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Category: 3- LANGUAGE -ENG

German test for immigrants: new rules

There is a language test especially for immigrants—the German Test for Immigrants (DTZ). With it, they can prove knowledge at levels A2 and B1. Since January 2023, there are new rules. Anyone who wants to take the DTZ exam must either have a valid entitlement to attend an integration course or attend a course section of the integration course beforehand at their own expense. A course section (module) comprises 100 hours of instruction. At the Volkshochschule (VHS) Tübingen, for example, the full-day language exam costs 150 euros. Listeners of the VHS Tübingen, it says on the VHS homepage, get a… Read More

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Café Sozial offers space for encounters

Refugees of all nations and Tübingen residents can meet at the Café sozial. The café is located on the first floor of the social services department of the Tübingen city administration at Derendinger Straße 50, where the “International Encounter Café” is held every Monday from 3:30 to 5:30 pm. Guests can make new contacts over coffee, tea and pastries, the city said in a press release. There are also offers of information and assistance, as well as a games corner for children. Every Tuesday from 5:30 to 7 p.m., the “Lern-Café” opens with tutoring by volunteers in learning German. The… Read More

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Free digital German courses at the VHS

The adult education centers in the state offer free digital German courses with the vhs learning portal. They have also been available in Ukrainian since April. The courses can be used alongside official language and integration courses as well as independently of them. The learning platform is also a way to bridge the time until a language course begins. Beginners and advanced learners can also acquire German for the workplace at different levels. There are also offers to learn writing, reading and arithmetic and to prepare for a school-leaving qualification. The only requirement is to register with an e-mail address… Read More

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Learning Café gets going

The Lern-Café-Tübingen starts from April 26th every Tuesday from 17:30 to 19 o’clock in the Café Sozial (Tübingen, Derendinger Straße 50). The Lern-Café Tübingen is a project of the association Menschlichkeit Ulm e.V. At the Lern-Café, people of all nationalities who are in a language course, in vocational school or on their way to university receive tutoring that is individually tailored to their language level. For more information about the Lern-Café go to: https://menschlichkeit-ulm.de/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/flyer-lern-caf%C3%A9_06-2019.pdf Registration for students: https://form.jotform.com/220962525700350 Registration for helpers: https://form.jotform.com/220963263113348 tun22041901 Der Fachbereich Soziales der Stadt Tübingen ist ab Oktober 2021 in der Derendinger Straße 50, 72072 Tübingen… Read More

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First Orientation Course at the Adult Education Center Tübingen

The Volkshochschule Tübingen offers a “First Orientation Course – Welcome to Tübingen!” in March on one morning and one afternoon date. The free course is aimed at refugees aged 18 and older who are still in the asylum process and do not come from a safe country of origin. Those who have only been in Germany for a short time will find help in this course to orient themselves in everyday life and can gain a basic knowledge of the German language. Topics of the course include health and medical care, orientation and local characteristics, German culture and values, as… Read More

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Pushback “glosses over inhumane processes”

Linguists have named the word “pushback” the “Unwort of the Year 2021”. “Unwort” is a German word that means inappropriate word. The expression, which originated in English, is used for pushing back or pushing back refugees. The idea is to prevent them from crossing borders. The honorary jury at the University of Marburg criticised the word for “glossing over” the process of pushing people back. The foreign word, they say, helps to disguise the violation of human rights and the fundamental right to asylum. Every year since 1991, the jury of the “Sprachkritische Aktion” (Language Critical Initiative) has nominated a… Read More

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The pandemic sets refugees back in integration

By Lobna Alhindi and Michael Seifert You can hear it everywhere: Refugees complain that their German language skills are not developing or even regressing due to a year and a half of pandemic. Lobna herself states: “I have the feeling that I have lost contact with the German language. Before the Corona pandemic, I had many contacts with German friends. We met and talked more often. Then, because of the lockdown, we could no longer meet. Even when the situation got better again, we didn’t meet again. On the one hand, people want to protect themselves and their relatives from… Read More

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Let the pig out!

“Let the pig out” is a German expression and means to act out, for example to celebrate at a party. Under this motto, the city museum invites visitors to a family exhibition to guess German proverbs and sayings with all their senses. The proverbs are presented in a room installation: In a darkened room for example there is the opportunity to feel proverbs. At other media stations you can see cartoons and pantomime films. Here, too, there is a playful way to get to know the idioms. Thanks to a floor guidance system and audio guides blind and deaf people… Read More

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What the heart symbol means

By Oula Mahfouz “The heart breaks”. This metaphor expresses sorrow, but doctors also acknowledge a “broken heart syndrome”. A “strong heart” may refer to a healthy heart or strong character. One with a weak heart may be sick or not resilient. Why does the word hold so many meanings? Many consider the heart a symbol of love, but the heart may also hold love’s opposites, envy, hate, and others. In fact, science shows all emotions originate from the brain. The current symbolic depiction of the heart originates from depictions of fig leaves and ivy leaves, explaining why the symbol bears… Read More

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Learn German online in the VHS learning portal

Those who want to pass the time until they can visit an integration or German course can use the free online courses offered by the German Association of Adult Education (DVV). They offer a variety of courses, including the regular ABC-courses for adults, but also courses with the topics writing and reading in the job, basic education, preparation for graduation or literacy training. The project is sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and is free. Learners have to register on the platform to participate in courses. The offers are for independent learning and some are mentored by… Read More

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