined the water supply, and now controlled the bottled water industry. Hänsel
and Gretel found her water bottle house…well, you know the rest of the story. Let’s just say: she didn’t die by fire, but by
water!
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Create. Connect. Collaborate.
Linda Zins-Adams received the 2014 AATG Outstanding German Educator Award, 9–12 level.
She teaches German and is AP Curriculum Director at Moeller High School in Cincinnati, Ohio,
and is a College Board consultant for AP German Language and Culture. She received the
ACTFL Award for Excellence in Foreign Language Instruction Using Technology with IALLT (K12), 2013. She was the 2009 Southern Conference on Language Teaching’s (SCOLT) World
Language Teacher of the Year. She currently serves as President of SCOLT.
Why did you become a German teacher?
When I was young, growing up as a farm girl, I dreamed of castles and traveling. I also wanted
to know what my heritage meant. My grandparents didn’t speak German during the great depression, but when my
grandfather was dying, the German language came back to him and we arranged for a German-speaking Lutheran pastor
to pray with him. In college, I started studying international affairs. My father saw an ad in a Cincinnati newspaper
announcing scholarship support for students planning to become foreign language teachers in Ohio—so I changed my
major to education and German. A DAAD scholarship gave me the chance to study in Germany, and I also attended the
Middlebury summer immersion program. These made a huge difference. Then Jacque Van Houten saw me student
teaching in Cincinnati, and mentioned a great job which would be opening up in Kentucky—so I went to Highlands High
School, where I spent 20 years teaching before coming to Moeller High School. As it turns out, since I was teaching in
Kentucky, I had to pay back the scholarship to Ohio.
What do you hope your students will be able to know and do when they
leave your program?
I hope students will realize that German can open doors and make them
more marketable, and they will continue to use German. Ultimately, we
want to equip students to be members of a global society—and to
advocate for German throughout their lives! Here’s a great incentive:
Upper-level German students at Moeller High School have the
opportunity to earn college credits through the University of Cincinnati.
With an opportunity to earn college credit before graduation from high
school, students may enter college willing to pursue a minor in German.
Perhaps students will even consider a double major!
How has the teaching of German changed throughout your career?
Previously there was a focus on form and grammar, which has shifted to
a focus on communication. In the past, students were learning about the
language—now, they’re actually using the language. We’re now putting
an emphasis on paths to proficiency, both in and out of the classroom.
What advice would you give a new German teacher?
Connect. Create. Collaborate. You must network! Join AATG. Connect with your Goethe-Institut. Take advantage of
professional development opportunities like AATG chapter meetings, summer seminars, and Webinars. Be active in your
professional organizations, like your state foreign language association. Attend the regional conference in your area. Build
a support network with other world language professionals—and continue to make connections, create, and collaborate!
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Linda Zins-Adams, Outstanding German Educator
How does membership in AATG benefit you, your career, and your students?
There are so many ways AATG facilitates connecting and collaborating, with
programs for students and for teachers. The German National Honor Society is
a feather in a student’s cap—students can showcase their German skills on a
college application. In our chapter, intermediate students partner with
younger, novice students, which builds a community among learners. The
National German Exam has also helped me build my programs—students
winning the study trip generates excitement! AATG offers teachers many
opportunities for growth, like chapter meetings, summer seminars, the
TraiNDaF program I participated in—all of these build powerful networks
among German teachers.
What makes a successful German educator?
Create. Connect. Collaborate. Create materials yourself, and also give your
students an opportunity to create. Connect with other teachers—German
teachers, teachers of other languages, and teachers in other disciplines.
Connect with your students. Collaborate with students and other teachers.
Have a plan in place, and then let go and encourage your students! Trust your
students, understand that they don’t have to be perfect, and give them room
to achieve. Let go of control, and facilitate their learning. Get them communicating. Give them input, and trust that the
output will come. Give students choices, have a clear goal, and let the students meet the goals.
Who or what inspires you?
We are blessed to have so many wonderful people in the world language community! Every passionate professional I’ve
had contact with in the world language community inspires me, and makes me want to continue to be a better
professional.
You have accomplished so much. What are your goals for the future?
In my new position at Moeller High School, I’m rebuilding the German program—for example, I’ve started an AP German
program. I also serve as Advanced Placement curriculum director, and we are working toward offering AP programs for all
of the languages at our school. I am truly excited to continue my involvement with the AP German Language and Culture
and its redesign, and I’m pleased to be on the committee developing the new National German Exam. Both AP and the
NGE offer great opportunities for teachers and students! And serving as president of the Southern Conference on
Language Teaching (SCOLT) is a wonderful opportunity to focus on excellent teaching, new learning, and working with all
teachers of world languages to make our profession stronger.
Could you tell us about one of your successful classroom activities?
Using Wikispaces, students build an e-portfolio. I upload authentic resources. Students review the resource, and decide
which AP themes it fits into. They write a short summary, and do a cultural comparison. I review their submissions, and
students have the opportunity to revise written assignments. Students also submit spoken responses, guided by rubrics.
With the e-portofolio, they can see and measure their own progress. This year, we also have a school-wide symposium on
immigration, and each student in the class will select one resource, create a presentation based on the resource, and lead
a discussion. It’s a great opportunity to integrate authentic resources with a current topic.
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Create a community in your classroom
Charles James received the 2014 AATG Outstanding German Educator Award, College/
University level. He is Professor of German and Curriculum and Instruction at the University of
Wisconsin-Madison. He received the Distinguished Foreign Language Educator Award from
the Wisconsin Association of Foreign Language Teachers. He also organizes the Wisconsin
German Day event, which has engaged students and teachers of German for 25 years and
draws participants from over forty schools.
Why did you become a German teacher?
When I was a college student, I was interested in languages, and had three to choose among. I
chose German, and stayed with it. I had the good fortune to have a professor who was familiar with the program at
Indiana University and encouraged me to go there for a master’s. There I met Eberhard Reichmann, who suggested I go to
Minnesota for a doctorate, where I worked with Emma Birkmaier, the first president of ACTFL.
What do you hope your students will be able to know and do when they leave your program?
Since I teach both in the German department and in Curriculum and Instruction, I have different answers. In German
department classes, students should have an understanding of German. It starts with language itself, and the mechanics
of the language—how are sentences put together? But it’s also important to understand the language in context—for
example, what do German speakers routinely talk about among themselves? How do people in Germany who are the
same age as the students use the language? Using authentic materials like podcasts and music videos helps with context,
and with exposing students to popular culture in the German-speaking world.
For the education students: Of course, we expect them to have knowledge of the German language and culture. We want
them to be reflective practitioners, to know what they’re doing, and with whom. Wisconsin issues a K-12 license, so
student teachers need experience in elementary, middle and high schools, since kids learn differently at different levels.
But there are other issues facing an education student: How do you get along with young people? How to get along with
colleagues? How do you integrate yourself into the school community? The education students are moving along an
interesting path: they’re going from being students themselves, to teachers, to colleagues. They need to know what’s
going on in the school, what school policies are on absence and late homework, what the school’s culture is. We
encourage student teachers to go to parent-teacher nights, to work with extracurricular activities, to learn more about
their new communities. Education students should also be aware of the politics and funding aspects of public schools—it
might be marginal to language teaching, but these discussions are taking place, and will have an impact on their careers.
How has the teaching of German changed throughout your career?
In 1957, I started high school. Sputnik was launched in October 1957—and the world changed. Eisenhower signed the
National Defense Education Act (NDEA) in 1958. Federal funding supported science, math, and languages. A reform of
language teaching began, and I’m a product of that.
First I experienced the grammar/translation model, which consisted mostly of reading texts and translating them into
English. Most instruction was in English with reference to German. I became a Teaching Assistant in Indiana in 1967. At
that time, audiolingualism, driven by Skinner and behaviorism, was a radically different approach to language learning
with its focus on recitation, repetition, and memorization of set conversational exchanges. In the 1970’s, we
experimented with many different ways of learning, and eventually another paradigm shift occurred, leading to the
communicative proficiency principle.
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Charles James, Outstanding German Educator
What makes a successful German educator?
1: Know the language. 2: Know your students, create a community in your classroom, and understand how people learn
within a community. This is important for all teachers, but especially in language and German. 3: Learn about your larger
community, in your school and beyond. How’s the basketball team? What’s important within the school community?
Within the local community? Are there issues like drug use or violence within the school district? These are issues in
education which get the attention of the community and need to be addressed. Then reflect on these communities and
their issues…and think about what “we” can do about addressing the issues, and the other pronouns will fall into place. 4:
Set expectations for your students; tell them what they need to do to succeed.
What advice would you give a new German teacher?
Make contacts and start networking while you’re still a student. Be confident, and do the best teaching you can. Keep up
with opportunities to learn more and to use the language. Be alert that language is always changing—some terms come
and go quickly—but keep your access to German fresh. Use Deutsche Welle, watch movies, and keep conversing. Use
anything related to subject area. German teachers are often the only person teaching German in the school, and it’s
important to be connected with colleagues, with teachers in other disciplines. It’s you in connection with rest of the
community. Know your students, and make them comfortable. Know your colleagues and your community. Know what’s
going on in other districts, in other states, in other fields.
In what direction do you see the teaching of German going?
Often, once something becomes popular, people will ask, “What’s
next?”—as though a new approach is needed. What we’ve learned
in the last 20 years about communicative competence will be with
us for a while. Now we have different audiences. Who is our
audience, and what do they think they need? People want to know
how they can learn quickly, if they can do online a language course
to speed up the process.
Could you tell us about one of your successful classroom activities?
One of my favorites is something I learned from Jürgen
Schweckendieck, who was at the Goethe-Institute in Chicago. I use
“Steckbrief” as an icebreaker at the first meeting of a conversation
class. Everyone writes answers to a few short questions, then posts
their responses on the board, without names. Each person selects a
response, then finds out who wrote it by asking questions. After
conversing for a minute or two, each student introduces their new
acquaintance to the group. As a teacher, I like this because it gives
me an indication of the students’ speaking abilities. But it’s
especially important because it gets students speaking German on
the very first day, and as students introduce themselves to one
another, they find out about one another and start building a
language learning community. Each class begins with a prompt for
a short conversational exchange as a warmup—the topic doesn’t
matter as much as getting them speaking!
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Honor the Best with an AATG Award
The AATG has a range of awards to recognize German teaching professionals for their outstanding
achievements. AATG awards are a great way to honor outstanding German teachers and their
programs—and bring national recognition to deserving individuals.

