Liebe Kollegen und Kolleginnen,

Ich freue mich auf ein weiteres akademisches Jahr und die vielen Möglichkeiten zur Weiterbildung und Networking, die wir zusammen planen. Nächsten Monat findet die Konzert- und Workshop Serie mit dem sächsischen Musiker Friedrich Rau statt. Ingrid Zeller und ihr Team hoffen sehr, euch und eure Schüler und Studierenden dabei begrüßen zu können. Mehr Informationen gibt es weiter unten im Rundbrief.

Bei unserem Herbst Workshop am 14. September hatten wir die Gelegenheit, mit Dr. Petra Watzke von der Lawrence Universität in Appleton, WI das Thema „Alternative Grading Methods“ zu besprechen. Ich denke ich spreche für alle Beteiligten, wenn ich sage, dass mich diese Diskussion dazu angeregt hat, meine eigene Praxis genauer unter die Lupe zu nehmen und zu verbessern.

Wir wünschen uns, dass viel mehr von unseren Mitgliedern von diesen Möglichkeiten Gebrauch machen. Natürlich nehmen unsere Workshops mehrere Stunden unserer Freizeit in Anspruch. Aber aus meiner eigenen Erfahrung kann ich sagen, dass es sich wirklich lohnt, einen Teil des Wochenendes zu opfern, weil das Gelernte meine Arbeit während der Woche erleichtert. Außerdem ist es der persönliche Kontakt zu anderen Deutschlehrenden, der mich immer wieder ermutigt und unterstützt. In diesem Rundbrief findet ihr einen Link zu einer Umfrage bezüglich unseres Angebots. Bitte helft unseren Program Chairs Dani Katz und Cherie Lodl, unser Weiterbildungsangebot zu verbessern und auf eure Bedürfnisse abzustimmen, indem ihr die wenigen Fragen ehrlich beantwortet. Ihr könnt dabei anonym bleiben, oder euren Namen mit angeben, wenn ihr an einer Preisverlosung teilnehmen wollt!

Unser Membership Chair, Rob Ryder, arbeitet daran, unsere Verteilerlisten auf den neuesten Stand zu bringen und besser zu organisieren. Wenn ihr überlegt, ob ihr AATG Mitglied werden sollt, oder eure Mitgliedschaft weiterhin erneuern sollt, bedenkt bitte folgendes:

• Mit einer AATG Mitgliedschaft habt ihr Zugang zu vielen Programmen, Zuschüssen und Stipendien zur Weiterbildung und zur Stärkung eures Deutsch Programms

• AATG Mitglieder bekommen Nachlass bei den Kosten des National German Exams und bei der Teilnahme an der ACTFL Konferenz

• Mitglieder können Hilfe und Unterstützung bei der Jobsuche im AATG Career Center bekommen

• Alle unsere Workshops und andere Veranstaltungen werden durch unser Chapter oder die AATG finanziell unterstützt - eure Mitgliedsbeiträge machen diese Veranstaltungen möglich!

• Viele von uns sind die einzigen Deutschlehrenden an unseren Schulen – wir alle profitieren von der Gelegenheit, Tipps und Tricks miteinander auszutauschen und Kontakte zu knüpfen.

Für Studierende, Teilzeitlehrkräfte, pensionierte oder nicht unterrichtende Personen gibt es eine ermäßigte Mitgliedschaft für $45 pro Jahr. Mitgliedschaft lohnt sich!

Ich wünsche euch allen guten Erfolg und viel Vergnügen!

Antje Perrin

NoIL AATG President

Over the past year, we have noticed a decline in workshop participation and would like to improve our outreach. We appreciate your opinions, and we rely on your participation for our continued success - let us know what we can do to better support you!

AATG Northern Illinois conducts a variety of programs. In order to fulfill your professional and personal needs and interests, we ask that you complete this survey.

In recent years, I have watched the attendance at the NOIL AATG events start to decline. I must admit, I too have not been able to participate as much in the past couple years. I have though stayed in contact and current on what is going on within the organization, to the best of my abilities.

When I moved to Illinois, I had very few connections in the German community and the German teaching world. I did not really understand how to get all my documents approved here, nor did I really understand the teaching system here.

