German "Talkfest" Camp 2018

By Elaine Kelly | Posted: Thursday May 10, 2018

Senior students of German have attended a very successful camp this week out at Tirohanga.

This is a Dunedin wide initiative whereby students of German from Dunedin schools get together on a 2 day camp, speaking German the whole time and undertaking a range of academic and fun activities to further their confidence and ability in the spoken language. A number of native speaker teachers attend too. 

This was complete immersion in the German language where the boys took part in a wide range of activities from warm up games to facilitate the students from different schools getting to know each other, to a German quiz, a cake competition, a German film evening and a treasure hunt. Students also recorded conversations which can count towards their Internal Assessment.

By the end of the camp all students reported that they had made some new friends and grown in confidence in speaking spontaneously in German. The camp really helped students form a greater support network for their studies. 

Also present at the camp was the National Advisor in German from the Goethe Institut, Heike Papenthen who has invited Sam Thompson and Kelvin Weston in Year 12 for an interview. These interviews form part of a competitive process to win all expenses paid scholarships to Germany. Interviewees who are successful will be invited to participate in the final National German Olympiad in Wellington later in the year.