FL-A-CH Award is a new award created to honor excellence in the teaching of the language and
cultures of Austria, the German-speaking areas of Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and Südtirol in the US.
German educators may be recognized for developing materials and activities for use in the classroom,
research and scholarship, and/or leadership in projects that promote these cultures at home and
abroad.

Outstanding German Educator Award recognizes excellence in teaching and outstanding
contributions to the German teaching profession. Awards are presented to: an elementary, middle
school or junior high school educator; a high school educator; and a post-secondary educator. The
Checkpoint Charlie Foundation in Berlin provides honorees with the Checkpoint Charlie Foundation
Travel Grant.

Friend of German Award acknowledges exemplary leadership in the advocacy of German and
German language education at the local, regional, or national level. Awards are presented to an
individual or organization outside the German teaching profession, as well as to a German educator.

Goethe-Institut/AATG Certificate of Merit recognizes numerous achievements in furthering the
teaching of German in the US.

German Embassy Teacher of Excellence Award is presented to up-and-coming teachers who may
have started a new program or revitalized an existing one, and contribute to their AATG chapter.
The award recipients will be announced at the 2015 AATG Annual Meeting held in conjunction with the
ACTFL Convention and World Languages Expo, November 20-22, in San Diego, California. Nominate a
colleague and help us recognize the great work in our profession! You can find details on awards and
nominations here. Nominations are due by May 31.
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Recognizing excellent German programs
AATG German Centers of Excellence
The AATG German Centers of Excellence program identifies
and honors excellence at all levels of instruction K-16. This
designation is presented to a well-established and growing
German program with strong support from the
administration, colleagues, alumni, parents, and students.
The German program at a Center of Excellence is clearly
student-centered and has credentialed faculty which demonstrates evidence of continuing professional
development. The curriculum is standards-based with a clear, articulated sequence of instruction which
reflects current methodologies. Classes are conducted in German. The materials and classroom routines
are culturally authentic and appropriate to the instructional level of the students. Meaningful cultural
activities are integrated into the curriculum at all levels. An exemplary German program reflects a clearly
organized structure determined by the instructional needs of the students. The diverse learning styles of
students are respected through varied instructional and assessment techniques. Regular, differentiated
assessments result in above average student performance.
Interested in having your school recognized as a German Center of Excellence? Learn more about the
Centers of Excellence and find details on how to apply! Applications are due August 1.
The German Quarterly Graduate Student Paper Award
The AATG announces an award for the best research paper by a graduate student on any topic related to
German Studies. A selection committee, including members of The German Quarterly editorial board,
will choose the winning paper, which will be published in The German Quarterly. Any student enrolled in
an M.A. or Ph.D. program at the time of submission is eligible to submit one previously unpublished
paper, either in English or German. Papers should be between 3,500 and 9,000 words in length
(including endnotes).
An electronic version of the paper should be submitted to Robert Norton, editor of The German
Quarterly, as an e-mail attachment to [email protected]. Please include a cover sheet with author's name,
institutional affiliation, contact information, title of the paper, and word count. A faculty endorsement of
the essay must also be submitted via e-mail. Deadline for submissions is July 1.
13
2014 Membership Profile
Total Membership 4,353
Regular Member
2,328
Joint Member
97
Part-time Teacher Member
535
Contributing Member
20
Retired Member
535
Sustaining Member
10
New Teacher Member
273
Life Member
Unemployed Member
47
Student Member
272
193
Honorary Member
25
Honorary Fellow
18
In October 2014, AATG conducted an online survey of its membership. Here a snapshot of responses on
enrollments K-16.
How has the number of students in your program
changed since 2009?
How has the number of majors and minors in the
department changed since 2009?
Stay up to date with AATG!
Read Latest News at www.aatg.org
Follow us on Twitter
Like us on Facebook
14
German Enrollments fall behind ASL
The Modern Language Association (MLA) recently released report Enrollments in Languages Other Than English in
United States Institutions of Higher Education, Fall 2013 indicates that total enrollments in languages other than
English decreased since the MLA’s last survey in 2009. The report includes undergraduate and graduate course
enrollments in languages other than English in fall 2013 for 2,616 AA-, BA-, MA-, and PhD-granting colleges and
universities in the US.
The report shows that total language enrollments on US college campuses decreased by 6.7% between 2009 and
2013, after rising by 6.2% between 2006 and 2009 and by 12.9% between 2002 and 2006. Spanish remains the most
studied language, with total enrollments surpassing enrollments in all other languages combined. For the first time
in the history of the survey, enrollments in Spanish declined by 8.2%.
American Sign Language continued to
experience strong growth with 109,577
students, showing an increase of 19.0% in
total enrollments, and was the language
with the third most enrollments (behind
Spanish and French), displacing German,
now fourth with 86,700 students enrolled,
which showed an overall loss in enrollments
of 9.3% since 2009. German enrollments
fell by 19.6% in two-year colleges, by 7.4%
in four-year undergraduate programs, and
College and University Enrollments in German 1960-2013 (MLA, 2013)
German graduate enrollments fell by
24.6%.
Enrollments in nearly all European languages were down. Spanish enrollments fell at every institutional level for the
first time in the history of the survey. In absolute numbers, nearly half the drop was at the two-year-college level.
Nevertheless, total enrollments in Spanish continued to surpass enrollments in all other languages combined,
790,756 to 771,423. Korean (44.7%), American Sign Language (19.0%), and Portuguese (10.1%), showed the highest
gains in enrollment.
1,074 institutions reported enrollments in German, down from the 1,111 reported in 2006 for a net loss of 37
institutions. Enrollments in numerous individual German programs however did not decrease in 2013, despite
national declines. 46.4% of all German programs reported either stability or gains in enrollments.
The new MLA survey counts fall 2013 undergraduate and graduate course enrollments in languages other than
English at 2,616 colleges and universities in the United States. The response rate for the survey was 98.3%.
Approximately one-third of the responses came from two-year colleges, and two-thirds from four-year institutions.
Find the full report at www.mla.org.
In conjunction with this survey, MLA has added the 2013 enrollment figures to the MLA Language Map. Users of the
Language Map can now locate language programs and detailed information about 2013 course enrollments in the
context of where these languages are spoken in the US.
15
Advocacy Hub Resources
Advocating for German learning is one of the most
important things you do. AATG offers resources to help.
The Advocacy Hub at AATG Online provides you with links to up-to-date
information, tips, strategies, and resources to promote the study of the
German-speaking world in all its linguistic, cultural, and ethnic diversity. Direct
links lead you to TAKE ACTION, when your voice is especially needed to
support language education through letter writing.
A wide variety of materials have been organized under German is a Critical
Language, Advocacy 101: Getting Started, Promoting German, German Success
Stories, German in the US, and International Education and Study Abroad.
Explore the Advocacy Hub!
Icon Key! Each resource is labeled so you can see the format and areas of focus at a glance.
EXPLORE GREAT ADVOCACY
RESOURCES AT AATG ONLINE
16
Chaperone a group or send your students to
AATG German
Germany in Summer
2015! Summer
Study Program
for High School Students
Living and studying in Germany
is a great way to develop
international friendships that
last a lifetime!
Experience Germany as
Part of a Family
Adventure, immersion, friendship…
The German Summer Study Program for High
School Students provides a three-week
homestay and school experience. Students
experience Germany firsthand as part of a
family.
Connecting with Germans and being
integrated into their daily life creates a unique
and memorable experience. Beyond daily
activities, host families also plan weekend trips
to show their “son” or “daughter” the area.
“
A friendship between the German
teenagers and me developed almost
naturally. Our worlds seemed less and less
different after realizing we shared the
same sympathies for delicious desserts,
attractive movie stars, and good music.
Ramsha Shams
”
Program in Brandenburg an der Havel
