ABOUT THE DONAUSCHULE
Established in 1993, the DonauSchule is an independent, non-profit school dedicated to teaching and preserving the language and culture of the German-speaking countries.
The school offers a family-oriented program of German language instruction that is held on Saturday mornings from September to May at The Paoli Presbyterian Church Campus School Rooms . (The school is located in Paoli, PA, a western suburb of Philadelphia.) The purpose of our program is to develop the beginnings of proficiency or to build upon prior language exposure as appropriate. Language is presented within cultural settings that compare the cultures of the German-speaking lands with the culture(s) the student knows.
Learning-appropriate methods and materials characterize our approach to language. Grundstufe (basic level) and Mittelstufe (mid-level) have a formal textbook program and assignments are encouraged. (Formal assessments, including AATG, American Assocation of Teachers of German, and ZDP, Zentrale Deutschprufung, are used as appropriate.) Most importantly, we strive to make learning German a lively and fun experience for the students. We do this with stories and by including humor, song and movement whenever possible. We also encourage family involvement by inviting families to participate in various ceremonies/celebrations that are held periodically during the year.