German curriculum

[sixglides]

We're looking for German for high school credit.

I'd like to hear, in more detail, how the OSU distance program works. We do not have any cc nearby.

If anyone has other options that worked well, we're all ears!

[Karin]

Dd is combining Rosetta Stone with German is Fun I & II since we already had RS and this was cheaper for us. She's just finished RS 1 and is about to start RS II (but she started RS before this year.) I'm not yet sure what we're going to do next year.

[Annie G]

Dd loves the OSU German Online. The lessons are laid out so each day she knows what she needs to do. She accesses the lessons online, completes the worksheets, takes quizzes and tests, and (here's what I really like) - gets to talk to an instructor!! When she takes tests, there is an oral portion so she calls in to do that. Additionally, she has a weekly time slot to call in and go over what she's been doing and spend a bit of time conversing with the instructor.
It's been a good program for her, and if she's ever needed any help, it's just a phone call away. Our two oldest girls took several years of German at our local high school, made A's, and didn't learn as much German as dd has learned in two years of OSU's German Online. That's more an indictment of our local school, but it's a reason that we're sticking with OSU.
It's pricey, but has been a good value for our family.

[OLG]

Our son did OSU German 1-5 and it was an excellent program. German 1 and 2 are extremely well developed and structured plus the phone portion truly does help the student with not only conversation but grammar. German 3 and 4 are less text-bookish and loads of fun (G 1 and 2 were fun too just in a more structured way) and provides an opportunity to student teach if you can arrange it locally. But if not they have great projects instead.

I can't say enough good things about this program! The director is one fabulous lady and very involved in German language education.

Mary

[Karin]

Our son did OSU German 1-5 and it was an excellent program. German 1 and 2 are extremely well developed and structured plus the phone portion truly does help the student with not only conversation but grammar. German 3 and 4 are less text-bookish and loads of fun (G 1 and 2 were fun too just in a more structured way) and provides an opportunity to student teach if you can arrange it locally. But if not they have great projects instead.

I can't say enough good things about this program! The director is one fabulous lady and very involved in German language education.

Mary


Is there a placement test for those who have already had some German? No one around here offers German (but lots of Portuguese & Spanish) and we're going to need to bite the bullet and start spending now.

[OLG]

Is there a placement test for those who have already had some German? No one around here offers German (but lots of Portuguese & Spanish) and we're going to need to bite the bullet and start spending now.

Call and ask at OSU. Since we started at G1 with them I can't answer that question but am sure they would.

[sixglides]

Can you give me a close estimate to the cost per semester for OSU? I didn't spend a long time, but couldn't find it. Does the credit count for high school AND for college?

[Laura in VA]

My son has taken German from The Potters School. We were very pleased with the instructor and class. I have heard nothing but good things about the OSU program, too. :)

[Liza Q]

Dd loves the OSU German Online. The lessons are laid out so each day she knows what she needs to do. She accesses the lessons online, completes the worksheets, takes quizzes and tests, and (here's what I really like) - gets to talk to an instructor!! When she takes tests, there is an oral portion so she calls in to do that. Additionally, she has a weekly time slot to call in and go over what she's been doing and spend a bit of time conversing with the instructor.
It's been a good program for her, and if she's ever needed any help, it's just a phone call away.

:iagree:

[Annie G]

The OSU cost is $389 per year long course. We think it's a good value but some folks are quite shocked when they hear the price.

[Karin]

The OSU cost is $389 per year long course. We think it's a good value but some folks are quite shocked when they hear the price.


It's a lot cheaper than a tutor would be, and when you think about it, it's only about $39 per month. However, it is a big jump when you've gone from buying only books. We paid a lot for Rosetta Stone and it's been great, but it's no longer enough. Time to save our pennies. I'll look into OSU & Potters school, but I want dd to be able to start with German II so she can get 3-4 years in. I'd like the option of 4 years, just in case the college she chooses wants 4 years of a foreign language even for science/math majors.

My next question is, what does OSU stand for? Is there a link? I don't mind googling if it's inconvenient to put in a link, but it would help to have the full name.

[Kareni]

My next question is, what does OSU stand for? Is there a link? I don't mind googling if it's inconvenient to put in a link, but it would help to have the full name.


It's German Online (http://germanonline.okstate.edu/) at Oklahoma State University.

Regards,
Kareni

[OLG]

I want dd to be able to start with German II so she can get 3-4 years in. I'd like the option of 4 years, just in case the college she chooses wants 4 years of a foreign language even for science/math majors.

Just fyi..a student can do more than one year during the course of 12 months - we did! We took a semester each for G 3 and G4.

Mary

[Karin]

It's German Online (http://germanonline.okstate.edu/) at Oklahoma State University.

Regards,
Kareni


Thanks! I've already emailed them a question to see if there is any way to start with Level 2.