17
Host families are carefully selected by a
teacher, the Kursleiter/Kursleiterin at the
school students attend who has been trained
by the German ministry of education. Every
effort is made to match "brothers" and
"sisters" with similar interests.
Apply at www.aatg.org!
“Willkommen in die Ehrenverbindung
Delta Epsilon Phi!”
Students celebrate their induction into the
German National Honor Society across the US
Ladue Schools Superintendent Donna Jahnke
welcomes parents and classmates to the ceremony.
Chapter Sponsor Deborah Lund organized the
induction ceremony in coordination with her
colleague Maritza Sloan and the Spanish
National Honor Society chapter at
the school.
Delta Epsilon Phi Officers 2014-15. From left: Hannah Frankel
(President), Rachel Krug (Secretary), Monica Malone
(Vice-President), Jason Weber (Jr. President), Charlotte
Mabbs (Historian/Events). During the ceremony, the
officers led the newly inducted members in the oath,
“Ich verpflichte mich, die deutsche Sprache und Kultur
jetzt und in Zukunft in Ehren zu halten.”
Newly inducted officers show their
membership certificates. From left: Hannah
Frankel, Monica Malone, Charlotte Mabbs,
Rachel Krug.
Students and parents enjoyed cake and punch at a
reception following the ceremony.
18
Schwarz, Rot, Gold
Muriel Hoequist describes her chapter’s
induction ceremony in Mobile, Alabama
Our induction ceremony takes place in the evening and also serves as
a time to honor top-performing first-year students and those students who participated in the
National German Exam. I invite parents, school administrators, and any friends
of the inductees. Often other students come to admire and support their
classmates.
We get the use of the board room and we put a table cloth on the table in front.
We have German flags and artificial flowers in schwarz/rot/gold.
During the ceremony, all students being inducted have the opportunity to present
a talent using German. For example, if it is song, it has to be in German, if it is
instrumental, it is by German composers or is a German folk song. Some students
choose to present poetry with or without props and disguises, others present a
dialog or a puppet show they created. This year, students read “Die Stadt” by
Theodor Storm, “Die Lorelei” by Heinrich Heine, and “Mondnacht” from Joseph
von Eichendorff and two students, Mallory on trumpet and Skyler on saxophone,
played the traditional folk song “C-A-F-F-E-E”.
After the performances, the high school president reads the oath which each inductee repeats in German
while lighting their candle. They then proceed to the table where they sign the roll and I hand them their
certificates and pins with congratulations. Seniors receive their graduation cords at this time. After the
event, we have a nice celebratory meal together, often with European food.
What are the Honor Society eligibility requirements?
Delta Epsilon Phi National Honor Society for High School Students of German
recognizes the outstanding academic achievement of learners of German.
To be eligible for induction, students must have completed three semesters of
German with a 3.6 grade point average in German and have an overall grade point
average of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
Individual chapters are also free to set additional eligibility requirements.
What does it mean to be a member of Delta Epsilon Phi?
Chapters of Delta Epsilon Phi are active at their school and in their communities. Student members
take part in numerous fun activities and service projects coordinated by the chapter sponsor each
year. You can read more about the Honors Society on the AATG website.
19
Kentucky Alpha Delta Chapter Sponsor Erin Munsie tweeted her induction ceremony pics and
interacts with students and her community daily on Twitter—and you can too!
Tweet @AATGOnline with pictures of your Honor Society activities. Use the hashtag #GHSDEP.
Honor Society inductees and seniors at Kennett High School in North Conway, NH
Our vice president, Audrey Davis, read the
translation so that the audience filled with parents,
relatives, school administrators, and school board
members could understand it.
Students honoring students
The induction ceremony at Kennett High School is
entirely run by the students. All three language
honor societies , French, Spanish and German,
celebrate on the same night in the school’s
auditorium.
We held a candle-lighting session to honor new
members and then we awarded certificates to new
members and graduation cords to the seniors. We
finished the evening by eating cupcakes decorated
with black, red, and gold!
For the German induction, our president, Dylan
Sanborn, wrote a wonderful induction speech in
German focused on commitment to the study of
German and openness to embrace new ideas.
–John Weitz, chapter sponsor
20
The boys processed in.
Opening remarks were made by the headmaster, Fr. James Shea.
A candle-lighting ceremony followed in which a representative of each language
lit a candle from a single candle at the front of the auditorium.
A student from each language read a brief history of their honor society.
Each language teacher introduced his or her students.
Fr. Shea inducted the students into their respective honor societies
and then distributed membership certificates to each student
individually.
Each teacher then had his/her students stand and recite their honor
society pledge in their respective language.
The headmaster then made closing remarks.
Steven Lukens, German teacher at Devon Preparatory School in Devon,
PA with four students who were inducted into Delta Epsilon Phi: Joseph
Conroy, Tommy Gies, Brian Damerau, and Andrew Bonini.
21
An Evening to Remember
Celebrating student achievement in German at East Aurora High
2
1
Students’ families receive a formal invitation to
the induction ceremony in Spanish and English in
the mail a few weeks in advance. School
administrators are invited via email.
After the Pledge of Allegiance, the vice-president gives a
speech reflecting on accomplishments and activities of the
group. Before the official induction of new members, the
president gives a speech, typically about goals for the
future. The president then announces the new officers for
the next school year.
3
Students being inducted come forward to light a candle and remain standing in
front of their peers, family and friends. The induction ceremony follows in
German and English.
22
4
After being inducted, each student is individually
called forward to receive his or her induction
certificate and sign the German Honor Society book.
Each member has signed this book since April 2010.
6
5
Chapter Sponsor Laura Pedroni presents annual
awards for outstanding members, including a
community service award and the “Rookie of the
Year” award to a new member.
To conclude the induction, Chapter Sponsor Laura
Pedroni recognizes graduating members with a gold
stole, custom made for students to wear at graduation.
7
8
The ceremony concludes with a short
video montage to show the attending
family and friend the group’s
accomplishments. Afterward, there is a
short reception with drinks and deserts.
New members and honored graduating students pose after the ceremony.
23
Students Honoring Students
Honor Society Members at North County High hold their ceremony
and share the stage with other language departments at their school
We hold the Honor Society ceremony in the
evening, together with the French and Spanish
Honor Societies. Students who have already
been inducted wear red shirts or ties, while
those being inducted wear white shirts.
Chapter Sponsor Katrina Griffin, center, with the students newly inducted
into the Honors Society at North County High. Glen Burnie, Maryland.
The teachers begin the event by introducing the
ceremony, but then I hand everything over to
the German Honor Society members. The
president, who was Jenna Robles this year,
makes a speech about Delta Epsilon Phi and its
significance.
The president and officers sit on the floor and other members sit in chairs on stage. They recite the
induction ceremony oath, which includes three statements in German the inductees make to confirm their
commitment to German and the chapter.
The inductees then each read a verse
from Goethe’s “Das Göttliche.” After
their recitation, the president and
officers announce that the students
have been officially inducted.
The officers then present each student
with a certificate and a German book.
The newly inducted students sign their
names in a book that we keep from year
to year.
Students who will be inducted recite a paragraph from “Das Göttliche” by Johann
Wolfgang von Goethe during the ceremony.
–Katrina Griffin
School: North County High School
Chapter: Maryland Beta Delta, Glen Burnie
Chapter Sponsor: Katrina Griffin
Date: December
24
Students Inducted: 10
AATG’s Professional Partner Program
Great New Opportunity: Access to News from and about Germany
Interested in Germany? Do you want to learn more about Germany, its economy and its culture?
Or are you looking for an easy way to inform your students about the latest news from Germany?
Deutsche Welle (DW) and Deutsche Presse Agentur (dpa) are offering two new services that give you
access to an exclusive selection of news and information from Germany. Both services are available
free of charge in English, German, Spanish and Arabic. Teachers can register and get access free of
charge to 10 dpa texts per day as well as a multimedia feed with DW content, focusing on topics of
current interest in Germany.

