Where to learn German in the Kaiserslautern area

So you’ve decided that you’d like to learn German as a foreign language. Now what? If you’re in the KMC, here are some options that are available. The first options are only available to military-affiliated people who have access to the posts/bases (if you don't have it already, you probably won't get it, if that makes sense) but the community options are open to everyone.

ON BASE/POST OPTIONS (only open to those with US military affiliation)

Ramstein FSS Classes: learn German from the community education center on the Ramstein Air Base. These are mostly beginners’ classes and are primarily explained in English. https://www.86fss.com/adult-continuing-education

USO: the USO also offers beginner’s German classes. They are mostly simple classes offered in English that describe the language and give one the basic skills needed to order at a restaurant or buy bus tickets. View the newest issue of the Kaiserslautern Kabel (the USO’s local magazine) or visit the organization’s website to find course offerings. http://eu.uso.org/kaiserslautern/

Army Community Services: these are offered for free on Pulaski Barracks. There are two classes offered, beginner and intermediate; the latter is more similar to an advanced beginner level. These are in English too with plenty of grammar and some speaking. http://kaiserslautern.armymwr.com/europe/kaiserslautern/programs/army-community-service-acs/

OPTIONS IN THE LOCAL GERMAN COMMUNITY (open to everyone)

Volkshochschule: these are continuing education centers that offer a variety of classes, with everything from guitar lessons to language lessons, in the German community. Beginning through advanced German lessons are available in an immersive setting. Classes focus on grammar and speaking and are conducted in German. There are both intensive courses (every day for hours) and shorter night classes too. These classes also introduce one to German life and culture. Integration classes are available for those seeking German residency or citizenship. Courses are reasonably inexpensive. VHS Kaiserslautern: www.vhs-kaiserslautern.de/   Kreis Volkshochschule Kaiserslautern: www.kvhs-kaiserslautern.de/ (with classes in the suburbs surrounding Kaiserslautern)

Verein zur allgemeinen Völkerverständigung, Kultur und Bildung an der TU Kaiserslautern: the long name might give a hint that these classes are well-suited for the serious learner, and indeed, they are! They are intended to prepare foreign students at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern to take their area of study in German but outside participants are welcome too. There are evening classes and intensive classes. Each class covers one subset of a level, such as A.1. The entire class is conducted in German and focuses heavily on grammar and speaking with some writing. Classes are offered to non-TU students on a space-available basis. (I’ve always found a spot in the class). http://vkb.uni-kl.de/

Private schools and tutors: I haven’t taken lessons from anyone in the area in this form, but there are various options available. One of my friends took a class through a private school downtown and was pleased with the lessons. They were somewhat expensive compared to the public options; lessons were about 20 euros per hour-long session. However, those who prefer one-on-one learning may see faster results this way. Search the internet using terms such as “Deutsch als Fremdsprache” (German as a foreign language), “Sprachkurs” (language course), or “Deutsch Nachhilfe” (German tutoring) and the name of your town (or the next biggest one).

Whether a person wants to learn to speak tourist-level German or wants to learn enough to discuss the meaning of life, there are plenty of options in the Kaiserslautern Military Community.

Learning German in Kaiserslautern: one expat's journey

One of the best ways to immerse oneself in one’s new home as an expat is to learn the local language. In a previous blog entry, I talked about some of the benefits of doing so. However, one might be left with the question: where do I start? For those living in the Kaiserslautern Military Community and wishing to learn German, below are some of the options.

First of all, one must decide if she wants to jump in feet first with lessons totally in German (immersion) or start with lessons that describe the language in English. The first option offers the benefit of an environment where German takes the center stage. However, it has the downfall of being more difficult, especially when grammatical concepts are being explained. If one starts German lessons that are conducted in English, it can be a more comfortable environment where complex German grammatical constructs can be explained in a familiar language. The downfall to this approach is that one might not speak as much German in the beginning. While one will learn the grammar well, one’s speaking might not develop as quickly as it could.

I have taken lessons in both forms. I am serious about learning German and I want to be at least intermediate, if not fluent, in the language. I started German lessons through various KMC organizations. About half of the teachers were native Germans (but spouses of Americans) and spoke very clear English to explain the grammar. Of course they also used excellent German when it came time to in practice! These were what I’d call “baby” classes in which we learned the alphabet, numbers, vocabulary, and some speaking. It was a good introduction and gave a general introduction to how the language functions. Could one have a detailed conversation after taking these classes? No, but one could order at a restaurant, ask about bus tickets, etc.