Just fyi..a student can do more than one year during the course of 12 months - we did! We took a semester each for G 3 and G4.

Mary
Thanks. My problem with that is it would cost twice as much in one year, even if it is worth it, although I'll keep that as an option because she could double up later on, not next year. I'm also going to check out the Potter school since dh likes me to shop around, and I'm inclined to agree before putting out that kind of money.

[sixglides]

Does anyone know if it would count for college credit also?

[OLG]

Does anyone know if it would count for college credit also?

My understanding is that it doesn't which is why they also offer an AP German course...They do not issue a transcript for these courses.

But, the student will be well prepared to take the college placement exam which frequently serves as completion of a foreign language requirement if the kiddo does well.

Mary

[sixglides]

THANK YOU!

[Mrs Mungo]

How does the conversational piece of these language courses work? Is it non-existent?

[KJB]

The OP only requested that German should be part of the curriculum. He/She did not specify a bilingual program or whether the school has to be public or private. I personally don't know of an elementary school that includes German in their curriculum. There is a magnet type of NYC public school in Brooklyn which included Arabic in their curriculum and I think there is another which includes Chinese. I don't think these are really bilingual programs. German used to be considered a standard foreign language to be taught on the secondary level, along with French, Italian, and Spanish, but many schools have stopped offering it.

There are German immersion elementary schools out there if you live in the right place. Two I know of are:

http://www.rilkeschule.org/


and

http://www2.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/german_imm/

[KJB]

They can conduct the conversational part in a couple of ways. One way is online with a microphone and another is via a telephone call. I think TPS is through the internet and I was reading somewhere that OSU is via a weekly telephone call, but I'm not sure.

They definitely *have* a conversational portion though. It's not left out just because it's a distance class.

[Karin]

They can conduct the conversational part in a couple of ways. One way is online with a microphone and another is via a telephone call. I think TPS is through the internet and I was reading somewhere that OSU is via a weekly telephone call, but I'm not sure.

They definitely *have* a conversational portion though. It's not left out just because it's a distance class.


Thanks. Now they simply have to answer my email query and I'll start saving my pennies (and nickels, dimes, quarters... ;)).

[Laura in CA]

Thanks. Now they simply have to answer my email query and I'll start saving my pennies (and nickels, dimes, quarters... ;)).

You might want to try emailing again if you don't hear, or just call -- they're very receptive and helpful, but a bit swamped, I think. (This past year they had to close registration in September because of too much demand.)

As for conversation, you call a toll-free number (or Skype -- this is what we do) once a week and chat for about 20 minutes. You talk with whoever's in the office right then -- students and (occasionally) Sabine herself, the creator of the program. They go over the last week's worksheets & make sure you understand everything. As my kids progress, more and more of this is in German. At about the halfway point in German 1, there is also an oral part to every chapter test, so you call for that, too. You can always hear, in the background, other calls. I have no idea how they deal with large classes! I imagine they break them down into smaller groups. Anyway for us it's been great.

Since we do Skype, my kids see & hear the person at OSU, and they see & hear my kids. Occasionally they'll even ask my kids to hold a worksheet up to the web-cam (if it's a visual exercise).

(I'm assuming we're talking about OSU German, by the way ;-)

~Laura

[Liza Q]

Since we do Skype, my kids see & hear the person at OSU, and they see & hear my kids. Occasionally they'll even ask my kids to hold a worksheet up to the web-cam (if it's a visual exercise).



!!!!! Wow - this would be even better than the phone call! Oh, I am going to check this out. Thanks so much for mentioning this!!

[Karin]

You might want to try emailing again if you don't hear, or just call -- they're very receptive and helpful, but a bit swamped, I think. (This past year they had to close registration in September because of too much demand.)

As for conversation, you call a toll-free number (or Skype -- this is what we do) once a week and chat for about 20 minutes. You talk with whoever's in the office right then -- students and (occasionally) Sabine herself, the creator of the program. They go over the last week's worksheets & make sure you understand everything. As my kids progress, more and more of this is in German. At about the halfway point in German 1, there is also an oral part to every chapter test, so you call for that, too. You can always hear, in the background, other calls. I have no idea how they deal with large classes! I imagine they break them down into smaller groups. Anyway for us it's been great.

Since we do Skype, my kids see & hear the person at OSU, and they see & hear my kids. Occasionally they'll even ask my kids to hold a worksheet up to the web-cam (if it's a visual exercise).

(I'm assuming we're talking about OSU German, by the way ;-)

~Laura


Thanks. This might be tough, since academically she'll be ready for German 2, but conversationally she's behind since we haven't been doing much of that yet. Too bad my dad is getting rusty (German is his first language, but all of his German speaking friends live in Germany or have passed away now since they were older than him and he's 77.) Still, now that he has new hearing aids, perhaps they can do something by phone over the summer since we have unlimited calling to the contiguous states Canada & Puerto Rico.