German Immersion in Primary School

Join the German Immersion Program Parents & Friends – a committee that wants to set up a German Immersion Program in a public primary school in Canberra.  We’re  looking for more parents/individuals who are also interested in getting such a bilingual program up and running.

Provide a bilingual German and Australian education for children of diverse backgrounds. The aim is to establish and implement a German stream in a public primary school in Canberra.

1. The German Immersion Program would operate within an existing ACT public primary school (i.e. ACT public school system).

2. The German Immersion Program would be open to all who wish to enrol their child in a bilingual program, regardless of previous German proficiency.

3. 80/20 model from Kindergarten to Year 2 and 50/50 model from Year 3 to Year 6.

Students learn to read and write in German and English concurrently. From Kindergarten to Year 2, 80% of classes would be taught in German. The proportion of classes taught in English gradually would increase so that by Year 6 it will amount to approximately 50% of teaching time. This is based on the highly successful Canadian “Early Immersion Program” for bilingual schools.

4. The curriculum of the German Immersion Program:

Option 1-  the curriculum of the German Immersion Program would fulfill both the requirements of the ACT curriculum and Thüringen (German) curriculum, if possible.

Option 2 -students are taught the ACT curriculum by German-speaking teachers.

If you are also keen to establish and implement a German Immersion Program in a public primary school in Canberra – please email Brigitta at german.primary@spielwelt.org.au