German is one of the most in demand languages for UK business, but has declined in terms of it being taught and learned in schools in the North East. We are supporting the national effort to inspire schools to provide opportunities for pupils to learn German.
Provided below are links to a wide range of in-person and online events and activities in the Festival programme, where German is the main feature or can be your focus of participation. There are also language competitions and celebrations involving German.
At the end of the page, you can find support for German language learning and teaching that are available from the Goethe Institute, including German Culture Days resources for primary and secondary.
German related events and activities in the Festival Programme
Munich Supercrew schools’ workshop and concert (KS3-5) 10.00-12.00 on 20th January
NE schools KS3-5 Join in this exciting workshop and high energy concert with Munich Supercrew, the energetic German band making learning German a blast! With teaching resources and CPD.
Karneval Mask Competition for NE/UK schools (KS2-4) 6th January to 6th March
For NE/UK schools (KS2-4): Pupils will celebrate Germany’s most colourful and joyful festival and design their own Karneval mask. Resources provided. NE/UK winners in each key stage.
Wuschel online primary German sessions (KS1-2) 9.30-10.15am on 9th and 16th March
For UK schools KS1-2: Join Wuschel the friendly alien for fun-filled live sessions, with catchy songs, challenges and games, linked to ‘Wuschel auf der Erde’, illustrated by Axel Scheffler.
Fun with Felix and Franzi (KS1-2) lessons with German Available 6 Jan-31 March
UK schools KS1-2: Puppets Felix and Franzi engage children in singing songs, completing challenges and playing games in German. With teaching resources and lessons. No knowledge of German needed.
Y12 French, German, Spanish interactive language activities 2-4pm on 18th March in Newcastle
For NE schools Year 12 French, German, Spanish: Join in oral practice, listening comprehension tasks, introductory interpreting taster tasks and meet University language students sharing experiences of their year abroad.
Language Student Immersion at Durham University (KS5) Flexible dates 12th January to 6th March
For North East KS5 language learners: Half-day programmes for 2 pupils per visit, who will meet language students and do task-based activities in languages they study or take at degree level.
Language and culture sessions (Careers with Languages option) Flexible dates Feb-March
For NE KS2-KS5 pupils (7-18): 30-45 min online or 2-hour in-person sessions (with an option for a Careers with Languages session) at Newcastle University Language Resource Centre
Live events in where German can feature
Modern Languages in the Working World webinar with Sanako UK 9.30-10.15am on 2nd March
NE & UK schools Y8-Y9: Join David Binns for an inspirational careers talk for students, stressing the importance of a second language skill in any chosen career and encouraging GCSE take-up.
Languages and careers in football webinar with Pierce Kiembi, Futbol Lingo( KS2-5) 10.30-11.15am on 6th March
NE & UK schools (KS2-5): Join Futbol Lingo’s motivational webinar, using football to inspire a generation of future linguists and open perspectives on the range of careers in football.
Creative multilingualism (KS4) 12.30-3pm on 19th March at Newcastle University
For NE schools Year 10-11 pupils: An interactive workshop for pupils using languages they speak (to whatever level) to gain confidence in expressing multilingualism creatively, with translation, creative writing and language-learning.
Multilingual Poetry Slam (KS3-5) 9.30am-3pm on 27th March at Newcastle Civic Centre
NE and Tees Valley schools (KS3-5): Join Michaël Vidon and a team of Spoken Word Artists to experience a day of multilingual poetry. Pupils will create and perform group poems in multiple languages.
Languages and careers in football (KS3-5) 9.30-12, 1-3.30pm on 31st March at Northumbria University
NE schools (KS3-5): Inspiring workshops to encourage pupils to progress with languages. Football themed motivational talk, practical and fun classroom language and footballing activities
Where can languages take me? Careers webinar 9.00-9.45am on 26th March
NE & UK schools Year 8-9: Inspire pupils to choose languages at GCSE with professionals sharing their language learning journeys, skills and how they use languages in their work.
Language Treasures at GNM 10am-2pm 4th March; self-guided activities all March
For NE schools (KS2-3): Book hands-on workshops exploring galleries through a linguistic lens and connecting across cultures or use teacher-led resourced activities throughout March.
Classroom activities with teaching resources (6th January to 31st March)
North East language and careers videos and classroom activities Available 6 Jan-31 March
For KS2-5 pupils in North East schools: A series of 2-5 minute videos with North East young professionals (with pupil booklets) to inspire pupils to progress with languages and understand the opportunities available when you speak more than one language.
Ursa Lingua’s Castle Quest Escape Room Adventure Available 6 Jan-31 Mar
For KS2 7-11 years, UK schools: Help polar bear, Ursa Lingua, escape the castle using the power of languages and the magic of teamwork! An exciting language adventure with interactive resources.
