German skills improved

During the autumn holidays my two classmates Taiyang, Tianyong and I read intensively "Ware Liebe" by Christoph Beck, "Vor dem Gesetz" by Franz Kafka and "Der Filialleiter" by Thomas Hürlimann under the guidance of Mrs. Maurer, Dr. Jasny and Mrs. Ziehm. After we had analysed these texts together in detail step by step, each student wrote three analyses and improved their own essays after the teachers had corrected them in detail.

In addition to preparing for German lessons in the next epoch, we also listened to programmes on the Tagesschau and discussed them together, which enabled us to improve our listening and speaking skills and keep up to date with the latest news. The daily repetition and consolidation of grammatical structures also made me realise how important practice is and what the saying "Übung macht den Meister" means.

I am very happy to have had such an opportunity to improve my German during the autumn holidays. Autumn is the harvest time, but I prefer to plough rather than harvest. I am very grateful that there are three nice, patient teachers who helped us.

Yiqing Chen, Abi 1

At home in Salem

Going home on holiday, hugging loved ones, meeting old friends, speaking your own language and eating delicacies from home. I think that's what most of us long for. However, due to the Corona pandemic, this has long been impossible for many of the students at our school. Some of them have not been able to travel home for a year.

During the autumn holidays I met three impressive young people who found their way to deal with this situation. Sunny, Jojo and Tianyong registered for the autumn academy in order to make good use of the holiday period. Instead of thinking of homesickness, they were motivated to face the challenges of the German language.

In room DK 012, people not only worked in a concentrated manner, but also laughed light-heartedly. In the Salem community the three young people found a way to make the best of the situation. Instead of being alone in the evening, they cook together with like-minded people from their homeland, sit around a table and exchange ideas.

That impressed me very much!

Edda Ziehm, Teacher of German as a foreign language and IB German B