I followed the beginner’s classes by enrolling at an American university to get an Associate Degree in German. During those studies, I took four classes to learn the language. My teachers were Americans and the majority of the class was again in English to explain the concepts. We did practice speaking German about half of the time. I felt that this format worked well for me since we covered some rather tricky grammar items and I learned it well; I’d say that the four classes would put one at about a B2 level, which is intermediate. However, I did not feel confident in speaking German since I didn’t take all the opportunities to practice that I could have.

After I finished my degree, I was ready to immerse myself in the language and take lessons in the local German community. I took classes both from the Volkshochschule (which is similar to a community education center) and from an association at the Technical University in Kaiserslautern.

At the Volkshochschule, I was in a class with other adults who are foreign. Most of the students were either spouses of someone who works in Germany or were employees themselves. I had a variety of teachers and all of them were native Germans. The entire class was in German but once in a while the teacher would answer a question in English (though I tried to avoid that since the focus is definitely German). I started taking lessons at the A2 level (advanced beginner) and was initially worried about handling such an influx of German. Since I already had a good foundation, I did fine once I acclimated to having to translate so much German. I do feel that the course content runs very slowly though.

In addition to Volkshochschule classes, I started classes offered by the association for cultural understanding at the Technical University of Kaiserslautern. These classes are intended for foreign students at the university so they can prepare to take their subject area courses conducted in German at the university. Community members who have no affiliation to the university can take the classes too, provided there is space (which hasn’t been an issue for me so far).

I have found these lessons to be extremely useful. The entire class is conducted in German; in fact, my intermediate-level teacher told us she speaks no English! I think she actually does, but she was passionate about us learning the language and if we didn’t understand something, she’d use simpler German words to get us back on track instead of taking the easy route and using English. The focus of these classes is grammar and lots of speaking. It paid off; in one semester, my ability to speak German improved exponentially.

With all of these experiences, I felt that I learned the most from the American university classes and the German university association classes. I am most interested in the phonics approach and I’m one of those strange ducks who wants to learn the grammar and learn it well so I sound reasonably educated when I speak a foreign language. I found what I was looking for in the university environment. The less-intense beginner classes from the military community and the Volkshochschule classes have been helpful too. They are a great start for someone wanting to gain some basic German skills for travel and parts of everyday life. From there, the keen learner can progress to more advanced levels at other organizations.

More on the German educational system

I've previously written about the German educational system, focusing mostly on Gymnasium, Realschule, and the like. I wrote a bit more about the university system here.


Young Germany recently posted a really informative article about it here, if you want to read more.


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These are just my thoughts on the educational system in Germany. I am not an expert, nor have I actually studied here myself. I've asked my friends for information. I know university students, researchers/PhD candidates, and a professor.

Making a game out of learning German: spielen und lernen in the classroom

Even though Volkshochschule classes are geared toward adults, teachers of the Deutsch als Fremsprache (German as a Foreign Language) courses often use games and other activities as an opportunity for students to practice speaking German. It's a fun and low-key way to improve vocabulary, work on the imperative case, and practice grammar.

Here are some of the activities from class that our teachers used to help us practice:

1. Children's games, in German: often the rules are more straightforward and the game is simpler, which allows the players to split their concentration between playing and speaking.

2. Word games for adults: we've had great fun in class while playing Tabu, which is the German version of the game that English speakers know as Taboo. During the timed event, the player draws cards with a set of words from a pile; she tries to get her team to guess the word without using any of the words printed on the card. It's a timed event and whichever team guesses the most cards wins. This is a great way to practice vocabulary and use synonyms.

3. Play acting: to encourage us to practice using the correct endings for adjectives and comparative words, our teacher set up a Flohmarkt (flea market) in the classroom, labeling various household items that she brought. Each person led another student through the "market" and described and compared the various items.

4. Throwing things at one another: yes, we actually did this! We would form a circle and would ask one another questions, related to that chapter's theme, at random. Using a koosh ball, the first person chose the second person by tossing the ball and asking the question. This really kept everyone on their feet!