With DW’s German News Service, you will stay up‐to‐date with the latest information from
Germany via RSS. You can embed the RSS feed directly into your website or have it delivered to
your personal RSS reader. Please find an overview of the content provided in this feed on DW’s
Germany page.

The easy‐to‐use Web portal GermanyToday from press agency dpa provides you with texts
regarding the latest news from Germany and international topics pertaining to Germany. The news
service is produced daily, including weekends and German national holidays, in German, English,
Spanish and Arabic. Each language module comprises up to ten news items, round‐ups and
features. You may use the Germany Today dpa texts for print, online-portals, e-paper editions or
RSS feeds without time limit.
Please send an e‐mail to Viola Zintgraf at Deutsche Welle if you would like to sign up for dpa's
GermanyToday or if you would like to be provided with Deutsche Welle’s customized RSS feed.
Supported by
25
Online Masters Program Receives National Recognition
The GOLDEN (German Online Distance
Education Network) MA program, housed at
the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, was
recently ranked 5th by U.S. News & World
Report in their listing of 2015 Best Online
Graduate Programs.
Since its inception in the 1990’s, GOLDEN has had a significant ripple effect on the foreign language
profession by fostering sustained changes in German teachers’ 1) educational technology knowledge,
2) ability to design and implement content-rich, technology-supported experiences for students, and
3) beliefs about teaching and learning language and culture. GOLDEN courses actively engage participants in
co-constructing knowledge and building skills through online collaboration and emphasize the creation of
activities and products that can be directly implemented into the language classroom. For more information
about the GOLDEN MA program, contact Sheri Hurlbut.
Frequently asked questions
about the GOLDEN program
Can someone really get a masters in German
education completely online? Yes, the program is
100% online and is customizable for each student’s
needs. The program draws from a wide range of
courses offered within the Teaching, Learning &
Teacher Education and Modern Languages
departments at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
The MA requires 36 hours of course credits and up
to 18 of those hours may be transferred in from
other accredited institutions of higher education.
How long does the program take? Students
normally take 3-6 credit hours per semester, and up
to 9 credit hours in the summer. If no credits are
transferred in, the program typically takes
approximately 3 to 3½ years.
Is there a typical student? The GOLDEN program is
designed primarily for currently practicing K-16
German teachers, although we have, from time to
time, admitted individuals not currently teaching.
What is the application process? Students apply
for admission through the University of NebraskaLincoln Graduate College. In addition to the
application form, official transcripts, three letters of
recommendation and a letter regarding why the
applicant is interested in the program must be
submitted. No GRE scores must be submitted.
Comments from recent participants sum up why
the program has been so successful:
When I think about what I have learned and gained from my
work during the course of this semester, I can honestly say
that this has been the most helpful and practical Education
class I have participated in throughout my undergraduate and
graduate career… This is the first class in which I have felt like I
really gained some useful skills specific to my teaching and my
content area, and was able to test out those new skills and
reflect on them at the same time. Desiree DeFauw, LaPorte
High School, IN
Getting my students to communicate is so rewarding, and
assessing them in a variety of ways will give the best picture of
what they know and what they can do with their language. I
feel prepared to try new assessment types and to think
through the best way to address the specific needs of my
students using a variety of tasks. Brenda Hansen, Bob Jones
University, SC
Our class focused upon some of the finer points of foreign
language teaching, and I truly do mean that. It is my opinion
that true master teachers are the ones that can develop
curricula that implement alternative assessments to give
meaningful feedback to their students. These are the activities
that truly build programs, cultivate lifelong learners, and
inspire students. Jameson Higgins, Prairie Ridge High School, IL
26
AATG’s Professional Partner Program
Bye-Bye Klassenraum.
Hallo Computerspiel?
Experten diskutieren auf der DaFWEBKON 2015
Schwerpunkt: Deutsch spielerisch gestalten
6.-8. März 2015
www.dafwebkon.com
Wodurch zeichnet sich ein gutes Serious Game aus? Bringen diese Spiele überhaupt etwas –
und, wenn ja, in welchem Kontext?
Im Rahmen eines Podiums während der DaFWEBKON 2015 diskutieren Experten aus
Forschung und Praxis die Chancen, die der Einsatz von Computerspielen und Apps für die
moderne Sprachvermittlung bieten. Lassen Sie sich inspirieren und finden Sie neue Ideen für
Ihren Unterricht!
Die Diskussionsrunde wird am Samstag, 7. März 2015 ab 17:00 (11:00 am Eastern Standard
Time) live aus dem Funkhaus der Deutschen Welle gestreamt und kann von überall online
verfolgt werden. Suchen Sie sich einfach einen bequemen Platz mit guter Internetverbindung
und steigen Sie ein: mit Smartphone, Tablet oder PC.
Die DaFWEBKON ist eine einzigartigeWebkonferenz für Deutsch als Fremd-/Zweitsprache, die
Praktiker/innen, Weiterbildungsinstitutionen und Anbieter weltweit via Internet
zusammenführt. Die Teilnahme ist kostenfrei.
Das Programm für die DaFWEBKON 2015 ist online! Informative
Vorträge und interessante Einblicke in die “Gute Praxis” von
Lehrenden zum Thema Game based Learning und Gamification und
darüber hinaus prägen das Programm.
Jedes Jahr nehmen mehr als 500 Deutschlehrer_innen aus der
ganzen Welt teil. Nutzen Sie die Gelegenheit und vernetzen Sie sich.
Finden Sie neue Projektpartner vom Wohnzimmer aus!
27
New Product from Uwe Kind!
“Romanze im Perfekt”
Packet
Uwe Kinds perfekte Romanze im
Perfekt. Zwei Schnecken erinnern
sich an ihre Jugendzeit. Beim
Zuhören und Mitsingen in diesem
Musikvideo lernen Deutchlernende
verschiedene Verben in Gegenwart
und Vergangenheit.
Help students master present perfect with a catchy tune!
Looking for something to help
students deepen their
understanding of the irregular
verbs, in present, simple past, and
present perfect tense? Catchy tune
with a fun cartoon. Packet contains
a full-color teachers guide pdf as
well as a full-color pdf of student
worksheets with various exercises.
Also included is the music video, a
karaoke version of the video to
sing along with, and an mp3 audio
track.
To receive your 50% AATG member
discount, sign in to aatg.org with
your AATG Online username and
password. Order now!
28
Summer learning in Leipzig and Vienna
MINT – Fortbildungskurs mit Schwerpunkt Forschung und Lehre in den
Unterrichtsfächern Mathematik, Informatik, Naturwissenschaften und Technik
June 13 - July 4, 2015, Leipzig
This three-week seminar for K-16 educators in Leipzig will explore the integration of
MINT/STEM subjects and German in secondary and post-secondary curriculum. In
addition to observing classroom instruction, experiencing numerous workshops,
and designing instructional materials, participants will visit the Deutsches HygieneMuseum in Dresden and enjoy a two-day excursion to Wolfsburg for a hands-on
experience with leaders in the German auto industry. Continuing education credits
will also be offered to participants. This program is made available by the
Transatlantik-Programm der Bundesrepublik Deutschland through funds of the
European Recovery Program (ERP) of the Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und
Energie. Program costs and accommodations as well as a small travel stipend are
provided.
Erzähl mir was! Erlebte Geschichte(n) im DaF-Unterricht
June 30 - July 11, 2015, Vienna
This two-week seminar for K-16 teachers in Vienna will explore the use of storytelling
to foster authentic communication at all levels of instruction. Participants will develop
strategies to utilize print and digital media as a starting point for interpersonal
communication in the classroom. The seminar will also cover topics spanning from
youth culture in Austria to web-based tools in the classroom. Participants will have the
chance to discover Vienna and experience "erlebte Landeskunde" and "mobiles Lernen"
in the Austrian capital. This seminar is supported by the Austrian Bundesministerium
für Bildung und Frauen. A special price for AATG members includes program costs,
materials, and lodging in Vienna.
KoPrA: Kompetenzentwicklung der Kommunikationsstrategien,
Präsentationstechniken und Aussprachetraining
July 12 - August 8, 2015, Leipzig
Designed for K-16 teachers and pre-service teachers with Intermediate High
proficiency, this four-week immersion experience will focus on developing
proficiencies to meet Advanced Low certification requirements. The seminar will
explore development of language proficiencies, communication strategies, and