I started getting to know more Germans through the DANK and through people I met at the DANK, I was able to make some connections to teachers in the Chicagoland area, who introduced me to AATG and the Northern Illinois AATG. I quickly realized that AATG and NOILAATG were the connections and support that I needed to get my footing here in the USA.

I have met the most amazing and supportive people, who truly understand my daily struggles and successes. They have provided me advice, mentorship, and companionship for more than 20 years!

I have been able to participate in professional development opportunities, where I interacted with famous musicians and artists, international dignitaries, renown international presenters, and even traveled overseas for classes.

I have applied for and received a variety of scholarships and grants throughout the years. In addition, my students also applied for and received a variety of scholarships and grants. My students have been able to participate in many of the student events offered over the years. They have also participated in competitions and several have earned recognition.

Lastly, I have learned about many other German supports that we have here in the area, such as: Goethe Institut, German American Chamber of Commerce, Langenscheidt-Klett, Hueber, Cornelson, Fulbright, DAAD, and so so many more!

Today, I strive to maintain all the relationships I have been able to make. The friends that I have made could never be replaced. NOIL AATG is not just a random German organization. It is truly a connected support system, without whom I would not be where I am now.

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Anna Hog

If you have never been to the Immersionswochenende, it is a great opportunity to network with colleagues, speak German (to adults 😉) and learn A LOT from some amazing educators. Presenting at the conference is a great way to share what you are working on in your classrooms and to get feedback on your ideas in a low-pressure environment.

So please consider presenting! The tentative theme for 2025 is: "Deutsch macht Spaß!" This theme would allow a lot of flexibility to present on a number of topics such as: gamification in the German classroom, fun bell ringers, easy "low tech" games/activities, activities involving "basteln" and hands-on fun, etc.

Interested?? Please email your IL-Planning team the planning team Cherie Lodl clodl@hinsdale86.org, or Danielle Katz danielle.katz@chsd117.org asap for more information!

The tentative 2025 IW dates are: February 14-16, 2025

The application deadline for the next round of Northern Illinois professional development grants for teacher and post-secondary members is January 15, 2025. Full information is available on our chapter website, and members can expect an email with all the details after Thanksgiving.

We are thrilled to welcome German singer, songwriter, and musician Friedrich Rau and his band in the Midwest for a 2-week tour with the theme LASS UNS EIN BISSCHEN SWINGEN! Friedrich is known for his unique style of "electro swing," which fuses contemporary pop music with swing tunes often associated with the Golden Twenties. Friedrich is also a well-known singer in musicals in Germany. We believe that his concert is a fantastic opportunity for German learners and teachers to experience his and his band's dynamic and international musical presence and his "electric" interpretation of "swing" music as well as his team's unique contributions to a three-part and multi-dimensional workshop. Please find more information in the attachments and on his website.

Please register here by October 8 for the event at Northwestern University on October 25, 2024! The event will consist of the following:

1. A workshop in three parts of 30 minutes each (10 am - 11:30 am) (Fisk Hall 217, Kresge Hall 1515, Swift Hall 107)
a) Sing and learn the refrain to a song that was written specifically for this tour (Friedrich Rau)
b) Discover your song- and text-writing skills and learn about life in Leipzig and the German state of Saxony (Tim Ludwig)
c) Collect interesting sounds and create your own beats with Ableton Live (Sebastian Stahl)

2. A concert (1:00 pm - 2:30 pm) in Cahn Auditorium (600 Emerson St., Evanston, IL, 60201)

Students at all levels of German are welcome! Registration costs $10 per person for the concert and the workshop. The cost is the same if you attend the concert or both the concert and the workshop.

Attendees can also choose to have lunch at Northwestern and take part in campus tours. Please sign up for all events individually below.

LUNCH
-If you intend to have lunch in a cafeteria at Northwestern, you will need to pay $16.16 with a credit card on location.
-If you would like to have a catered boxed lunch, you will have to pay $16.00 per person ahead of time (see payment options below).

-You can also bring your own lunch.

REGISTRATION INFORMATION FOR GERMAN INSTRUCTORS
If you are coming with a group of students, you may register them all at once. Please list the name of your school when doing this. You may choose from the following options to pay for your students' participation in the concert and workshop. Please note that electronic payment is strongly preferred.

