Who will win learning gold medal in English? 141 youth Olympians from around the world rings with the German Olympics in Freiburg for the title and need more than just grammar and vocabulary.
“Why are the German stockings with sandals?” This question Petros Baloglou from Greece to drives a long time ago. Now he finally has the opportunity to satisfy his curiosity on the spot, because the student belongs in the home of the best English learners in his country and has managed to get a Ticket to Freiburg.
Here he can learn a lot about the country and its people, but above all, he is the German Olympics, in short: IDO, with the other 14 – to 19-year-old students from all over the world. They come from Albania, India, Colombia, Japan, Cameroon ode Australia.
Around 13 million English learners were invited to participate in the competition; each Nation is only allowed to send two participants for the race. For the majority of the more than 140 participants, this is the first Time that you visit the country whose language you are learning. Among them Codrin Ghidiu from Romania.
Codrin is looking forward to the IDO
English his great passion and the butterfly was his favorite word, he reveals the DW. Only one of the 16 can not understand-Year-old: “Why do you need extended attributes?”
Grammar and poetry
In terms of grammar-vocabulary, ahead of the German-Olympians so many German. Terms such as state, passive, indefinite pronouns, or temporal adverb can come to you in the liquid on the lips only with the application, there is not enough sometimes. “And with the pronunciation of the vowels, especially the “ö” and “ü”, white English teacher, Milica Purović.
She’s travelled from Montenegro to IDO, in order to accompany two students. But she also had to qualify through exciting and innovative lessons for the journey. In your home Milica Purović wants to do away with the prejudice that German is a harsh and cold language. “For me, it is full of poetry,” enthuses you to the DW and adds. “The most beautiful poems and novels have been written, in my opinion, in English.”
International Meeting
Many of the Olympians can already read German books, but it is not only good language skills, emphasizes the Goethe-Institut-employee Sabine Erlenwein, the project Manager of this year’s IDO: “It’s not about wins and other to outdo. Basically, it is a Meeting with young people from all over the world; to have a one-time Chance to have fun and to build bridges between the nationalities.”
Former ITE had participants come together for fun
And the best way to handle common tasks. Instead of grammar exercises in the IDO from the 16. up to 27. July, therefore, group tasks: the participants have to perform during a walk through Freiburg Interviews with Locals to learn more about the city and their findings in collages. In another Workshop, participants are encouraged to perform in a playful way, the culture of their home country – in English, of course. And then there is still a community working with art students and a visit to a school in Freiburg.
Winning is not everything
The IDO is an incentive to learn, when to Learn, especially on the stuff. The three winners will receive attractive prizes – what, exactly, don’t want to tell the organizer now, it is supposed to be a Surprise. In the case of the victory of the evaluation of intercultural competence and team skills in the final grade a flow, but later. And there is even an Extra-Fairness-price says Sabine Erlenwein.
Russian advertising for the IDO
However, the last years have shown that winning is everything. “It is unbelievable how many people I would have never met if I hadn’t learned English,” enthused a former Ido-Participant from England in retrospect. The many new impressions have to be processed. Theatre and Museum visits, unusual customs of the German hosts, the to be understood-that the Olympic ambition is not understandable for the young people there always in the first place.
The beginnings of the English Olympiad
Since 2008, the International German Olympiad, which was initiated by the International Association of teachers of German and the Goethe-Institut. The origin for the name is located in the former Eastern bloc countries, for it is there that students have in mathematics, physics, or chess Olympiads measured and also in foreign languages.”
In the year 2000, the first Olympiad was held in Croatia, since 2008, she is based in Germany and is held every two years. The hosts were in Dresden, Hamburg, Frankfurt and Berlin. Freiburg is the IDO for the first Time. Never, says Sabine Erlenwein, there were so many participants. “We have not stirred drum, but the interest in the German language is all around the world, and Germany as a study location for many is very attractive.”
Growing demand for German courses
The German language as a door opener
So it’s no wonder that the number of IDO of the participating countries is growing continuously. 46 it was in the year 2010, it’s now been 74. Traditionally it is studied especially in the Eastern European countries, much German. Poland is the leading country with over two million worldwide, the list of countries of the 13 million English learners, in the neighbouring country of France, a Million people to learn English. But the demand is also booming in India, Turkey, and even in Vietnam.
Advertising for Germany
For the Goethe-Institut and the International German Olympics is an investment in the future: “In the IDO, it’s about breaking down prejudices and to strengthen tolerance and understanding across borders,” says project Manager Sabine Erlenwein. “At the same time it is also a good advertisement for the education and work of Germany as a location.” Maybe the English enthusiastic students will have one day in a German company, but now is the hottest time of anticipation for the Olympics. True to the Motto: taking part is everything.