presentation techniques. This professional development opportunity is made
available by the Transatlantik-Programm der Bundesrepublik Deutschland
through funds of the European Recovery Program (ERP) of the
Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie. Program costs, accommodations,
a small travel stipend are provided.
Find more information and apply online. Applications are due March 1.
29
2015 Regional Conferences
February 26-28
Denver Omni Interlocken, Denver, CO
swcolt.org
Collaborating to Demonstrate Student Success through State Language Contests, Teresa Bell
Lieder, Gedichte und Spiele für Klassen 5-8, Paula Blum
DaF für MINT-Fächer: AATG Projects Connecting German to STEM,
Keith Cothrun, Mohamed Esa
Schokolade + Olympische Spiele: Two Thematic Units for Upper Level
German Classes, Helena Shirai
Modern Tech for the Modern Learner, Barbara Fatheree Gilbert, Kari
Kae Perkins
A Topic That Matters: Collaborating to Understand Sustainability
across Languages and Community, Suzanne Cook, Andrea Brehm
Easy World Language Bulletin Board Ideas, Judith Cale
March 5-7
Renaissance Concourse Hotel, Atlanta, GA
scolt.org
Klicken mit Sinn und Verstand, Dagmar Schalliol
DaF für MINT-Fächer: AATG projects connecting German to STEM, Keith Cothrun, Mohamed Esa
The Why and How of Using Can Do Statements, Ali Moeller
Preparing for the Cultural Comparison task on the AP Exam, Michaela Claus-Nix, Jonas
Strecker
Song Lyrics done Prosaically, Horst Kurz
Understanding the Culture of Teaching for Proficiency, Juan Carlos Morales
The DSD: A Golden Opportunity for German Language Programs, Michaela Claus-Nix, Petra
Reuter, Sabine Smith
Products Practices Perspectives - (Re-) Framing Study Abroad, Andrea Eder, Horst Kurz
30
Sessions for German Teachers
March 12-14
Hilton Minneapolis, Minneapolis, MN
csctfl.org
Advocacy at Local, State, and National Levels, Phyllis Farrar,
Israel F. Herrera, India Morrow, Jason Sinclair
DaF für MINT‐Fächer: AATG Projects Connecting German to
STEM, Keith Cothrun, Mohamed Esa
Flipping the Language Laboratory, Heidy P. Carruthers
Creating Language Rich Classrooms Using Authentic Resources,
Rebecca C. Holst, Kristina Wilson
Teaching Strategies for Literacy
Development Aligned with Common
Core, Tonia E. Tinsley
Writing Across the Curriculum in 1st and 2nd Year Language
Classes – A Viable and Valuable Project?, Anja S. Shepela and
Susanne M. Wagner
Building Proficiency at the Novice Level: From One Word
Responses to Functional Chunks, Helena Curtain
Four 21st Century Skills Your Students Need, Lauren B. Rosen,
Deana Zorko
Get Your Students Talking, Kristine Barnes, Kimberly Nickel
Night at the Museum: Make
Everything Come to Life!, Lisa Lilley
How Well Do You Know Your
Alphabet?: Recognize Future Needs,
Douglas Bowman
Deliberative Dialogue as a Pedagogical
Tool, Kamakshi P. Murti
How Do I Get to the Train Station? Is
There More in a Language Than Just a
Practical Application, Francesca
Muccini, Regine Schwarzmeier, and
Mitch McCoy
Research Based Learning Strategies in
the Language Classroom, Sarah Faltin
Osborn, Aleidine Moeller, Sheri Hurlbut
The Role of Mastery in Proficiency,
Teresa R. Bell
A Corpus‐Based Pedagogy for German
Vocabulary, Colleen Neary‐Sundquist
Tests, IPAs, and Quizzes Oh My!,
Rachelle C Zuniga
Getting SMART in Your Classroom,
Carol S. White
Deutsch als Fremdsprache für STEM /
MINT‐Fächer: Grundlagen und Curriculare Ansätze, Sigurd
Piwek
Teaching Culture from Day 1, Patricia K. Calkins, Tracy Dinesen,
and Sharon Wilkinson
Stumbling Over the Past: Teaching National Socialism in the
Foreign Language Classroom, Susanne M. Wagner
Talking about Things that Matter: Preparing for Success in the
Interpersonal Mode, Karen L. Fowdy and Lisa R. Hendrickson
Meeting Tomorrow’s Needs in German Programs: Curriculum
Building through Genre‐Based Instruction, Habiba Hadziavdic
and Susanne M. Wagner
Moving Toward AP German Beginning Day One, Year One,
Aleidine J. Moeller, Michaela Claus‐Nix
Let’s Get Them Speaking: Communicative Activities that Get
Your Students Speaking, Betsy Houchins and Nicole Clement
Heteronormativity and LGBTQ Issues in the Foreign Language
Classroom, Isolde M. Mueller
QR Codes in Language Instruction, Mohamed Esa
Teaching Culture and Language through Individualized
Simulations of Living in a Target Way of Life, James Hammers
Community and Collaboration: Learning Adventures Beyond the
Classroom, Ingrid Zeller
Connecting German and STEM, an African American‐Centered
Approach, John W. Long
31
Opportunities Abound
AATG Annual Meeting in conjunction with the ACTFL Annual
Convention and World Languages Expo
Inspire. Engage. Transform.
The AATG Annual Meeting in conjunction with the American Council on the Teaching of
Foreign Languages (ACTFL) Annual Convention and World Languages Expo will inspire
participants to think creatively and stimulate new knowledge as they engage in networking
and sharing with colleagues, and return to the classroom with new strategies and ideas that
will transform teaching practices at all levels.
The convention features an amazing array of professional learning and collaborative networking opportunities. Over 6,000
language educators from all languages and teaching levels come from around the world to participate in this incredible
learning experience. More than 600 educational sessions in a variety of formats feature a wide spectrum of the language
profession, and over 250 exhibiting companies showcase the latest products and services for you and your students.
Plan to attend!
Watch for an announcement for
Registration opening soon
Deutsche Woche in Bar Harbor, August 2-8, 2015
This week-long summer immersion program is designed for German teachers at all levels of
instruction. Sponsored by the Maine Chapter of AATG, Deutsche Woche is now in its 31st year .
The 2015 seminar, held at the College of the Atlantic, will focus on new science, technology,
engineering and math (STEM) initiatives in German instruction. Participants are expected to stay on campus and agree to
speak German exclusively during the week. Participants may apply for 3 hours of graduate credit from Elms College. The
Maine Chapter of AATG has applied for scholarship grants for attendees, so there may be additional savings as well. Find
more details on costs and how to register using this form. Email Suzanne Joy with questions.
CARLA Summer Institutes for Language Teachers
The Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) at the University of Minnesota
has sponsored a summer institute program for second language teachers since 1996. CARLA offers
a range of institutes targeted at foreign language and ESL teachers from a variety of teaching levels
and contexts. Institutes designed specifically for immersion educators are also offered.
Find more information on the CARLA website. Institutes fill up quickly, so early applications are encouraged.
32
Connecting and Learning
Berlin Summer Academy
The Berlin Summer Academy is offering a summer study program The Holocaust and
Present-day Jewish Life in Germany from July 19-26, 2015 in Berlin. This program is
designed for US secondary school teachers and college professors to develop insight
into many of the historical, social, religious, political, and economic factors that resulted
in the Holocaust. Offered in cooperation with the Education Division of the United
States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, DC. More details are available here.
The deadline to apply is April 1, 2015.
African-Americans with German Connections
AATG is celebrating Black History Month with a free publication African-Americans with
German Connections, filled with portraits created to introduce students, parents, and
school administrators to the many African-American leaders with German connections.
These portraits show the deep history of people of color learning and using German.
A project of the AATG Alle lernen Deutsch Initiative.
You can download this publication here.
Building a Database for US-Berlin School Partnerships
The Checkpoint Charlie Foundation often receives requests about potential partnerships
between schools in Berlin and in the US. One of their new initiatives is to establish a
database of schools on both sides of the Atlantic interested in starting a partnership.
Interested? Please complete the form and return it to the Checkpoint Charlie Foundation.
Your school will be included in the database, and you will be provided with a code to access the database online to find a
potential partner school, which you can then contact directly. Contact the Checkpoint Charlie Foundation with questions
or suggestions.
The Checkpoint Charlie Foundation seeks to develop and maintain German-American relations,
with special consideration for the USA in Berlin. The Foundation promotes and organizes various
projects and programs, while at the same time serving the interests of both countries as a contact
organization.
33
AATG Professional Partner
Das neue DaF-Lehrwerk von Cornelsen
Bereit für eine Entdeckungsreise?
Mit seinem reichen Spektrum an Lehrinhalten vermittelt das neue DaF-Lehrwerk für Erwachsene
wertvolle inhaltliche und mediale Einblicke in die deutsche Sprache und in die Kultur
deutschsprachiger Länder.
Die Vorteile im Fokus:

