Germany encourages language classes for parents
07/09/2009 | 11:12 PM
BERLIN — Germany has taken a new tack in its campaign to increase German language skills among immigrant children by inviting their parents into the classroom for courses of their own.
Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble kicked off the campaign on Thursday in the gym of an elementary school in Berlin's heavily Turkish immigrant neighborhood of Kreuzberg.
"In order for children to be successful in Germany, their parents have to understand German, too," Schaeuble told a group of children and their parents. "Poor language comprehension can make it often impossible for parents to function in the school system."
The German government designated €174 million ($243 million) of its 2009 budget for publically-funded language courses, including those aimed at parents. The move comes in response to a series of studies that show children of immigrants are less likely to graduate than their ethnically German peers.
According to government statistics, some 16 percent of all immigrant children do not finish school, as compared with 7.3 percent of all ethnically German pupils — a problem experts attribute in large part to insufficient language skills.
The 900-hour "parent integration course" will be held in classrooms of schools around Germany. 45 additional hours of instruction on democracy, politics, culture and German history are also offered. Depending on the parents' immigration status, the courses are either free or cost €1 per hour. Parents who complete the course successfully are entitled to a 50 percent rebate.
"Children learn better when they learn the language. When Mom and Dad learn it, too, they learn infinitely better," said Schaeuble.
Already, some parents said they have found similar state-sponsored courses helpful.
Fatmah Apaydin, who immigrated to Berlin 15 years ago from the northeastern Turkish city of Trabzon, has an 11-year-old son at the school.
"I wanted to communicate with my son about his schoolwork," she said. "And it makes me feel better to be able to understand what's going on when I take my him to the pediatrician. I can communicate better." - AP
Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble kicked off the campaign on Thursday in the gym of an elementary school in Berlin's heavily Turkish immigrant neighborhood of Kreuzberg.
"In order for children to be successful in Germany, their parents have to understand German, too," Schaeuble told a group of children and their parents. "Poor language comprehension can make it often impossible for parents to function in the school system."
The German government designated €174 million ($243 million) of its 2009 budget for publically-funded language courses, including those aimed at parents. The move comes in response to a series of studies that show children of immigrants are less likely to graduate than their ethnically German peers.
According to government statistics, some 16 percent of all immigrant children do not finish school, as compared with 7.3 percent of all ethnically German pupils — a problem experts attribute in large part to insufficient language skills.
The 900-hour "parent integration course" will be held in classrooms of schools around Germany. 45 additional hours of instruction on democracy, politics, culture and German history are also offered. Depending on the parents' immigration status, the courses are either free or cost €1 per hour. Parents who complete the course successfully are entitled to a 50 percent rebate.
"Children learn better when they learn the language. When Mom and Dad learn it, too, they learn infinitely better," said Schaeuble.
Already, some parents said they have found similar state-sponsored courses helpful.
Fatmah Apaydin, who immigrated to Berlin 15 years ago from the northeastern Turkish city of Trabzon, has an 11-year-old son at the school.
"I wanted to communicate with my son about his schoolwork," she said. "And it makes me feel better to be able to understand what's going on when I take my him to the pediatrician. I can communicate better." - AP
