Bilingual Learning

The elementary school principal, along with the Kindergarten director and teachers and the in-coming first grade teachers, will recommend the GISSV Kindergarten students who are prepared to begin their education in first grade. This recommendation is based on school-readiness standards. Any elementary student who applies to GISSV after first grade is required to complete a language assessment in German; then the school will decide if the student is eligible to enroll based on their German language skills.

Formal reading and writing instruction begins first in German. Two out of seven German classes are conducted in a team teaching setting in all elementary classes. At least one of the teachers in the classroom is an expert in teaching German as a second language. This allows the teachers to provide individualized language support to students who need extra guidance in their German language acquisition during regular German lessons. Also math, music, art and sports are taught in German to ensure the development of the German language in oral and written communication.

During the first semester of first grade, the emphasis in the English classes are focused on oral language acquisition and comprehension. The English teachers’ lessons center around topics from the social studies and science curriculum. Formal English language arts instruction begins in the second semester. Once the first grade students are ready for academic instruction in English, they are assessed and then grouped according to their language needs. In all elementary grades, we have a beginner level group intended especially for students who are new to our school and to the English language. The curriculum focus of this group is to prepare the students to work at the corresponding mainstream level. Using a variety of diagnostic tools, the English teaching team determines the placement of mainstream students. These flexible groups allow for differentiation within the grade level as well as within each group.

In grade three and four, we begin teaching bilingual lessons in social studies and science (NuG). This is in preparation for our bilingual concept in middle and high school. The bilingual lessons are planned and taught by a German and English teaching team.

An English and a German language club is offered in the morning or the afternoon to support our second language learners in their oral communication skills, as well as providing cultural awareness in traditions, customs, and mannerisms of each country.

All third grade students take part in a standardized test in German, and in fourth grade, all students take an American standardized test in English. The results of these tests are comparable to those from German and American schools.

GISSV adheres to the standards of Thuringia for all subjects taught in German. For English, we follow the standards set by the State of California.

GISSV assures the admission of German-speaking students in every level of the German school system (Hauptschule, Realschule, Gymnasium) and it guarantees a successful start for students who enroll during the school year. For these students the school also offers extra programs in English (additional fees might apply).

For older students with international language backgrounds, the principal and the teachers decide about each admission individually. In each individual case, the subject teachers and the language teachers guarantee an ideal language development and differentiated learning methods for students who join later in the school year.

The Sekundarstufe I (grades 5-10) is based on the students abilities in German and English according to the standards set by the German Government and the California curriculum.

Not only do the language teachers support the language development of the students, but all the other subject teachers as well. Subjects taught in English, such as American History and Economics, as well as bilingual subjects broaden the variety of subjects in the English language that are taught in the Sekundarstufe. The amount of English increases up to tenth grade in subjects like Geography, History, Biology and Chemistry. Additional languages offered by GISSV are French and Spanish, starting in grade 6 and again in grade 10.

In grades 11 and 12 German, bilingual and English subjects are offered to the students as well as an additional foreign language. All these subjects are credited for the German International Abitur.

Cooperation with partner schools in the Bay Area, in Germany, France and in North and South America helps to foster language acquisition (e.g. with hosting exchange students, projects with other schools, etc.).