Language Support & Development

Goal of the GISSV Fast Track Program

GISSV's German Fast Track program’s integrative design ensures that all German language learners feel genuinely welcomed and part of the class community right from the start.

Our approach empowers students to form friendships quickly, feeling emotionally and socially safe and secure.

Fast Track German Learners should acquire language skills within a school year that enable them to successfully take part in regular German language-based lessons at GISSV.
 

Admissions for Fast Track Program

• Open to students that would be entering GISSV (Mountain View or San Francisco) in grades 3 - 6.

  • Advanced oral skills or Level A2 language skills are required.

  • Students must perform very well academically at their current school in order to be accepted into GISSV. 
     

• Part of the admissions process is a reviewing of current report cards, a language test, and an interview with the Head of Elementary or Middle School. 
   

• Interested students may take part in GISSV lessons on a scheduled “shadowing day.”
   

• Additionally, we recommend an optional intermediate GISSV Summer Camp course for four weeks.

  • Please message camp@gissv.org for more information.
     

• It could be beneficial for Fast Track students to have a tutor during their first school year who may collaborate with the Fast Track teacher. The school may assist in finding a qualified tutor.

Registration

For further questions regarding admissions please contact our Admissions Team at admissions@gissv.org.

Extend of German lessons:

First Year

In their first year Fast Track students will be supported with 7-8 lessons of extra German by an additional teacher: 

• 5-6 lessons during regular German lessons 
• 2 lessons in Ethic classes 

The Fast Track instructor also supports the students in other subjects, often Biology, Geography or History, with additional 4 lessons. 

→ Your children will get extra support in 12 lessons each week. 

Second Year

In their second year Fast Track students will be supported according to their needs with a maximum of 4 lessons. 

This will be evaluated towards the end of the first year by the Fast Track teacher in close cooperation with the subject teachers and the parents. 

Grading

During the first year, students will take exams and quizzes in Fast Track German class. 

Students might get translations, the option to write in English (instead of German) in all subjects other than German.

They will be graded in all subjects as German Language Learners. (not in English)

 The grade for the subject German must assess the individual learning progress of the student (with a comment in addition to the report card).

No grading in Ethics in which the students do not participate because of the parallel language support lessons.

Parents:

We are very happy with the support we have received through the GISSV Fast Track program. Our daughter has had a working knowledge of German coming into GISSV, but she was not quite ready for an interactive class setting in German with many native speakers.

With the help of Fast Track and the awesome Ms. Angeles she is able to follow the class, understand and complete assignments on her own and participate. After just 6 months she is starting to transition to a mostly regular class schedule, with the exception of DaZ (German as a second language). All of this was made possible with the help we have received from GISSV. Thank you!        

Student:

My teacher Frau Angeles is nice and makes the weekly German classes interesting. I don’t feel alone and enjoy having classes with her. She provides tips, points out my problems, and really focuses on helping us if there’s something you don’t understand. She also joins my regular classes so she knows what we are learning and so it is easy to ask questions later.

I went to the summer camp with my friend. She is also new to GISSV in the same class. I liked the German lessons and I was not afraid to ask any questions. When the real classes started, I was able to understand the teachers and they could understand me. I made mistakes but it was ok and people still understood.

The teachers encouraged me to speak more in class. I prepared presentations myself and asked for help. I think the presentations went well. I also speak German more during classes.

Student:

I really enjoy my time with Frau Angeles, with many games to make learning German fun. I am happy with my improvement in vocabulary and I feel welcomed by all the students and teachers.