Back to school (as a student!)
Hooray! I started German class this week and it was quite a shock to the system. Although I did German up to A-level, I haven’t spoken it for over ten years, so it was quite daunting to go back into the classroom with a group of “students”, who are actually German teachers at the public school I work in. They have obviously had more contact with the language than I have recently and so were much more able to communicate their queries to the teacher. I found that I could understand a fair deal, but struggled to formulate good structures. However I do feel that I got my point across, so give me a “fantastisch” for communication!
I think the thing that I most enjoyed though was the sensation of being in a classroom where the only language being spoken by the teacher was the target language. To be honest, I can’t remember whether the classes were like that at school but having since become a teacher of a foreign language, I can now empathise more with my students. I feel I have a better grasp of what it’s like to sit in the classroom and to get that smile and nod of the head which says, “I get what you’re saying, but I don’t understand every word and I don’t have the language to interject and make comments.”
It’ll come with time…
I know EXACTLY what you mean by that “I get what you’re saying nod!” I am in the same position as you right now….an A-level German speaker surrounded by people who know the language! Good luck with the German class!
Hi Bekah,
Thanks for the comment and good luck with your German classes too!
T 🙂