Westholme School

German

German is an exciting and worthwhile option and it is great that we can now offer it as early as Year 8 at Westholme. This allows us to provide a thorough, innovative and engaging course, with four years to GCSE level. In Years 8 and 9 we use the acclaimed Echo Express course as the basis for our beginners study, before moving onto the very popular LOGO course in KS4. Both course books provide an excellent framework for language learning with well-structured activities and differentiated tasks. Of course, our teaching is not focused solely on the use of the course textbooks. Teaching and learning in German is supplemented amply by additional material. This includes interactive and ICT-based work. Through all of this, our aim is to provide the girls at Westholme with as much exposure to real-life German scenarios and environments as possible. After all, German is the native language of more than 100 million people in Europe alone.

We are fortunate to be able to use our native German speaking assistant very creatively in our curriculum. There is a German lunchtime language and culture club each week (Treffpunkt) and plans are being made to establish educational links with an exchange school in Germany. In July, our year 8 students will travel to the Rhineland on a residential study visit, where they will practise their newly-acquired German speaking skills in real life situations, as well as explore one of the most beautiful regions in Europe . Our AS / A2 curriculum is rigorous and challenging, preparing many for rewarding language study in further education. Currently, we are following the AQA specification and use, as the basis for our linguistic and topical studies, the very popular Zeitgeist course. The study of German grammar is thorough over the two years and students are introduced to the world of modern German literature as well as to cultural, social, ethical and political topics, which are current and very stimulating. Our A Level students have increased access to our language assistant, as well as to other facilities, designed to enhance independent study disciplines.

German at Westholme is taught by two German teaching specialists, who seek to deliver their subject in an exciting and innovative way and who are keen to show that it is a language accessible to all.

Back to Curriculum

Feb 8, 2012

Law Seminar

quiz night Alumni Careers Seminar