Sing, sign and play the Festival Song: Love is the Only River 6th January to 31st March
North East schools and groups (ages 7-18) are invited to sign, sign, play, perform and film different language versions of the song: ‘Love is the only river’. Compilation video of performances will be shared.
Together we fly! World Friendship origami project 6th January to 31st March
North East schools, community schools, schools internationally (ages 5-18). Children and young people will create colourful origami butterflies with messages of friendship and be part of our public art exhibition.
Mother Tongue Other Tongue poetic writing project 6th January to 31st March 2025
North East schools (ages 7-18). Children and young people share poems and drawings in their home language or write an original piece of poetry in a language they are learning. Compilation in a digital anthology.
Language Calligrams Celebration and workshop activity 6th January to 31st March
NE schools (7-9 and 9-11 year olds): Create calligrams in any language (other than English) based on words children already know. School certificates for all and ebook with selected entries.
World Recipe Book: exploring food and cultural heritage 6th Jan to 31st March
NE schools, youth and community groups: Share recipes in languages (other than English) and why these are important to different cultures. Digital recipe book will include selected entries.
UK competitions and celebrations
German Week 19-24 January UK primary and secondary schools
UK schools can take part in a week long celebration of German language and culture. Age-appropriate resources, events and activities available to registered primary and secondary schools.
Anthea Bell Prize for Young Translators (deadline 27 Mar)
UK schools register to access creative translation teaching resources in French, German, Italian, Mandarin, Russian and Spanish. Competition tasks released 2 Feb, deadline 27 Mar.
Celebrate Speaking! UK schools 1st-28th February 2025
UK schools: Practice and celebrate a language your students learn or use in their community and take part in the virtual festival of speaking in by sharing performances online.
Multilingual Verses Entries open with various deadlines to 2027
UK schools: Share your children’s multilingual texts, verses and nursery rhymes and encourage family involvement and intergenerational learning. Entries and resources are shared.
Resources and support available from the Goethe Institut
The Goethe Institut provides a wide range of education resources and support for the teaching and learning of German.
German Cultural Days resources
These Cultural Days materials are aimed at teachers and their primary and secondary students and are designed for Key Stage 2 to 5. They are offered in Spanish, French and German and tailored to different Key Stages. They include, for each language:
- Language taster sessions for primary and secondary levels in French, Spanish and German offering a first glimpse of each language. These can be run by language teachers or teachers/students with intermediate/advanced knowledge of the language. Each taster session contains a Powerpoint presentation, Teacher’s Lesson plan and worksheets.
- Cultural exploration/performance sessions offering an insight into German culture and prompts for a final student performance (e.g. a song or poem in a foreign language) or presentation (e.g. artwork, history). Sessions cover topics such as sports, arts, music, history, food and many more. Each cultural exploration/performance session contains a Powerpoint presentation, Teacher’s Lesson plan and worksheets.
- Language and culture quiz with ideas and tips for a language exchange: Designed for secondary schools, the quiz takes students through French, Spanish and German speaking regions and cultures and offers a fun and engaging opportunity to compete against peers, learn about other cultures and win some prizes. Additionally, our ideas for a language exchange go beyond French, Spanish and German and encourage students to engage with the diverse range of languages they are surrounded by.
Each resource is accompanied by a detailed teaching guide for the teacher, as well as more ideas and tips to create a memorable, fun and creative celebration that addresses language and cultural aspects for the entire educational community. You do not need to be a language teacher to lead the sessions. The material is also aimed at the A1 level of each language. KS5 students can even be encouraged to lead the “Cultural Days” sessions.
The resources have been designed in partnership by the Spanish Embassy Education Office, National Consortium for Language Education, Goethe Institut and the Institute français.
GIMAGINE
GIMAGINE promotes and supports the learning of German as a foreign language in the UK. The project centres around students, teachers and schools. Apart from offering initiatives for professional advancement to German teachers, the project can fund learning German through scholarships and provides schools with classroom materials and teaching resources. It is part of the DfE funded National Consortium for Languages Education initiative to re-energise language learning in state primary and secondary schools in England.
- Click here to visit the GIMAGINE web pages on Goethe Institut’s website
- Click here for all GIMAGINE events, activities and resources, including:
- GIMAGINE Award for Young German Learners (14-18 years old)
- Interactive German Club Starter Kits with handbooks, gamified learning challenges, badges and awards – no prior knowledge of German is required for students or teachers. Professional training and incentive trips are available for teachers and heads who start clubs and Goethe Institut will help set up the club in your school
- Motivational workshops for schools
- German Days at Goethe Institut
- Young Goethe Scheme, bringing A Level students into the primary and secondary classroom to motivate younger students
- Enterprise German Competition for secondaries and universities
- German Career Roadshows
- German Debating Competition for secondary schools
- Language assistants to help in the classroom
- German Expert Mentors (GEM) Network
- Click here to join the mailing list (choose Goethe Institut London and Newsletter for Teachers) and receive regular updates on opportunities
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