Which foreign language at high school?

English as a foreign language at high school

English is the only language at high school that all students in Germany are required to learn. In the past, English was introduced or continued as the first foreign language at high school. English is now taught in elementary school, with the start of classes varying in the individual federal states. You can find detailed information on this in the resolution of the Standing Conference of the Ministers of Education “Foreign languages ​​in primary school – status and concepts 2013” .

Since English belongs to the same language family as German, native German speakers usually find it relatively easy to learn the language. English is probably one of the most important languages ​​in the world. 340 million people speak English as their first language and over a billion additional people have at least a basic knowledge of English. The language serves as a kind of world language for international understanding and as the language of science. Your child can easily apply the newly learned language knowledge, because everyday language contains many loan words from English, a large part of pop music is in English and your child is also confronted with the language in advertising and on the Internet. Many schools also offer student exchange projects with English partner schools.10 tips to help your child learn English .

French as a foreign language at high school

French as a foreign language is usually offered as a second foreign language in sixth grade at Gymnasium. The language is of great importance not only in Europe but worldwide. Many countries use French as an official or lingua franca. Due to the immediate vicinity and the close ties to France, it is very attractive for students in Germany to learn French at high school. Most schools maintain close partnerships with French schools and offer small exchange projects. Knowledge of the language is also useful when studying, because in addition to English, many scientists also use French when writing specialist literature.

Lesson content for French at high school

The content of French lessons at high school can be divided into different areas that are important for learning the language. The following skills should be practiced in class:

• Communication:  Your child learns how to grasp linguistic information in French and how to transmit information themselves. This area includes listening comprehension, speaking, reading and writing in the foreign language.
• Linguistic knowledge:  Your child should be able to recognize and apply basic linguistic structures, for example grammatical rules, the correct pronunciation of the individual sounds, spelling and the correct intonation. In addition, French classes at high school should give your child a basic vocabulary.
• Dealing with texts:  Different types of texts, such as letters, newspaper articles, reviews, characterizations or factual texts are also taught. Your child will learn to recognize, understand, analyze and write them themselves.
• Intercultural knowledge:  French culture and history are also covered in French lessons. Against this background, your child can understand the language better. Also, when dealing with native French speakers, they can avoid small misunderstandings because they know the French way of life.
• Learning and working techniques:  Basic methodological knowledge is also conveyed in French lessons. What is the best way for your child to learn vocabulary? How does it look up an unknown word in the dictionary? It also learns to work independently, to give small lectures and to learn in a group with others.

Learning goals for French at high school

Your child should acquire certain skills in French lessons at high school, which will not only be useful in exam situations, but also in everyday life:

• Use the French language in everyday life:  Your child should be able to communicate, hold conversations in French and take part in life in France.
• Use French for further education:  Your child should learn how to deal with French texts so that they can filter out and evaluate important information at school and during their studies.
• Use the knowledge of French for professional activities:  your child learns to make phone calls, to write letters or emails or to formulate an application in French.

Problems in French at high school?

Many children have problems with the French language because the pronunciation, spelling and grammar are not easy for German native speakers to understand. Learning a foreign language takes a lot of diligence and perseverance. You should give your child the opportunity to try out their language skills. Perhaps a student exchange, a pen friend or a holiday in France can rekindle enthusiasm for the subject. Maybe your child just needs a little more time to understand difficult rules and language structures. In this case, tutoring may be the right way for your child to improve their performance again.

Latin as a foreign language in high school

At first glance, Latin differs most clearly from the other foreign languages ​​at high school. It is a so-called “dead” language, which means that it is no longer spoken today. Until the 19th century, however, Latin was the language of science and German has many loaned Latin words and technical terms. Latin is taught as a foreign language in comprehensive schools and high schools, because knowledge of Latin is required for many courses. If your child has learned Latin, they will most likely find it easier to learn other Romance languages, such as Spanish, French, or Italian. Latin as a foreign language at high school is particularly useful if your child is more logical and mathematically gifted and is not so interested in languages. Latin is not spoken, only translated. Your child should also like rules and regularities and be willing to memorize things on a regular basis.

Spanish as a foreign language in high school

Spanish is the fourth most spoken language in the world after Chinese, Indian and English and one of the working languages ​​of the UN. It is also considered one of the languages ​​of the future due to the growing economic influence of Latin American countries. It is therefore not surprising that Spanish is increasingly being offered as a foreign language in high schools. Spanish is considered to be relatively easy to learn because the written language and pronunciation are very similar. Therefore, your child does not have to learn complicated sound rules.

Other foreign languages ​​at high school

Some grammar schools also offer other foreign languages ​​to choose from. Ancient Greek, Italian, Russian, Chinese, Dutch, Portuguese, Hebrew, Japanese and Turkish are not at all uncommon. To ensure that your child stays on the ball when learning the foreign language, motivation and interest are crucial. Your child should be able to decide for themselves which foreign language they want to choose at the Gymnasium. If he gets the opportunity to actively use his language skills every now and then, he can find a lot of fun in learning the foreign language. By the way: The younger your child is, the easier it is for him to learn foreign languages.