German to go – on the road and at home
Learning is becoming digital in the time of Corona. With Deutsche Welle's online offer it is not only easy but also entertaining to learn German at home. There is something for every language level!
The Corona pandemic is forcing people in many places to stay within their own four walls. Even regular language lessons at schools and universities are being canceled or are moving to the internet. Anyone who wants to learn or teach German will find a variety of formats for every level in DW's online offerings. In order to orientate yourself more easily, here is a brief overview:
Nicos Weg – An e-learning course for beginners and advanced learners
The mobile self-study course leads to solid German language skills - step by step from A1 to B1. A placement test helps you to assess your own German language skills so you can start at the right place. Each lesson in the Nicos Weg course begins with a video. The users accompany Nico in his everyday life, experience the challenges of his new home with him and of course learn a lot of German. The mobile course is suitable for use on tablets and smartphones. It is available in English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Polish, Arabic and Persian.
Deutsch Aktuell – Learn German with the news
Anyone who wants to be informed about world events in German can do so with the slowly spoken news every day. Twice a week, Top-Thema provides simplified articles with vocabulary explanations and exercises for learners from level B1 upwards. For users from level B2 upwards, there is the Video-Thema every Wednesday, an authentic television report with an exact transcript and a variety of companion exercises. In this way you stay well-informed about politics, culture, science and business and learn German in a practical way.
Deutsch im Fokus – Special features of the German language
Even advanced learners can improve their language skills even further. The Wort der Woche explains a curious term every Monday. You’ll learn, for example, that a “Hamsterkauf” is not the literal buying of a pet hamster but rather an idiom meaning to stock up. If you want to know what it means to bring everything under one roof, you'll find what you're looking for in "Das sagt man so!” The format explains numerous proverbs and idioms in a clean and concise manner. Sprachbar takes a playful approach to different lexical fields. The reported Alltagsdeutsch stories let people have their say and convey colloquial German from real life.
Regional studies – Classic and modern
Are the Germans really as punctual as they’re made out to be? Does every German have an expensive car? In their search for answers, Nina and David from Deutschlandlabor interview experts and people on the street. This offer is suitable for learners beginning from level A2. If you are looking for an adventure in the social-cultural aspects of the country, Ticket nach Berlin is the right choice for you. Six young learners of German compete in two teams and master exciting challenges on their respective routes through Germany. From thrifty Swabians to Rhenish chatterboxes – the Dialektatlas presents the country and its people, language and idiosyncrasies from the various German regions. With the Stadtbilder format you can get to know some of the most beautiful and interesting cities in Germany.
DW in the classroom – Offers for teachers
Have you now found yourself having to teach German online? Or are you looking for up-to-date and entertaining content for your lessons? Why not use our materials! Texts, audios and videos are available to download for free. In our section, DW im Unterricht, there are numerous ideas and ready-to-use worksheets. We even provide complete series of lessons on a variety of topics. Whether dates, news, reports or background information: In the section Deutschlehrer-Info, you will find interesting things to know about teaching German.