« Back to German
Germany is a country with a long and rich heritage and is the geographic and cultural centre of Europe. The German language is closely related to English and is more similar to it than to any other language. There are 100 million German speakers throughout Europe, from Austria to Switzerland, and it is also a popular language in New Zealand. There are numerous close links between New Zealand and Germany through trade, tourism and exchanges, which makes knowledge of the German language and people an incredibly useful skill across many areas.
This is a two-part course for beginners (Curriculum Levels 1–3) and advanced beginners (Curriculum Levels 4–5). If ākonga have had prior regular learning for German for about one school year or have some native speaker background, they may wish to consider starting with part two. For all other ākonga, we advise starting with part one.
When enrolling in this course, ākonga should indicate which part they want to enrol for. In the first part, ākonga are introduced to basic listening, speaking, reading and writing skills using everyday German. They learn how to greet people and communicate basic information about themselves and others, including looks, hobbies, birthdays, family and home. They also learn to communicate about food, directions and what time it is.
German culture is also investigated to give ākonga a broad understanding of the country and customs, behaviour and life in Germany.
In the second part, grammar and all language skills are covered in greater depth to increase ākonga confidence and language skills. Common and everyday aspects of German language and culture are at the centre of this part of the course. Ākonga learn how to communicate further about their world, personality, whānau and interests.
Practical topics are also explored such as purchasing goods and communicating about holidays, festivals and the weather. Communication activities are emphasised throughout.
No prior learning needed.