Saturday School (Mountain View)
German Saturday School at GISSV
- GISSV Mountain View Campus, 310 Easy Street -
If you have questions, please e-mail saturdayschool@gissv.org.
On Saturdays, we offer German language and culture to all members of our extended community.All classes are on the Mountain View Campus, 310 Easy Street, and with few exceptions meet Saturdays, from 9:30am - noon.
For families with toddlers, and for preschoolers, we offer language-immersive play groups. A great way to pick up a second (or third) language early, and to make new multicultural friends! For these age groups, all language levels are mixed and welcome!
Starting with Kindergarteners, we teach German academically, and focus on conversation as well as phonetics, reading, and writing. Throughout K-6, we have several entry points for Beginners, and will advise you on where your child best fits.
After Elementary School, we present a sequence of academically rigorous Middle and High School language courses, and can offer up to 4 years of HS and college prep course credit. The goal for our students is the AP German exam, and additionally to prepare for language examinations offered by the German government which partially certify foreign students for university study in Germany. We commit to advise our students about high school credits, exams, and study abroad, and look forward to sharing our expertise and resources with you! Admission into this program is reserved for students who have completed our Elementary School program, or who can join us with previous academic German education at the A2/B1 level.
Lastly, we offer conversation-focused courses for adults, too! Join us for engaging and results-oriented German for Beginners (A1) all the way to the native speaker level (C1). These courses are offered at the same time on Saturday as our kids' courses (great for parents), and also on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday evenings.
Enrollment Is always possible for the fall and spring semesters. If you find us in between semester start dates, email us at saturdayschool@gissv.org to join our interest list for the upcoming semester.
Our Mission
The Saturday School at the German International School of Silicon Valley fosters language immersion as a method of teaching German as a second language. With the first day in class, from toddlers to adult learners, the Saturday School teachers use German as their primary means of instruction.
Why Bilingualism?
- Bilingualism has economic advantages in life reflecting the global economic changes
- Bilingualism nurtures flexible and divergent thinking
- Bilingualism increases the self-esteem and the self-confidence
- Bilingualism enables thinking outside the cultural box
- Bilingualism opens borders and communication systems
Why German?
- German is the second-most-often taught foreign language in Europe (Over 100 million Europeans are native speakers of German placing German among the top ten in the number of native speakers among world languages)
- The largest concentration of German speakers outside Europe is in the United States and Canada.
- Germany is one of the largest contributors to research and development in the world
- Germany plays an vital leadership role economically, financially, and politically role in the European Union and the world
- Germany remains powerful in the arts, literature, philosophy, and psychology
Why GISSV?
- We offer innovative teaching approaches placing the needs and interests of the student at the center
- We offer up-to-date teaching technologies to enhance the learning experience of German
- We have designed a total immersion program in a sequential, cumulative, continuous, and proficiency-oriented grade school sequence meeting the requirements of The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR), the German Language Diploma (DSD - Deutsche Sprachdiplom) and the German Advanced Placement Test (AP)
- Our international and ethnically diverse staff is well qualified, experienced and linked to the Bay area business community and local universities (Stanford University, UC Berkeley,The University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and San Francisco State University)
Questions?
FAQs
- Is German a prerequisite for my child to attend?
- Can my child start school at the beginning of the second semester?
- How are students placed?
- If I / my child have never taken a German language class what course is appropriate?
- How can parents actively participate in the German Saturday School?
- I / My child registered for a course that is either too difficult or too easy. What should I do?
- As a native or heritage speaker of German, do I have to take a placement exam?
- My children come from a German speaking background, however, we do not speak German at home. How do you place our child?
- How do I register?
- Does the German Saturday School follow the regular school calendar?
- What is the earliest age my child can attend the German Saturday School?
- Is it possible for my child to start at German Saturday School partway through the year?
- Will there be any homework?
- Are all the teachers at German Saturday School native speakers?
- Do the classes match up with regular school classes and will my child change classes each year?
- Is there a report system in place?
- What are the hours of the school?
- Where is the school located?
- How big are the classes?
- Can I attend a class to get a first impression of how things work?
Is German a prerequisite for my child to attend?
Can my child start school at the beginning of the second semester?
How are students placed?
If I / my child have never taken a German language class what course is appropriate?
How can parents actively participate in the German Saturday School?
I / My child registered for a course that is either too difficult or too easy. What should I do?
As a native or heritage speaker of German, do I have to take a placement exam?
My children come from a German speaking background, however, we do not speak German at home. How do you place our child?
How do I register?
Click on online registration located on the GISSV website under Saturday School. Note that priority registration (early registration) is given to returning students. If it's still priority registration time, new students will need to wait 1-2 weeks. When open registration begins, the link will be posted here.
In the registration form, fill out first the contact information, second the emergency form, next proceed to select a course, and finally pay the tuition and registration fee. You will receive a confirmation e-mail.
Does the German Saturday School follow the regular school calendar?
What is the earliest age my child can attend the German Saturday School?
Is it possible for my child to start at German Saturday School partway through the year?
Will there be any homework?
Are all the teachers at German Saturday School native speakers?
Do the classes match up with regular school classes and will my child change classes each year?
Is there a report system in place?
What are the hours of the school?
Where is the school located?
How big are the classes?
Can I attend a class to get a first impression of how things work?
Contact
For all questions relating to the Saturday School, please email us at saturdayschool@gissv.org.
This address reaches the Head of Saturday School Susan Malone.