Strengthening and promoting Low German in Lower Saxony’s schools – this is the aim of a professional development programme developed by the Lower Saxony State School Authority in collaboration with the Low German and Sater Frisian department at the Institute for German Studies at the University of Oldenburg, and implemented by the Lower Saxony State Institute for School Quality Development (NLQ).
‘Low German in Primary Schools’ is aimed at primary school teachers. It begins on 1 December 2014. Those interested can register online with the NLQ.
With the decree ‘The Region and its Languages in the Classroom’, the Lower Saxony Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs committed itself in August 2011 to strengthening Low German in schools. The further education programme reflects this: speakers from academia and the field equip primary school teachers with the skills to use Low German in the classroom. On the one hand, the programme focuses on the acquisition of Low German in the context of early multilingualism; on the other, it emphasises supporting language acquisition through both curricular and extracurricular activities. As Low German is not a separate school subject, the further education programme highlights ways in which language acquisition can take place within the context of other subjects – for example, in General Studies or through a theatre club.
The further education programme comprises three key areas: the first focuses on language practice and gives teachers the opportunity to acquire Low German, both spoken and written. The second deals with the language system, the regional variants and historical developments of the Low German language, as well as its social functions, and provides insights into Low German literature. The third focus area deals with questions of didactics and methodology.
The further education programme lasts four weeks, spread over two school years, and concludes with a certificate from the NLQ. Further education programmes on Sater Frisian, as well as for secondary schools, are currently being planned.