Augmented Reality – neue digitale Möglichkeiten
Video und Audiodateien können per Smartphone
oder Tablet direkt aus dem Buch heraus gesehen
und gehört werden.

Mehr Zeit für Sie!
Flexibel einsetzbar: Analoge, digitale und vor allem
schlaue Begleitmaterialien erleichtern die
Unterrichtsvorbereitung.

Dynamisch und aktiv lernen
Freies Sprechen und Schreiben, anregende
Trainingsetappen und handlungsorientierte
Zielaufgaben fördern den Lernprozess.

Landeskunde mit Weitblick
Attraktive Panorama-Seiten mit authentischen Sprechanlässen begeistern für landeskundliche
Themen.
Eine hochwertige Entdeckungsreise für die Niveaustufen A1, A2 und B1 – Band A1 ist
ab Mai 2015 erhältlich. www.cornelsen.de/panorama
34
AATG Professional Partner
A&O Newest Location in Amsterdam Opens May 1
A&O Hotels and Hostels caters to teachers, whether traveling with student groups or
while on private travels with friends or family. As a member of AATG, A&O Hotels and
Hostels offers special perks, available free of charge! Your membership with AATG
entitles you to:

Free Late Check-Out (a €6,50 value—arrange upon check-in)

Free use of the Teachers’ Lounge, even when traveling without a group of students (free use of computer, internet,
fax, printing, local phone calls, and non-alcoholic drinks)

Free use of pre-paid cell phone (German number; Germany rates apply; pre-loaded with all A&O Hotel Managers’
direct telephone numbers)

Free non-alcoholic drinks (“open bottle” soft drinks) throughout your stay

Free In-Room Wi-Fi

One free VIP Voucher upon check-in for one drink in our Sky or Lobby bar

24-hour Emergency concierge service, should you encounter any unfortunate events during your travels—contact
any A&O Manager or A&O’s U.S. Representative.
Contact [email protected]
or [email protected]
for assistance with booking or any questions.
Check out our Lehrerbereich:
www.aohostels.com/en/infos/lehrerbereich
35
AATG Professional Partner
DJH City Hostels
Dear German Teachers and Friends,
All the best to you for 2015 and our commitment for another year of
successful and rewarding student trips to Germany’s Rhineland with DJH
GO2CITY.
Book now to reserve the best programs for your 2015 summer
travel and beyond
For your best student trip to Germany, combine the adventure of
discovering new and fascinating destinations with the highest quality in
budget accommodations and programs.
DJH Go2City – we offer 6 pristine hostels in 4 of the best Germany
destinations for student travel:

Bonn – DJH Hostel Bonn

Cologne – DJH City-Hostel Cologne Deutz

Cologne - DJH City-Hostel Cologne-Riehl

Duisburg – DJH Hostel Landschaftspark;

Duisburg - DJH Hostel Sportpark

Düsseldorf – DJH City-Hostel Düsseldorf
Relax – planning a student trip does not have to be a
full-time job
DJH-GO2CITY is the new in-house agency that manages accommodations AND itineraries for you.
With GO2CITY you can put together the most
suitable itinerary for your group from various
elements – like your own personal trip tool box –
and we cover every possible group travel need:
museum and theater visits, sports activities and
challenges, excursions beyond the city,
specialized tours and behind-the-scenes
programs at many city attractions. You have full
control and flexibility in what goes into your
program, and we handle all the details for you—
even bus transfers! You can rely on our many
decades of experience.
36
AATG Professional Partner
Teachers stay for free—before and during the trip!
Don’t forget our special offer for AATG members:

Up to 3 free nights in Bonn, Cologne or Düsseldorf
Teachers traveling to Germany on their own to check
out the best places for their student group trips can
stay at one of our hostels for free for up to 3 nights.
We want you to experience our hostels and know
you’re making the best choice for your groups.

