Goethe Institute Research Articles

MODELLING DOMINANT LANGUAGE PEDAGOGICAL PRACTICES TO IMMERSE ARABIC LEARNERS

The achievements of language pedagogical models have been studied through the use of input-output models. While teaching and learning programmes are the input, learners’ achievements are the output. However, some specific models have been found to be more effective and evaluated more than others. It is noted that of all the components of language pedagogical models, the specific language learning strategies employed have received less attention. This study evaluates four dominant language pedagogical models namely the Alliance Francaise Model (for French), the Goethe Institut Model (for German), Instituto Cervantes Model (for Spanish), and the model the European-funded Pan-European Task-based Activities in Language Learning (PETALL) project which is co-funded by the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union. Consequently, the strengths identified are reformulated as principles guiding best language pedagogical practices and translated into curriculum conceptual and design framework for a proposed and tentatively tagged, “The Arabic World”. The ultimate purpose wass to replicate some of such successful outcome-based dominant language pedagogical practices in the context of Modern Standard Arabic.

О деятельности Института Гёте в Российской Федерации

О деятельности Института Гёте в Российской Федерации

‘To draw light, you need shadow’: Using graphic art to counter gender based violence in Drawing the Line

ABSTRACT Women in India cope with an ongoing sense of precarity owing to the frequency of street harassment and sexual violence; this impacts their freedom to travel and sense of autonomous agency. The December 2012 Nirbhaya case, the rape and fatal injury of a Delhi medical student, returned the subject of rape to public discourse leading to mass protests and, eventually, some stronger anti-rape laws; however, #metoo allegations surface weekly, and artists and activists are demanding that the trivialization of rape and verbal abuse stop and active steps be taken to dismantle the cultural scaffolding undergirding twomen's violation. In 2014 a collaboration by Zubaan Press (New Delhi) and the Goethe Institute (Germany) brought a group of Indian graphic artists together to create stories about women’s ground realities and the microaggressions they experience. The resulting publication, Drawing the Line: Indian Women Fight Back, contains fourteen vignettes which reveal the constraints women experience and also illuminate women’s capacity for resilience and boldness. This essay analyzes the forms of resistance imagined in these narratives, how particular stories illuminate slow violence, and what may be lost if we know little about the perpetrators who commit these acts against women.

ANALISIS KETERAMPILAN BERBICARA BAHASA JERMAN LEVEL A2 PADA MAHASISWA SEMESTER SATU PROGRAM STUDI PENDIDIKAN BAHASA JERMAN UNIVERSITAS HKBP NOMMENSEN PEMATANGSIANTAR TAHUN AJARAN 2018/2019

Abstract
 This study aims to determine A2 level speaking skills in first semester students of the German language education program at University of HKBP Nommensen Pematangsiantar in the 2018/2019 school year. To find out the predicate of students' speaking skills, applied the German speaking A2 assessment criteria model for the category of adult learners (Erwachsene) from the Goethe Institut. This research is included in a qualitative descriptive study in analyzing the ability to speak A2 level. The data for this study came from five German speaking dialogues transcript part 1, five German speaking monologue transcripts part 2 and five German speaking monologue transcripts part 3 German language study program students University HKBP Nommensen Pematangsiantar on daily topics. After analyzing the transcript of the speech dialogue, the authors found that (1) German language education program students at the University of HKBP Nommensen Pematangsiantar had four levels of speaking skills, with the predicate "good / gut", satisfying / befriedigend ", "enough / ausreichend" and "not competent / inkompetent"; (2) the lack of mastery of language, especially grammar and vocabulary is the weakness of dominant German speaking that is owned by first semester students of the German language education program University of HKBP Nommensen Pematangsiantar based on German level assessment criteria A2 level categories of adult learners (Erwachsene) from Goethe Insititut.
 Keywords: speaking skills, German level A2
 
 

Unity in Diversity Through Art? Joseph Beuys' Models of Cultural Dialogue

This essay proposes the artist Joseph Beuys and his work as paradigmatic for art that through its own diversity of approach can show possibilities for addressing diverse audiences, diverging receptions and modes of participation. It arises from a symposium on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the artist’s death held at the Goethe Institut Dublin, 23 January 2006. The argument focuses on Beuys practice from his Ulysses-Extension to the Migration Workshop at documenta 6, 1977, the FIU, as well as his work (and legacy) in Ireland. Relevant theories include Ecos openness and Adorno’s negative and positive representation, since Beuys works relationship to the Holocaust and trauma turns out to be central. Beuys is offered as predecessor of current discourse such as Bourriaud’s Relational Aesthetics and Documenta11. The article concludes with a new theoretization of participation in culture, Irit Rogoff’s Looking Away. It is supported by Beuys multi-layered, diversity-sustaining practice.

