The Nebraska Business German Initiative is a new StADaf-supported chapter project of the Nebraska Association of Teachers of German. It focuses on promoting the study and teaching of business German primarily at the high school and middle school levels and on the implementation of business German units in the high school and middle school curricula. The initiative is spearheaded by NATG President Volker Langeheine, who is a member of the AATG Committee on German for Business and Engineering and of the Netzwerk Wirtschaftsdeutsch of the Goethe-Institute.

Business German classes are currently being offered periodically at several colleges and universities in Nebraska (Creighton University, Dana College, Doane College, UNL, UNO) at the undergraduate level (third or fourth-year German). The German curriculum guides of several school districts in Nebraska and the Nebraska K-12 Foreign Language Frameworks include business German topics at various levels of instruction. However, a needs assessment among German teachers confirmed the need for training and classroom-ready teaching units.

Objectives of the project:

• Increase skills and knowledge on the teaching of Business German
• Design a variety of creative and challenging activities which address all learning styles
• Identify specific content to be included in a Business German course
• Discuss existing teaching materials and examinations
• Develop new teaching materials for the Business German classroom
• Explore multiple teaching methodologies, including teaching with technology
• Recognize and explain the importance of Business German for our students’ personal and career development

Several NATG members participated already in an innovative 3 credit hour graduate seminar "Introduction to the Teaching of Business German" for high school and middle school teachers, taught by Volker Langeheine at Dana College this summer. The hands-on course gave participants ideas and current information on subjects such as banking in Germany, the German job market, German businesses, business travel in Germany, and intercultural communication, as well as on successful teaching strategies. Available teaching materials, including on-line materials, were reviewed, the Goethe-Institute’s examination Zertifikat Deutsch für den Beruf (ZDfB) was introduced, and sample teaching units for beginning, intermediate and advanced language learners were discussed. Presentations from experts in the field were also included.

The professional development seminar led to the production of several excellent teaching units for the high school/middle school German classroom. As a result of this seminar, the Goethe-Institute Inter Nationes (GIIN) Chicago has selected Dana College as a possible Netzwerkzentrum Wirtschaftsdeutsch for ZDfB examinations. In addition, efforts were made towards establishing a first business German class at Omaha Northwest High School next year.

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