Erfolg hat drei Buchstaben. TUN!
Goethe
As one of the arguably most famous German authors said – You can only achieve success through doing. This term has proven this to me again.
Eight years ago I did a course in modern language learning methods using technology. We learned about blended learning, flipped classrooms and different websites to use. Since then a lot has changed and throughout the years I always wanted to implement more technology in teaching. Unfortunately, it never came to fruition since teaching the traditional way was just easier and more accessible to students. This lockdown has forced us as teachers and students to finally use all those technological tools out there.
Learning German with online tools has never been easier. The German government has supported the teaching of German in other countries for years now and therefore we have many different online platforms to choose from. Sites such as Deutsche Welle and Lingoni offer great Video learning tools. Duo Lingo is a fun way to support what is learnt in class with fun activities. Additional to this it has become a lot easier to create your own online Quizzes or videos to share with students.
Even though this time has been trying and difficult it was a great step forward. Practicing a language does work better in a classroom setting, and will never become unnecessary, but the past couple of months have shown me how language learning can also be successful through other means. If you never try you will never learn.
Sabine Jahnke
German Teacher