Education Highlight: A Snapshot of English and German Language Learning
February 28th, 2024
Learning English differs from learning German in several ways. Here are just a few qualities of each language that come to mind.
English
- Has a simpler grammatical structure compared to German, with fewer noun genders and cases to navigate.
- English orthography (spelling) is often inconsistent with its pronunciation. For example, cough, though, bough and through are all pronounced differently even though they are spelled the same way, yet through and threw are pronounced the same way.
- That being said, pronunciation tends to be more straightforward, with consistent vowel sounds and fewer consonant clusters, which can be easier for beginners to articulate.
- Vocabulary draws from a variety of linguistic origins, including Latin, French, and Germanic languages, which affects both spelling and pronunciation.
- Check out this article that we love from The Atlantic Magazine about spelling.
German
- Grammar can be more intricate, with its three grammatical genders and four cases.
- Each of the genders and cases can have different endings.
- German vocabulary often appears more phonetically complex and may require memorization of compound words.
- German has even been called a “Lego Language” because of its propensity for creating compound words. Check out the work of Dr. Roland Kaehlbrandt here!
Despite these differences, both languages have similar alphabets, which is reassuring, especially for our youngest learners!
To illustrate some characteristics of each language, here’s a snapshot of language learning at GSB on one Thursday morning a couple of weeks ago.
In the English classroom, 2nd graders were learning about “silent consonants.” Ms. Erica explained that sometimes consonants silently hide in words, like this animal camouflaged against the tree.
She showed some examples of “silent consonants” and students helped her read and categorize a variety of kn, wr, and gn words.
After that, students worked in partnerships to read, define, and categorize the words.
Class ended with a share of their favorite silent consonant words. The interactive chart will remain in the classroom for students to reference. This is a simple yet sophisticated way to incorporate reading, spelling, and vocabulary building in a visual and hands-on way. The following lesson incorporated writing the words as well. Students need varied, repeated practice, especially when the spelling differs from the pronunciation.
_________
Down the hall in German math class, Frau Thiermann was teaching about three dimensional shapes. Even in math class, the attention to language learning and hands-on work was evident.
First students made their own accordion books, highlighting the name of the shape, the shape itself, and the number of corners, edges, and sides. In addition to writing, second graders practiced cutting and folding to enhance their fine motor skills.
As Frau Thiermann guided the kids through the lesson, she ensured that students were speaking in complete sentences. For example, when she asked “Wie viele Ecken hat ein Würfel [How many corners does a cube have]?” if a student responded by saying “acht [eight]” she guided them to try again and answer in a complete sentence “Ein Würfel hat acht Ecken [A cube has eight corners].” This is a purposeful way to practice sentence structure in a fun, age appropriate way.
As a culminating review activity, Frau Theirmann had students cover their eyes while she removed one of the shapes from the board. Students then tried to remember which one was missing. “die Pyramide fehlt [the pyramid is missing]!” Students were then all answering in complete sentences, an intentional practice in Frau Thiermann’s teaching.
Both English and German offer rich linguistic landscapes and open doors to diverse cultures and opportunities, and we enjoy getting there step by step with our students each day.