Shout out for German! (17-21 March) has been a week of celebrating German and special opportunities for schools and pupils to access resources, events and support. There is ongoing support for German, so read on to find more about this, how we are supporting German language learning and teaching and links with Germany in Newcastle, activities available as part of the Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages, as well as resources and support available from the national GIMAGINE programme.
The Goethe-Institut UK, the German Embassy in London and the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) invite schools to get involved in a series of fun, innovative and didactic activities designed to promote German learning.
Click here to find out more about the resources and activities for primary and secondary schools, which include:
- Free creative resources, fully prepared lessons with lesson plans to help schools organise workshops and activities, digital resources and starter kits to set up a German Club with, Culture Days and Language Taster Sessions
- Teachers will have the opportunity to invite a Young Goethe Ambassador or German Expert Mentor (GEM) directly to their school.
- Schools can join a virtual Business Lunch, for a virtual music workshop, a special German Day for A-level or host one of the Travel Exhibitions.
German and our links with Germany are important in Newcastle and the North East and there are a lot of opportunities for schools to celebrate and support German language speaking, teaching, learning and links:
- Newcastle schools can benefit from a new pilot scheme to offer German language to pupils and get links with a partner school in Germany.
- There are great opportunities to celebrate and enjoy German during the Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages to the end of March.
We are supporting a new pilot scheme for Newcastle schools with the Goethe Institut London to provide opportunities for pupils to learn German where there is little or no access currently and to provide professional development for teachers. Schools should contact sarah.edgar@newcastle.gov.uk to join the scheme which:
- Provides lesson coverage and cost support by providing a German Expert Mentor (GEM) Teacher to teach German classes. Costs are fully covered by the GIMAGINE project
- Upskilling educators: Teachers can benefit from additional training and shadow the lessons, with hands-on experience to empower them to take on teaching classes
We support schools in Newcastle to establish school partnerships in Gelsenkirchen, our German twin city since 1948. Schools do not need to teach German to establish a link, but language support and resources can be provided. We can also help schools access funding for staff and pupil exchanges.
Simply download the Gelsenkirchen partnership form here, complete it and return it to: sarah.edgar@newcastle.gov.uk to start the process. We will work with the administration in Gelsenkirchen to find an appropriate partner.
Click here to find out more about our education partnership with Gelsenkirchen
You can celebrate German throughout March with Express Yourself: North East Festival of Languages.
There are a wide range of creative projects and activities that feature German: art, music, writing, poetry, taster sessions, challenges and more, as well as online and in person events in March.
Click here for the full range of activities you can explore with German and follow the links below for some special opportunities that still have places available.
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.
Click here for a summary of resources and support available in 2025 or read on
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.
- Follow on social media: Instagram | Facebook | X | LinkedIn | Threads | Youtube | Spotify
- 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