Whether it’s German hiphop music, language games or Kalle the puppet who only speaks German, when the DeutschMobil language tutors arrive in French classrooms, children and teenagers from primary school to collège (middle school) can expect an interactive lesson that playfully seeks to arouse their interest in German as a foreign language and the culture of the neighbouring country. Wherever the DeutschMobil team visits schools on behalf of the Federation of Franco-German Houses and the Robert Bosch Foundation, it arrives with a boot full of information and games. It is a lively approach that communicates a vibrant image of Germany – and has kindled greater interest in the German language. After all, in the past young people in France – Germany’s closest partner country in the EU – did not show very much enthusiasm for the German language. The DeutschMobil project thus supports the measures of the two governments, which decided to promote the respective partner language in 2003 on the 40th anniversary of the Elysée Treaty.
Aix-en-Provence, Bordeaux, Caen, Dijon, Lyon, Montpellier, Nancy, Nantes, Paris and Toulouse: 10 DeutschMobil minibuses are now driving through France, which means they can reach all regions of the country. Since 2001 the young language teachers from Germany have not only travelled more than 800,000 kilometres in their minibuses, but also visited some 6,500 schools and met more than 400,000 students. The results are very positive: the number of students who learn German as their first foreign language increases by an average of 25% in the schools visited by the language ambassadors. Where German is offered as a second foreign language this figure rises to 50%. Since 2002 DeutschMobil has a counterpart on the other side of the Rhine: FranceMobil demonstrates that learning the partner language is not a one-way street for Germany and France. And the next generation of tutors is already preparing to take the wheel of the initiative, which has won many awards. Gute Fahrt! Bonne route!
www.deutschmobil.fr
