Book a GEM

Our GEMs are experienced and successful German educators who are passionate about teaching and learning German in the U.S. GEMs work with colleagues, administrators, and the community in order to promote programs, projects and events that support German education in the U.S.

Our GEMs

Professional development
Knowledge management
Networking

GEMs offer customized workshops and professional training to strengthen existing programs and to build new capacity so that all students who wish to learn German and connect with the German-speaking world have access to high quality language education in German.

All workshops are offered free of charge to you and your group. Please get in touch with Jasmin Root-Joswig at jasmin.root-joswig@goethe.de for more information. If you would like to invite a GEM for your event to give one of the workshops listed below, please click on the button below.
Book a GEM

Workshops calendar
Our GEMs offer virtual and in-person workshops at regional and state teacher conferences, AATG chapter meetings and as part of other professional development events. See if there is an upcoming workshop near you!
Events calendar

Workshop topics

Creating learner-centered curricula

Our GEMs share resources to facilitate curriculum design that corresponds to current standards (incl. the ACTFL World Readiness Standards for Learning Languages and Common Core State Standards), attracts new students, and incorporates innovative teaching approaches and pedagogies.

This workshop is customizable and can be offered in German or English.
Please get in touch with Jasmin Root-Joswig at jasmin.root-joswig@goethe.de for more information. To book this workshop, please fill out the booking form.

Success with virtual learning

Our GEMs share their approaches to virtual instruction in the German classroom. This workshop focuses on student and teacher motivation in order to create an interactive and inclusive learning space. GEMs suggest age-appropriate learning platforms and resources to ensure that students have access to authentic materials that facilitate language learning at all levels.

Upgrade and refresh!

Our GEMs share innovative instructional materials that have been used successfully in German classrooms to achieve the goal of differentiated learner-centered instruction that engages learners through all modalities and at all skill levels.

Best practices for lesson preparation

Save time without sacrificing quality! Teachers from all levels will learn a variety of strategies how to prepare classes and materials quicker and with equal efficiency and outcomes. You will go home with all tools necessary to cut your prep time in half and still ensure the high quality that your learners are used to and expect.

Workshop offered by:
Sara Lee, Melanie Mello
Target audience:
K-12 and college instructors
Duration:
Conceptualized as a 3-hour interactive workshop, which is also doable in a 90-minute format; virtually or in person.
Format:
Virtually or in-person

Please get in touch with Jasmin Root-Joswig at jasmin.root-joswig@goethe.de for more information. To book this workshop, please fill out the booking form.

AATG and Goethe-Institut programs: How do I implement them?

Participants get to know some of the projects and pedagogical materials by AATG and the Goethe-Institut and how to adapt them for their specific classroom, teaching level, and topic.

Workshop offered by:
Ute Hoefel, Cindi Hodgdon
Target audience:
K-12 instructors
Duration:
Flexible
Format:
Virtually or in-person

Please get in touch with Jasmin Root-Joswig at jasmin.root-joswig@goethe.de for more information. To book this workshop, please fill out the booking form.

Digital Kinderuniversity

Introducing Kinderuniversity! We will show all the different aspects of this program, how you can adapt it for your own classroom, and how it can fit into the American teaching and learning standards.

Workshop offered by:
Melanie Mello, Ute Hoefel
Target audience:
Instructors for students age 8-12 years
Duration:
1-2 hours
Language:
German or English
Format:
Virtually or in-person

Please get in touch with Jasmin Root-Joswig at jasmin.root-joswig@goethe.de for more information. To book this workshop, please fill out the booking form.

Junioruni - STEM made simple!

Introducing JuniorUni! We will show all the different aspects of this new program, how you can adapt it for your own classroom, and how it can fit into the American teaching and learning standards.

Workshop offered by:
Cindi Hodgdon, Ute Hoefel, Heidi Lechner
Target audience:
Instructors of grades 9-12
Duration:
1-2 hours
Language:
German or English
Format:
Virtually or in-person

Please get in touch with Jasmin Root-Joswig at jasmin.root-joswig@goethe.de for more information. To book this workshop, please fill out the booking form.

Hans Hase for Preschool and Kindergarten

This workshop introduces the teaching materials Deutsch mit Hans Hase. The focus will be on the possible uses of this ready-made material and its implementation in preschool and kindergarten classes.

