1. by Günter Mehles

2. Günter Mehles Professional information Headteacher Grund- und Realschule plus Gerolstein/Germany (full-time school) Leader of an evaluation-team in schools in Rhineland- Palatinate/Germany Personal information 57 ys, married 5 children

5. Grund- und Realschule plus Gerolstein

7. German School System PRIMARY SCHOOL (6-10) Hauptschule (11-15) Realschule / Realschule plus (11-16) Gymnasium (11-19) leave school / take a job University College

8. Our school 90 pupils in the primary school 400 pupils in the secondary school 23 classes 35 teachers 2 secretaries 1 caretaker

9. Key aspects about the national policy parents decide to which secondary school their child should go  heterogeneous groups Different cultures in Germany  Plurilingualism in the schoolyard Language barriers  qualification is not the same teachers must get trained for the heterogeneity

10. How it should be in school We need bilingual classes! ▫ one or two subjects (e.g. Geography): taught in non-native language ▫ to back up the intercultural competence and the identity of the children by having the same background (by not knowing the non-native language perfectly )

11. How it should be in school We need to back up one‘s own native language(s) ▫ extra-courses for pupils from other countries ▫ teaching not just the own culture ▫ children should be able to use their native language in all situations

12. Challenges teachers do not have the needed education  universities are not prepared too many pupils in one class not enough money to finance enough teachers for one school documentation about variety of all the languages ? (maybe)

13. Innovative aspects not all the pupils/parents need/want bilingual lessons  every school offers one bilingual class every year pupils can choose the language they want wo begin with (the one they feel the most comfortable with)

14. Some examples Schools in Baden-Württemberg –in 2010: 5 bilingual schools as model (+ evaluation) –in 2011: 21 more bilingual schools –Many pupils from Greece  open a Greek School –Many pupils from Spain  offer a Spanish course  Teachers get trained and retrained in the topic all the time!  Schools get evaluated according to the bilingual classes!

15. What do WE do? Grund- und Realschule plus Gerolstein/Germany ▫ English as a Second Language (ESL) in the primary school  Songs and games in the English language  Talking about pets  … ▫ English as a Second Language from grade 5 to 10 ▫ French as a Third Language from grade 7 to 10

16. Thank you for your attention! I hope and I am sure we will have a good and productive study visit