Even though they sound somewhat basic, these activities were well-received by the students and resulted in a lot of laughter. From a perspective of learning theory, they are excellent, incorporating many different learning styles, including bodily-kinesthetic. Traditional classroom methods, especially those geared toward adults, often neglect this style of learning. The traditional idea of classroom lectures doesn't work well for people who need to move or touch things to help learn. By playing games and incorporating movement into learning German, every learner can benefit.

This just slays me

I saw the item below and had quite a few giggles. Should I send a note to the organization to bring to their attention the irony of the course descriptions?

For the record, I must note that Americans wrote this. I would cut non-native speakers of English a lot more slack.

The other part of the German-learning circle

I was sad and moaning about my German.

The other side of the circle is that I heard some positive comments about my German speaking. I try to avoid being too extrinsically motivated but the positivity is welcome after feeling that I'm screwing up everything. I met up with a group of friends and one noted that I've really come along since he last spoke with me.

I also started a new VHS class and spoke with some of the other students. They asked how long I've lived here and said that they were impressed at my level for being here two years. I speak about the same level that they do and they've been here 8-15 years but are not fluent.

I plan to take another class that starts in May. That class will overlap with my current class for a month and it will probably whoop my tush; I've done it in November and December and I was quite frazzled with three nights of classes per week plus one meeting with my tandem partner (in other words, I had an activity every work night). Oh well; I hope to be done with B1 and then go on to B2 this fall.

It's my goal to be complete C2 (which is the highest level for foreign speakers) within two years. I would be able to get it done faster if the classes were offered more often. Each level has two parts, so for example, there is B1.1 and B1.2. The levels run from A1 (absolute beginners) to C2 (fluent speakers; native speakers are D level). The cool thing about these levels is that they are recognized throughout the European Union; B1 level in Germany would be recognized the same that it would be in Spain, for example. I need to do some research and see how it is recognized in the US.

Even after I've completed C2, I can imagine that cashiers will still try to switch to English on me. I'll just have to make peace with that.

Products that expats in Germany miss (as told in my Deutsch class)

While taking a German as a foreign language class, one not only learns German, but also about the culture and customs of the other expat students, which is an added bonus. One night in class, we discussed what products we missed from our home countries. It's interesting to see what products are a normal part of life in other countries.

Here is what my fellow classmates reported on:

-Spain: she misses a particular type of mop that isn't available in Germany.
-Indonesia: she misses a special rice cooker.
-India: a bunch of guys got together and talked about how they miss rickshaws.
-South America (he didn't mention which particular country): a certain kind of hammock. He even used a candy wrapper to fashion a model of it.
-Macedonia: a jar of flavoring used for cooking.
-United States (me): good burritos. The teacher and the gal from Spain are both native Spanish speakers and giggled because in Spanish, a "burrito" is literally a small donkey/burro. 

My Week: February 8 ed.

I spent part of the week sick so I missed a German lesson and a meeting with my tandem speaking partner. As soon as I was feeling a bit better, I jumped back into the social life.

-A friend had a group of us over to play more card games. Fun, fun.

-I attended a bicycle maintenance class. It was great! I've been searching for one for ages and was thrilled to find one that was both local and free. I took my guest bike, which was in desperate need of some care.

-I was invited to a nice dinner with an American family and their German neighbors. We were speaking Denglish all night and I did some clumsy translating. It was cute, though: we were offered ice for our drinks. I've gone so native that I mostly forget that it's an option.

-Feeling a burst of productivity, I rode the newly maintained bike around the neighborhood. I then opened up my folding bike and cleaned the chain. I am so proud of my new "skillz."

Art on the wall of the Neustadt-Böbig train station, not related to anything.

That awful Mark Twain

Since I live in Germany and since I enjoy literature, it seems to be a no-brainer that I'd read about some of Mark Twain's experiences here and during his travels, right? After all, he wrote about The Awful German Language and captured, in quite a funny way, the mental knots one must tie oneself to properly speak German.

I thought I'd continue with his travel classic, The Innocents Abroad, and read about his adventures throughout Europe. I checked it out as an eAudiobook, dutifully transferred it to my USB, and plugged it into my car. I got through about an hour of it before abandoning that project in disgust.