Workshop offered by:
Melanie Mello
Target audience:
Preschool and kindergarten instructors
Duration:
1-2 hours
Language:
German or English
Format:
Virtually or in-person

Please get in touch with Jasmin Root-Joswig at jasmin.root-joswig@goethe.de for more information. To book this workshop, please fill out the booking form.

Go green with German!

The workshop provides ideas and materials for project-oriented and interdisciplinary approaches of teaching German in connection with sustainability and ecocriticism for all language levels and age groups.

Workshop offered by:
Berit Jany, Cindi Hodgdon, Heidi Lechner
Target audience:
K-12 and college instructors
Duration:
2-4 hours
Format:
Virtually or in-person

Please get in touch with Jasmin Root-Joswig at jasmin.root-joswig@goethe.de for more information. To book this workshop, please fill out the booking form.

Study in Germany

This workshop supports teachers and faculty who would like to integrate the topic in their curriculum or who would like to share information with families who are interested about studying in Germany. The workshop outlines the different paths students can take to prepare for studying in Germany and describes programs that support students on their journey.

A version of the workshop for the target audience high school students and college/university students is also available upon request.

Workshop offered by:
Sara Lee, Melanie Mello, Ute Hoefel
Target audience:
K-12 and college instructors, High school students, college and university students
Duration:
1-2 Stunden
Format:
Virtually or in-person

Please get in touch with Jasmin Root-Joswig at jasmin.root-joswig@goethe.de for more information. To book this workshop, please fill out the booking form.

AATG grants for D-A-CH-L projects

Drawing on the cultural multiplicity of the D-A-CH-L area (Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Lichtenstein) helps learners to think about social diversity and raise awareness of different lifestyles and perspectives. Bring this diversity into your classroom!

This workshop offers ideas for including D-A-CH-L in the German language classroom and as extracurricular activities to reflect the contemporary situation in the German-speaking countries. It provides participants with D-A-CH-L topics, project-oriented learning, and appropriate funding opportunities to enrich and promote their German language programs in at K-16 levels. Participants will also learn about AATG grants and draft proposals for their grant applications.

Workshop offered by:
Berit Jany, Christine Connor
Target audience:
K-12, college, and immersion schools instructors
Duration:
2-3 hours
Format:
Virtually or in-person

Please get in touch with Jasmin Root-Joswig at jasmin.root-joswig@goethe.de for more information. To book this workshop, please fill out the booking form.

I want to speak! - Oral exams in German instruction

Although language learning today is primarily focused on speaking and communicating, exams are often still centered around writing. Learn how to effectively assess your students' speaking skills through tasks that reflect your teaching approach!

This is a two-workshop series. In the first workshop, the instructors share best practices for the development of oral tasks and the integration of oral exams in German courses. Participants have the opportunity to develop and adopt oral tasks and exams for their classrooms, using models and checklists. The second workshop provides space for reflection, exchange, and revision.

Workshop offered by:
Melanie Mello, Jasmin Root-Joswig
Target audience:
K-12 instructors
Duration:
2 workshops. The first is 3-4 hours, can also be conducted as a 2-part online workshop, 1.5 hours each part. The second workshop is 1 hour; conducted 1-2 months after the first workshop.
Format:
Virtually or in-person

Please get in touch with Jasmin Root-Joswig at jasmin.root-joswig@goethe.de for more information. To book this workshop, please fill out the booking form.

Mindfulness for teachers

This workshop provides an opportunity to destress. Being a teacher requires a diverse skill set. Because of the pandemic, new demands and expectations necessitated the learning of additional skills. Our GEMs will work with you and your group to share, explore, and reflect on our experiences as language educators, auf Deutsch or in English or both, during the pandemic.

Please get in touch with Jasmin Root-Joswig at jasmin.root-joswig@goethe.de for more information. To book this workshop, please fill out the booking form.

Celebrate German-style!

The workshop provides ideas and materials for teaching and learning about holidays and celebrations. Particular attention will be paid to the changes of the German-speaking countries and regions and to conversations on how to integrate holidays and celebrations into a skills-and culture-based curriculum.

Workshop offered by:
Jasmin Root-Joswig
Target audience:
K-12
Duration and format:
Virtual: 2-3 90-minute sessions
In-person: 3-5 hours

Please get in touch with Jasmin Root-Joswig at jasmin.root-joswig@goethe.de for more information. To book this workshop, please fill out the booking form.

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