Stay for free with a group of 10 or more students
With any booking of 10 students or more, teachers stay
for free during the stay. That’s one single room per 10
students, plus breakfast. (2 rooms for 20 students, etc.)
No hidden costs or additional charges!
To book your free stays, just contact the US Sales Office
Rainer Perry
Marketing & Sales Manager North America, DJH Go2City
934 8th Avenue 2b; New York, NY 10019
phone: 646 207 6406
email: [email protected]
www.go2city.travel
www.city-hostel.de
Check out our online materials:
DJH City-Hostels in Cologne & Düsseldorf
New in-house agency Go2City
Workbook for German lessons
37
Liebe Deutschlehrer/innen,
“Out with the old, in with the new” – so
kann man den Anfang des Jahres am
Goethe-Institut charakterisieren. Wir sind
begeistert, das Relaunch von zwei
wichtigen Projekten anzukündigen: dem
Jugendportal „Step into German“ und
dem Trainernetzwerk USA. Über beide
lesen Sie in mehr Details unten.
Mitte März steht noch ein drittes Relaunch aus: aus der
einjährigen US-weiten Werbekampagne wird nun ein ganzes
Werbeportal „Just Add German“, wo alles sich um das Thema
Werbung für DaF-Programme in den USA dreht. Die Fakten,
Strategien, Tipps und Materialien, die da gesammelt und ständig
aktualisiert werden, sollen Ihnen helfen, Ihr Deutschprogramm
auf Dauer zu stärken. Die Webseitenadresse bleibt dieselbe:
www.justaddgerman.org; das neue Design sollte es aber für Sie,
Ihre Schüler und deren Eltern leicht machen, Argumente für
Deutsch zu finden. Melden Sie sich für den Just Add German
Newsletter an, um sich auf dem Laufenden zu halten!
Überlegen Sie sich schon, wie Sie Ihren Sommer verbringen
wollen? Wir bieten Ihnen eine Reihe von
Fortbildungsmöglichkeiten:
Lehrer-Webinare
Das letzte Webinar in der
Reihe „Boost Your German
Program“ findet am
Mittwoch, dem 25. Februar
statt.
Introducing
Deutschberater:
Key Players in Your Support Network
 Nehmen Sie an der ersten Sommerschule des Goethe-
Wednesday, February 25, 6:00-7:00 ET
Petra Reuter, Central Agency for Schools Abroad
Instituts mit dem MINT-Fokus in Colorado teil,
Bewerbungstermin: 01.03.2015;
 Melden Sie sich für den einwöchigen „Deutsch Lehren
Lernen“ Kurs in Montreal an; Bewerbungstermin: 15.03.2015;
 Lassen Sie sich für einen Fortbildungskurs an einer der fünf
Deutschen Sommerschulen in den USA einschreiben; das
Goethe-Institut unterstützt Ihre Teilnahme durch ein
Teilstipendium.
Ich wünsche Ihnen ein angenehmes Surfen in unseren neuen
Seiten und viel Glück bei Bewerbungen!
Mit besten Grüßen
Deutschberater (German Language Advisors) from
the German Central Agency for Schools Abroad (ZfA)
and the Goethe-Institut are teachers' key partners in
matters of German program advocacy, teacher
professional development, curriculum and
instructional planning, and expanding teacher
professional networks. The presenter, one of the nine
Deutschberater in the US, will introduce the goals
and tasks of the GLA network; outline strategies for
cooperation between Deutschberater, teachers and
schools administration; and share success stories of
starting and growing German programs at schools.
Wer eines der vergangenen Webinare verpasst hat,
kann die Aufzeichnungen jederzeit über die Just Add
German-Webseite abrufen.
Dr. Christoph Veldhues
Leiter Spracharbeit Nordamerika
Goethe-Institut New York
38
Trainernetzwerk des Goethe-Instituts
Seit mehreren Jahren unterstützt das Trainernetzwerk des Goethe-Instituts Deutschlehrerinnen und Deutschlehrer aller
Stufen und Schultypen (K–16) durch regelmäßig angebotene Fortbildungsveranstaltungen zu US-relevanten Aspekten des
Deutschunterrichts. Die Trainer/innen des Netzwerkes sind kompetente und engagierte Deutschlehrer/innen an Schulen
und Universitäten, die bereit sind, ihre Fachkenntnisse und Erfahrungen im Bereich Deutsch als Fremdsprache
weiterzugeben. Zu diesem Zweck werden die Trainer/innen regelmäßig in Veranstaltungen des Goethe-Instituts aus- und
fortgebildet und führen auf dieser Grundlage selbst Fortbildungen durch, z.B. im eigenen Schulbezirk, bei lokalen AATGTreffen oder auf regionalen und nationalen Lehrerkonferenzen.
Lernen Sie die Trainer/innen kennen! Neulich wurden die drei Teile
des Netzwerkes in einen fusioniert und die Webseite grundsätzlich überarbeitet.
Schauen Sie sich die neue Webseite an und erfahren Sie, wer als Trainer/in in
Ihrer Region tätig ist und warum dieses Engagement für Ihre Kolleg/innen so
motivierend und reizend ist.
Jetzt einen Workshop buchen! Auf der neuen Webseite können Sie als
Deutschlehrer/in einen von Trainer/innen des Goethe-Instituts geleiteten
Workshop für ihre Bildungsinstitution oder AATG Chapter Treffen buchen. Auf
der Webseite stehen auch Informationen zu schon geplanten Fortbildungen
durch Trainer/innen (z.B. an regionalen Konferenzen), an denen Sie individuell
teilnehmen können. Das Goethe-Institut hat in der Kooperation mit AATG ein
Portfolio von acht DaF-relevanten Standardthemen ausgearbeitet, zu denen
Trainer/innen regelmäßig Lehrer-Fortbildungen durchführen: von Unterstützung
der 21st Century Skills im Deutschunterricht bis Werbung für Deutsch als
Fremdsprache.
Wir suchen Nachwuchstrainer! Vielleicht können Sie sich auch vorstellen, selbst als Trainer/in zu arbeiten –
informieren Sie sich über die Bewerbungsvoraussetzungen und das kostenfreie Ausbildungsprogramm und bewerben Sie
sich bei uns.
Neues Angebot: Goethe-Institut Sommerschule für DaF-Lehrer in USA! Erstmalig bietet das GoetheInstitut USA im Sommer 2015 eine einwöchige Fortbildungsveranstaltung für junge (mit weniger als 4 Jahren
Berufserfahrung) US-Deutschlehrer/innen im Präsenzformat an. Inhalt dieser Sommerschule ist einerseits die Integration
der MINT-Thematik in den DaF-Unterricht; dieser fachliche Fortbildungsteil wird von Trainer/innen durchgeführt. Zum
anderen haben die Teilnehmenden die Möglichkeit, ihre Deutschkenntnisse in einem integrierten Sprachkurs für
Deutschlehrer/innen (Niveau B2-C1) zu verbessern. Die Sommerschule findet am 12.-18. Juli 2015 in Aurora, CO statt; das
Goethe-Institut übernimmt Unterkunft (Hotel / Doppelzimmer), Verpflegung sowie einen Reisekostenzuschuss bis USD
500,-. Weitere Informationen und Bewerbungsformular finden Sie hier. Bewerbungsfrist ist 1. März 2015.
39
Liebe Kolleginnen und Kollegen,
das Leben kann so unfair sein! Das Goethe-Institut veranstaltet die schönsten
Wettbewerbe – und nur Ihre Schülerinnen und Schüler können die tollen Preise
gewinnen. Hier nun ein Wettbewerb nur für Sie, die Deutschlehrerinnen und lehrer in den USA – und auf Sie warten Preise, die Sie noch nicht einmal mit
Ihren Kids teilen müssen ;-)
Nichts ist mehr so, wie es einmal war - zumindest bei Step into German hat sich
seit Jahresbeginn einiges getan! Wenn Sie diese Zeilen lesen, wird die Website
des Goethe-Instituts in einem neuen Kleid erscheinen. Und damit Sie wissen, wo
Sie auf unserer neuen Website all die Videos, Podcasts, Übungsmaterialien für
den Unterricht finden, möchten wir Sie auf eine kleine Schnitzeljagd schicken.
Gewinnen können Sie dabei:
1. Preis: ein Trikot des „Weltmeisters“
2. Preis: ein FC Bayern München-Trikot
3.-6. Preis: eine Tonbandgerät-CD plus T-Shirt
7.-10. Preis: „Tschick“– preisgekrönter Jugendroman, auf Deutsch und
Englisch
10-20. Preis: ein Step into German T-Shirt plus Buttons
Schicken Sie uns Ihre Antworten bis zum 1. März und Sie nehmen automatisch
an der Verlosung teil. Der Rechtsweg ist natürlich ausgeschlossen;-)
Viel Spaß auf der Entdeckungsreise wünschen
Julia Koch und Peter Zygowski