1) Pay via PayPal

2) Pay via ZELLE: karina.e.hoffmann@gmail.com

3) Send a check made payable to Northern IL AATG to Karina Duncker-Hoffmann, 2507 Bar Harbour Court, Naperville, IL 0564 (check must be postmarked no later than October 10; otherwise the successful reservation cannot be guaranteed)

INDIVIDUAL REGISTRATIONS

Please fill out this online form to secure your reservation and pay individually by link or check as outlined below. This event is supported by Northwestern University, Northern Illinois AATG, the Wisconsin AATG, the German Consulate, the Goethe-Institut Chicago, and the German State of Saxony.

Please note that Friedrich Rau is also performing at the Epiphany Center for the Arts on Thursday, October 24, 2024 at 7:00 pm: https://epiphanychi.com/events/friedrich-rau-band/ and at the DANK Haus on Saturday, October 26, 2024 (Details TBD).

Please let us know if you have any questions (izeller@northwestern.edu)! More promotional materials and activities for the classroom will be forthcoming!

We look forward to seeing you at the event!

Herzliche Grüße,

Ingrid Zeller on behalf of the Northern Illinois AATG

The Department of German Career Week includes a series of panels and events for students in any field of study who are interested in learning more about how to find an internship at a German company either in the US or abroad.

Topics will include summer internships in Germany in ANY FIELD, postgraduate scholarships and internships in STEM and economics, and scholarships for summer and postgraduate programs. We have invited a number of student alumni to these panels, who have direct experience with these and other programs.

For details and registration, click on the link below.

We are excited to invite you and your students to join us for the upcoming German High School Day, hosted by the Department of Germanic Studies at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). This special event is designed to celebrate and reward the dedication of German teachers like you, as well as the incredible achievements of your students in mastering the German language.

The next German High School Day will be held on:

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2025

Sign-in will begin at 9:00 a.m., and contests will begin at 9:30 a.m. The event should conclude by 1:15 p.m.

German High School Day is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your vibrant German programs in Chicagoland high schools and demonstrate to the broader community that German language education is thriving. It also allows us to connect with you and your students as we celebrate our shared passion for the German language and culture. As always, we will be hosting a variety of contests and competitions where your students can show off their German skills, creativity, and knowledge—and of course, there will be prizes and awards for outstanding performances!

This year’s categories are:

(A) Poetry Recitation (max. 2 contestants per school)

(B) Culture Essay (max. 1 contestant per school, *requires submission of student draft AND teacher feedback*)

(C) Skits in German (max. 1 group per school; max. 6 contestants in a group)

(D) Spelling Bee (max. 2 contestants per school)

(E) City Guide (max. 2 contestants per school)

(F) Eindrücke von Amerika (max. 2 contestants per school)

(G) Werbespot-Video (max. 1 per school; max. 3 contestants on screen per video)

(H) Program Cover Art Contest (max. 2 contestants per school)

You can review the Competition Guidelines and other information about High School Day attached to your email invite or on our website: http://lcsl.las.uic.edu/germanic/high-school-day. Please note, in addition to Germany, we strongly encourage your students to look to Austria and Switzerland for competition inspiration.

The three best entries in category (H) will be given awards, and the first-place winner’s art will appear on the 2025 German High School Day program cover! In addition, the other top entries will be displayed at the event. To participate, students must submit PDF or JPEG files of their artwork, which should promote or celebrate the learning of German. Files should be uploaded to the German HSD Google Drive folder, via the German HSD e-mail (germanhsd@uic.edu) no later than Friday, January 31, 2025. If you would like access to the folder, please e-mail germanhsd@uic.edu and I will add you.

Categories F and G will also be pre-judged by a UIC panel prior to German High School Day. On the morning of the event, there will be elimination rounds for categories A, C, and E, as well as final competitions for categories B and D. The final rounds for categories A, B, C, and E will take place after lunch. Following the final competitions, prizes and trophies will be awarded in all categories. Students who do not participate in the competitions taking place on High School Day will have the opportunity to take a campus tour, attend undergraduate language classes, and support their fellow students during the live events.

The registration fee is $35 for groups of up to 20 students. If you want to bring more than 20 students, the registration cost will be $50. We will need to know in advance how many students will attend the event.

