News from the DaF Department “Bloom in the Splendor of this Happiness …”

August Heinrich Hoffmann von Fallersleben (1798–1874)

Written by: Volker Schlieske

Mission accomplished! Eleven teachers from the DaF (German as a Foreign Language) Department have successfully completed the DSD I Gold Course, earning an important qualification for conducting DSD I examinations. (From left to right: Markus Maleyka, Volker Schlieske, Ute Massow, Apollonia Bakali, Tina Barthel, Demet Uengoer, Marco Zoricic, Julia Krstovic, Katharina Eylens, Anne Hamburger, and Korbinian Hook.)

The smiles in the group photo are well deserved. Over the past five months, eleven teachers from the German European School Manila’s DaF Department have studied, discussed, reflected, and engaged intensively with the requirements of the DSD I Gold Course. Their hard work has now culminated in a remarkable achievement: the successful completion of the DSD I Gold qualification.

This certification is one of the most demanding professional development programs offered by the Central Agency for German Schools Abroad (ZfA) in the field of German as a Foreign Language. Upon completion, participants are qualified not only to serve as DSD I examiners but also to chair and oversee DSD I examinations.

The course was led by our DaF Coordinator, Mr. Schlieske, in cooperation with the ZfA. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that participation was not limited to teachers of examination-relevant grade levels. Instead, the entire DaF team took part—from Kindergarten through the IB Diploma Programme. This has strengthened a shared understanding of language acquisition and contributed significantly to the continued standardization and development of German language instruction at GESM.

After all, preparation for the DSD I does not begin shortly before the examination. It starts with a child’s very first German words in Kindergarten and continues throughout many years of learning. Or, as Lao Tzu wisely observed: “He who knows his goal finds the way.”

The entire school community warmly congratulates the DaF Gold Team on this outstanding achievement!