Goethe-Institut San Francisco
Und nun…
der Wettbewerb!
1. Wie lautet die Website-Adresse des
Jugendportals Step into German?
a) www.stepintogerman.com
b) www.goethe.de/stepintogerman
c) www.goethesteps.com
2. Auf welchen Geräten kann ich Step into
German besuchen?
a) Nur auf dem Computer
b) Nur auf Smartphone und Tablet
c) Auf Computer, Smartphone und Tablet
3. In welchen Sprachen wird die neue Step
into German Hymne (s. Startseite)
gesungen?
a) Deutsch, Englisch, Spanisch und
Französisch
b) Deutsch, Englisch und Spanisch
c) Deutsch und Englisch
4. Was ist der Hauptpreis im Step into
German Fußball-Wettbewerb 2015?
a) Ein zweiwöchiger Jugendkurs in Berlin
b) Eine Woche in München als Gast des FC
Bayern München
c) Eine Woche in Hamburg mit der Band
Tonbandgerät
5. Wie heißt der „Clip des Monats“?
a) Junge, komm nie wieder!
b) Der Tag wird kommen.
c) Freiheit!
6. Welchen Film stellen wir als „Film des
Monats“ vor?
a) Lauf, Junge, Lauf
b) Super geil
c) Macondo
7. Welches Bundesligaspiel zeigen wir als
„Spiel des Monats“?
a) Borussia Dortmund – VfL Wolfsburg
b) Bayern München – Schalke 04
c) Hamburger SV – Hertha BSC Berlin
40
8. Um welche drei Länder geht es in
„Hätten Sie’s gewusst?“
a) Deutschland, Frankreich, Kanada
b) Deutschland, USA, Mexiko
c) Deutschland, Österreich, die Schweiz
9. Welche Stadt wird in „Unsere Stadt“
vorgestellt?
a) Berlin
b) Hamburg
c) München
10. Wie informiere ich mich am besten über
alle Neuigkeiten auf Step into German?)
a) Ich telefoniere mit dem Goethe-Institut
San Francisco? (Kleine Hilfe – diese Antwort
ist falsch ;-)
b) Ich verbringe Tag und Nacht auf der
Website. (Kleine Hilfe – auch davon raten
wir ab!)
c) Ich registriere mich auf der Website für
den kostenlosen, informativen, lustigen,
immer aktuellen Newsletter.
Wie Goethe und der Kaiser zusammenfanden
Der FC Bayern München ist einer der Superclubs im internationalen Fußball - ein Verein mit einer großen Geschichte und einer
faszinierenden Gegenwart. Die Bayern sind mit 24 Titeln deutscher Rekordmeister, zählen jedes Jahr zu den Favoriten in der
Champions League der besten europäischen Teams und sieben Bayern-Spieler standen auf dem Platz, als die deutsche
Nationalmannschaft in Brasilien Weltmeister wurde.
Früher hießen die Idole "Kaiser" Franz Beckenbauer und Torwart-Titan Oliver Kahn - heute Philipp Lahm, Thomas Müller, Bastian
Schweinsteiger, Manuel Neuer oder die internationalen Stars Arjen Robben und Franck Ribéry.
Vier amerikanische Jugendliche, vier Ihrer Schülerinnen und Schüler haben nun die einzigartige Gelegenheit, als Gäste des FC Bayern
München im kommenden Sommer eine Woche in München zu verbringen - eine Woche, die es in sich haben wird, in der ein Highlight
dem anderen folgt!
So werden die Jugendlichen "ihre" Bayern in einem Spiel des AUDI-Cups in der ausverkauften Allianz-Arena anfeuern können. In
diesem hochklassigen Turnier waren in den vergangenen Jahren mit Teams wie FC Barcelona und Manchester United die crème de la
crème des europäischen Fußballs vertreten - vielleicht werden dieses Jahr die Weltfußballer Cristiano Ronaldo und Lionel Messi zu
bewundern sein. Die Jugendlichen werden bei einem Training kiebitzen können, wenn Pep Guardiola seinem Team den letzten Schliff
für die Bundesliga-Saison gibt. Und sie werden einige der Weltmeister persönlich treffen und sich mit ihnen austauschen können!!!
Die Jugendlichen werden aber nicht nur die Stars von heute treffen, sie werden auch junge Spieler kennen lernen, die dieselben
Träume wie sie träumen. Einer der Höhepunkte der Reise wird der Besuch des Jugendinternats des FC Bayern München sein, wo viele
deutsche Jugendnationalspieler ausgebildet werden und fünf der Weltmeister ihre Karriere begonnen haben. Und sie werden die
Frauenmannschaft des FC Bayern treffen, die ebenfalls zu den Spitzenteams in
Deutschland zählt, nicht zuletzt wegen der Tore ihrer amerikanischen
Spielerinnen.
Was müssen Ihre Middle und High School Schülerinnen und Schüler tun, um in
den Genuss dieser Traumreise zu kommen? Die Antwort ist einfach: am
diesjährigen Step into German Wettbewerb teilnehmen: www.goethe.de/
stepintogerman.
Die Aufgabe ist, ein kurzes Video zu produzieren, das sich um den FC Bayern
München dreht. Die Jugendlichen können die Stars von gestern und heute
vorstellen. Sie können zeigen, warum sie große Fans des Vereins sind. Sie können
eine Bayern-Hymne komponieren. Der Fantasie sind keine Grenzen gesetzt.
Die 20 besten Videos werden auf der Bayern München Facebook Seite vorgestellt
und Millionen von Fans werden dann für ihre Favoriten voten können. Den
glücklichen Hauptgewinner wählt ein Repräsentant der Bayern. Aber auch auf die
"zweiten Gewinner" warten tolle Preise wie Trikots, Fanartikel oder iPads.
Wir freuen uns bereits jetzt auf die tollen Videos Ihrer Schülerinnen und Schüler.
Und bitte ganz groß markieren: Der Einsendeschluss ist der 13. April.
Mit sportlichen Grüßen
Julia Koch und Peter Zygowski, Goethe-Institut San Francisco
41
AATG Executive Council
Mohamed Esa, President
McDaniel College, MD
Hal Boland, Vice-President
Heritage High School, VA
Mark Himmelein, Treasurer
University of Mount Union, OH
Matthias Vogel, Presiding Officer,
Assembly of Chapter Presidents
University of Oregon
Keith Cothrun, Executive Director
Joan Campbell, Northeast Region
Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School, MA
Deborah McGee Mifflin, Central Region
Johns Hopkins University
Doug Philipp, Northwest Region
Cheyenne Mountain High School, CO
Nella Spurlin, Southwest Region
Temple High School, TX
Wiebke Strehl, Southeast Region
University of North Carolina-Asheville
Susanne Wagner, Midwest Region
University of St. Thomas, MN
The American Association of Teachers of German supports the teaching of the German language and German-speaking cultures
in elementary, secondary and post-secondary education in the United States. The AATG promotes the study of the Germanspeaking world in all its linguistic, cultural and ethnic diversity and endeavors to prepare students as transnational, transcultural
learners and active, multilingual participants in a globalized world.
With 4,000 members, the AATG serves teachers of German at all levels of instruction and all those interested in the teaching of
German. AATG is an allied organization of the Modern Language Association, a constituent member of the Joint National
Committee for Languages/National Council for Languages and International Studies, the National Federation of Modern Language
Teachers Associations, and an organizational member of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages, the National
Network for Early Language Learning, and the Internationaler Deutschlehrerverband.
The AATG Newsletter is a publication of the American Association of Teachers of German, Inc. Correspondence and news items
should be sent to the editor at: AATG, 112 Haddontowne Court #104, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034.
Have some good news to
share with your colleagues?
Have a teaching tip that will
benefit others? Has a recent
advocacy effort proven
successful?
Contact us
Keith Cothrun
Executive Director
[email protected]
John Capasso
Membership Coordinator
[email protected]
April Hemphill
Program Coordinator
[email protected]
Pamela Edler
Program Associate
[email protected]
Deborah DiAngelo
Finance Manager
[email protected]
Mercedes Pokorny
Communications Coordinator
[email protected]
Barbara Hartman
Shipping Coordinator
[email protected]
42
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