Mark Twain is, as many put it, a product of his time. As the middle class developed and means of transportation improved, the idea of tourism and leisure travel grew. Twain capitalized on this idea and wrote about his trips so that armchair travelers could follow along and maybe even make the same journey themselves. This aspect of the time is not bad at all.

The part that bothers me about Mark Twain being a product of his time is that he is racist and bigoted, at least with a modern reading. Sure, at the time, the Americans and Europeans were kings of their domain and, in their minds at least, so much more "developed" and "sophisticated" than the indigenous people or racial minorities that they encountered, whether in their own communities or during travel.

Friends have told me that I shouldn't read Twain with a modern mindset; after all, he wrote more than a hundred years ago. At the time, he wasn't writing in a way that was unacceptable. I get that part. However, just as he was a product of his time, I am a product of my time, and I can't get past what I find is quite distasteful. Do I think that Twain should be banned? No, absolutely not. Will I choose not to finish reading his book? Absolutely. That is the glory and the power of freedom of press and freedom of will. I am thankful for both.

The German educational system: university

I often get web traffic on my blog from those who are curious about the German educational system. I wrote a piece about the primary and secondary school system, but I wouldn't be surprised if people were more interested in knowing about free university.

It is true that as of now, German universities are free for qualified individuals, whether or not those individuals are German or members of the European Union. International media, especially American sources, has been blowing up lately with stories about free tuition. However, the key word for prospective students is qualified; it's not just a free-for-all for those who haven't done well in school.

Also, one might think that the student wouldn't need to have any money. There are no tuition fees, so that must be true, right? No, that's wrong. Foreign students must show that they have the money, up front, to be able to afford living expenses for one year.

Depending on one's program and level of study, one also must be quite fluent in German. Some master's programs don't require it but for lower-level classes, it's a must.

There is a ton more to studying in Germany and I don't have that experience. I asked two of my friends, one who is a university lecturer and the other who is a native German and PhD student. I couldn't keep up with notes or the barrage of (helpful) information they were imparting so I'll point to some articles of interest. For those who'd like to go to a German uni, I'd suggest conducting a ton more research.

You Can Now Go to College in Germany for Free, No Matter Where You’re From by Rebecca Schuman.

A reddit post about studying in Germany as an undergraduate; my PhD student friend recommended it and says that it is accurate according to his experience.

Some history learnin': The Parisitic Nobility-Peasant Relationship in the 18th Century

I wrote this for a history class. Copyright 2014, Around the Wherever. All rights reserved. May not be duplicated in any form.

Additionally, to those conducting research: this piece is not suitable to be used as a reference source. Here's why. If you need a reference source, try using the excellent text noted in the Bibliography.

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The socioeconomic relationship between peasants and nobility in the eighteenth century could be described as parasitic. In this case, it would be apt to say that the nobility were the parasites, sucking the peasants dry, both literally and figuratively.

Treatment of children was influenced by socioeconomic status. Initially, the elite women employed wet nurses to give their children sustenance, as it was not befitting a lady (Spielvogel, p. 559). Later in the 18^th century, the concept of childhood as its own stage of development grew. Children of the rich and nobility started to be valued more and were treated better; they had their own style of clothes, toys, and books (p. 560). Unfortunately, peasant children did not experience such joys; if anything, they were seen as a burden and risked being a victim of infanticide or abandonment. Children were abandoned throughout Europe but it appears that in the east, within Russia, the numbers were extremely high, with the largest foundling home in St. Petersburg (p. 560).

In addition to the treatment of children, living arrangements were subject to one’s status and income. The nobility (especially the French and English) tended to live in vast country estates in huge houses (p. 567). Peasants might eke out a living in a town, city, or the country, but the unifying theme was their desperate struggle to survive, often subject to employment of nobles. In most of Western Europe, peasants had freedom but still were not secure, having to pay heavy tithes on the crops they had grown (p. 566). In other areas things were even worse, such as in parts of Germany where the lord had legal jurisdiction over peasants and could make decisions regarding their affairs. Farther east in Russia, peasants were virtually slaves, with ties to the landlord and not the land (p. 566).

The nobles’ parasitic use of the peasants certainly did not improve the peasants’ lot in life; if anything, it kept them from success.

Bibliography

Spielvogel, Jackson J. Western civilization. Australia: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning, 2012.