We are applying for funding to subsidize schools that may not be able to participate in High School Day due to financial constraints. The number of scholarships will be limited, and we will distribute them based on the needs of the respective schools. Please see the guidelines below for the scholarship application.

DEADLINES:

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2024

Early RSVP deadline for schools wishing to apply for a scholarship. Briefly outline your High School Day budget and costs and let us know which contests you will be entering and how many students will be attending one of our German classes.

FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2024

RSVP if your school wishes to participate in the event. Let us know tentatively which contests you will be entering and how many students will be attending one of our German classes.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 10, 2025

(1) Submit the names of all contestants for each category, using the “RSVP Form”.

(2) Submit the registration fee (check or money order made out to The University of Illinois at Chicago; $35 for groups of up to 20, $50 for 20 or more students; see mailing address below).

(3) In case you need bus parking, inform germanhsd@uic.edu and submit the reservation fee (check or money order made out to The University of Illinois at Chicago; $35 per bus; see mailing address below).

FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 2025

(1) Send Program Cover Art Submissions as JPEG or PDF files to your German HSD Google Drive folder (shared from germanhsd@uic.edu).

(2) Submit Werbespot-Videos, posted to YouTube (“unlisted” is okay, but please provide us with the link). See guidelines for detailed submission instructions!

(3) Submit all Eindrücke von Amerika and Culture Essays (Culture Essays require student draft AND teacher feedback!).

Participants can choose to “brown bag it” for lunch or purchase food in the University’s cafeteria. Please be aware that the cafeteria and restaurants on campus no longer accept cash. Teachers must be present in the building from students’ arrival to departure. Participants are responsible for breakdown and removal of anything used in competitions (props, etc.).

Any questions or requests for additional information may be directed to my attention via email at germanhsd@uic.edu. We also invite you and your students to follow us on Facebook– search for “German High School Day at UIC”.

We would appreciate hearing from you as soon as possible, and we look forward to welcoming you on the UIC campus in February!

Mit freundlichen Grüßen,

Erin Ritchie

germanhsd@uic.edu

Kreative Köpfe aufgepasst! Beim KIKUK Wettbewerb können Schüler*innen ab 14 Jahren mit Sprachkenntnissen ab A2 ihre eigenen Kunstwerke mit Hilfe von KI gestalten. Egal, ob Bild, Musik oder Video – der Kreativität sind keine Grenzen gesetzt. Der Wettbewerb läuft vom 15. September bis 15. November 2024. Begleitend finden spannende Workshops und Tutorials für Schülerinnen sowie Schulungen für Lehrkräfte statt, die Inspiration und Unterstützung bieten. Mehr Infos hier: KIKUK - Kreativ und kritisch mit künstlicher Intelligenz - Goethe-Institut USA

Die Goethe-Institute in den USA vergeben jedes Jahr Stipendien zur Teilnahme an Sprachkursen und Fortbildungsseminaren (z.B. Landeskunde, DaF-Methodik/Didaktik) in Deutschland. Als Lehrkraft für Deutsch oder als Aus-/Fortbilder*in von Deutschlehrkräften können Sie sich auf ein Stipendium bewerben. Die Kurse und Fortbildungen finden 2025 statt, und die Bewerbungsfrist endet am 31. Oktober 2024.

Weitere Informationen und einen Link zum Fortbildungskatalog finden Sie hier: Stipendien für Präsenzfortbildungen - Goethe-Institut USA

In der Fortbildungsreihe „Deutsch Lehren Lernen“ (DLL) bietet das Goethe-Institut 5 praxisorientierte Kernkurse für Deutschlehrkräfte an. Die Anmeldung ist bis zum 10. Oktober 2024 geöffnet.
Deutschlehrkräfte in den USA können Fortbildungsstunden oder Graduate-Level Credits über Idioma Education & Consulting für Ihre Teilnahme an DLL-Kurse erwerben.

Weitere Informationen zur Partnerschaft mit IDIOMA finden Sie hier: Partnerschaft mit Idioma Education & Consulting - Goethe-Institut USA

Mit dem Code GOETHE10 erhalten Sie 10% Rabatt auf Ihre Anmeldung für einen neuen DLL-Kurs über Idioma.

Our chapter awards ceremony at the College of DuPage on April 28, 2024, was well attended. We want to thank COD for hosting and the German Consulate, the Goethe-Institut Chicago, and the Swiss Benevolent Society for donating prizes.

