Whitewater High School German Program

Why learn German?

Warum soll ich Deutsch lernen?

Visit the German Consulate in Atlanta Website (click here)

We thank you for visiting our website and we hope you have found the information here useful for your continued study of the German language and Culture.  We hope you will consider making a donation to carry on this work so that others around the world can benefit from it as well.  Thank you in advance, Herr Wallace

Download Reasons to Study German document (Goethe Institute)

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Have you seen all the German Companies doing business in Georgia? Click here and find out who they are.

Why Study a Foreign Language?

            Now more than ever, Foreign Languages are an indispensable aspect of a student’s education.  Why should your child take a foreign language in High School?  Here are just a few things to consider.

            First, knowledge of a foreign language and culture increases a student’s employability in the real world.  In Georgia alone, there are thousands of multinational and foreign owned businesses who are hiring the students that are graduating from our school system.  Increasingly, as the job market tightens, these firms are seeking employees who have experience with another language and culture.  If you step beyond the borders of the United States, you will quickly realize how far behind in language learning we are as a nation.  It is without question, a matter of economic and national security. 

            Secondly, a growing number of colleges and universities in Georgia have a Foreign Language requirement.  The fact is a student who graduates High School without Foreign Language experience is at a disadvantage when it comes to being admitted to the college of their choice.  As the number of students applying for colleges in Georgia increases, those colleges can be more selective by raising their standards of admission.  A student who has two or more years of a Foreign Language stands a better chance of being selected.  This is especially true of our larger state Universities.

            Thirdly, as volumes of education research attest to, learning a second language improves the overall academic performance of High School students.  Foreign Language is inherently interdisciplinary in nature.  This means that in the Foreign Language classroom, Teachers have the flexibility of teaching all subjects, such as art, science, history and math.  Language communicates information and thereby reinforces the entire curriculum.  Through the lens of a Foreign Language, students gain a better understanding of the mechanics, syntax and grammar of their own language.  They attain a point of reference or comparison for their own language and culture.  It enables students to learn to think in a different way, not to mention other skills, such as critical thinking, map skills, geography, writing skills and numerous others.

            A fourth aspect of language learning that is often overlooked is the incredible amount of self confidence that learning a Foreign Language gives a student.  It becomes something that sets them apart from the crowd.  Students are quickly able to reach a level of proficiency that exceeds the knowledge of their parents.  Students feel special because they have mastered something that many find very difficult.  Students often refer to this as that cool feeling when they understand what a language teacher is saying, even though no one else does. 

            Finally, there are many misconceptions about Foreign Language learning.  Parents should understand that if you added the total time a student spends in the Foreign Language classroom in the course of the first year of language learning, it would amount to a little over a solid week of exposure.  How long does it take a person to learn English?  Our colleagues overseas have long been aware of this fact.  In Germany, they begin learning English in the 5^th grade and by the time they have graduated, they have had a total of seven years of language instruction.  Is it any wonder then, that they are able to produce more language?  I would therefore encourage all students and parents to consider taking a 3^rd and 4^th year of a Foreign Language. 

                                                                                    Herr Wallace