This spring 205 students from Northern Illinois took the Level 1 National German Exam. There were 18 students who received gold medals, 11 silver, and 19 bronze. In addition, 37 students from Northern Illinois took the Level 2A-4A exams for adult and non-competitive high school learners. One student qualified for a gold medal, one for a bronze medal.

2024 LEVEL 1 GOLD MEDALISTS

Fenwick High School

Zachary Morgan (teacher Korin Heinz)

Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy

Atmaj Shelar, Yurem Xique (teacher Emily Gauld)

Libertyville High School

Michael Bowman, Andrew Hodge, Danielle Hwang, Nathan Likosar, Jonas Skinner

(teachers Alex Kerth & Heidi Lechner)

Oswego High School

Mark Valencic (teacher Beth Wheeler)

Oswego East High School

Hans Harshil Parla (teacher Anna Hog)

University of Chicago Laboratory Schools

Azra Badur, Thomas Barclay, Ian Benert, David Li, Apollonia Rossi, Declan Smith, Victoria Syverson, Adrian Wyers (teacher Susanne Pralle)

2024 LEVELS 2A-4A GOLD MEDALIST

DANK German School Northern Suburbs of Chicago

Level 3a: Nalini Ankireddi (teacher Theresa Smejkal)

2024-2025 NATIONAL GERMAN EXAM

Registration for Levels 2-4 of the 2024-2025 National German Exam opens on October 1 and closes on December 15. The exam fee is $8 per student exam. There is an additional $90 non-member fee for teachers who are not AATG members, and teachers who register students from December 16, 2024, through January 26, 2025, must pay an additional $30 late fee. The exams may be administered from December 1, 2024, through January 26, 2025.

Registration for the Level 1 and Levels 2A-4A exams (for adult and non-competitive school learners) opens on February 1, 2025, and closes on April 30. Those exams may be administered April 1 – 30, 2025, and teachers should receive the scores in their Lingco accounts around May 8.

New Trier Junior Katie Rogers attended an all-expense-paid, three-week trip to Germany next summer as a recipient of the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG)/ Pädagogischer Austauschdienst (PAD) National German Exam Scholarship. Rogers was selected for the scholarship after scoring in the 90th percentile on the 2024 Level 3 National German Exam (NGE) for High School Students, which included over 15,000 participants nationwide.

To apply for the scholarship, Rogers submitted several short essays in German and English, was interviewed by a committee of secondary and post-secondary German teachers and professors, and completed the Avant STAMP 4S Language Proficiency Test to demonstrate her expertise.

Rogers is among 44 outstanding German students from across the United States who attended the trip during the summer of 2024. The trip includes round‐trip air transportation to Germany, a homestay with a host family, and excursions to places of cultural and historical significance. Now in its 64th year, the scholarship program is made possible through a Federal Republic of Germany grant.

“Katie is an incredibly caring and kind student with high social-emotional intelligence,” said Venera Stabinsky, her current New Trier German teacher. “She is one of the many shining beacons at New Trier.”

Her former German teacher Katja Steen agrees, noting Rogers’ reputation for going above and beyond, consistently pushing her limits, challenging herself, and wanting to learn and constantly improve.

auf Instagram @noilaatg

Website: https://sites.google.com/site/noilaatg/
Facebook: facebook.com/NorthernIllinoisAATG
Twitter: @NoIlAATG

President: Antje Perrin antje.perrin@lz95.org

Vice President: Colin Benert cbenert@uchicago.edu

Secretary: Janet Stock jstock@lths.org

Treasurer: Karina Duncker Hoffman karina.e.hoffmann@gmail.com

Past President: Kim Jaeger kjaeger@harpercollege.edu

Fundraising Chair: Anna Hog ahog@sd308.org

Testing & Awards Chair: Kathy Betterman kbetter@aol.com and Matt Harring mharring@psd202.org

Membership Chair: Rob Ryder rob.ryder@northwestern.edu

Webmaster: Thea Roessler troessler@y115.org

Program Chairs: Cherie Lodl clodl@hinsdale86.org and Danielle Katz danielle.katz@chsd117.org

Social Media Chairs: Ingrid Zeller izeller@northwestern.edu