The Afrofuturist Village: Masiyaleti Mbewe

The Afrofuturist Village: Masiyaleti Mbewe

Alternative spatial hierarchies: a cross-border spouse’s positioning strategies in the face of Germany’s ‘pre-integration’ language test

ABSTRACT This paper examines how spouses waiting in Turkey to be reunited with their partner in Europe experience border regimes and deal with the transnationalised discourses on ‘marriage migrants’ they encounter. It is based on the analysis of a single narrative interview, that of a woman taking German classes at Goethe Institute in Istanbul in order to pass the required language test. Like other respondents, she is confronted with negative gendered preconceptions regarding ‘Turkish import brides’. Her boundary work involves mobilising alternative hierarchies in an attempt to discursively construct a different Turkey than the one generally represented: she draws on social class (positioning herself as a member of the highly educated, mobile and economically better off), socio-spatial units (focusing on her urbanity) and gender (experiencing ‘modern’ and equal gender relationships). The paper emphasises the importance of the socio-spatial context, here the classroom, where boundary-making takes place. It also provides insights into the effects of global spatial hierarchies on migrants and their alternative narratives, a dimension that can only be understood through a decentred analysis. The article contributes to studies on cross-border marriages by analysing the ‘outgoing’ side, a perspective still rarely addressed in the literature.

The foreign language anxiety in learning German and the effects of total physical response method on students’ speaking skill

There are some factors affecting the development of the speaking skill in the process of learning a foreign language. One of the factors hampering the speaking process is the anxiety state of students. A student who thinks they will make mistakes in classroom activities or while talking to a person speaking that language experiences anxiety at a certain degree. They get anxious, even become afraid prior to speaking activities. This problem covers the whole language learning process in time and affects it adversely. In this study, after the anxiety levels of the students in language learning were detected, the Total Physical Response Method was employed to reduce speaking anxiety, to support language learning with actions, and to ensure learning through practice and experience. Before the applications, the speaking anxiety pretest and oral communication placement test were applied. The pre-test points for speaking skills of students in the experimental group were obtained with the application of an A2 level 3-step oral examination from Goethe Institute. Considering the speaking skill exam post-test points the students got after the application of the Total Physical Response Method, it can be seen that the lowest point was 64 and the highest was 86. It can be seen in the results of the speaking anxiety posttest and the anxiety levels that the anxiety levels of three students with a high level (112+) decreased to medium (61-111). The anxiety points of the other seven students in the experimental group decreased but their anxiety level remained the same (medium). After the applications, students were also observed to be more willing to speak German and eager to take turns to speak.

Formalizing the American brand: the case for the US culture, language, and soft-power institutes

The United States is no stranger to “public diplomacy” efforts to serve its strategic interests and project its image and values in times of conflict or strife, though generally these recede. Yet the country now faces serious deterioration in its national standing, suggesting a need for new strategies. This paper surveys the differing approaches made by Germany with its Goethe Institut and China with its Confucius Institute as potential models for the United States. Based on these experiences, the paper advances the argument that as a matter of public policy, the U.S. should establish its own institute drawing on these successful “soft-power” models to market the nation’s distinct culture, its unique take on the English language, its suitability for investment, travel, and tourism, and promotion of its national brand image.

Asymmetric effects of cultural institutes on trade and foreign direct investment

AbstractThe purpose of a cultural institute is to improve international relations with other countries by promoting language familiarity and cultural awareness. In addition, cultural institutes can provide additional business opportunities that lead to positive economic side effects such as increases in trade and foreign direct investment (FDI). In this study, gravity models were used to analyse the data for the Goethe Institut (Germany), the Cervantes Institute (Spain) and the Confucius Institute (China) to identify any stylised international patterns of the documented economic effects. The study finds significant positive effects on bilateral trade and FDI outflows for all three programmes, along with two important (i) the effects are stronger for non‐advanced economies and (ii) the effects are substantially larger on FDI than on trade. These results suggest that cultural institutes can be an effective policy tool in promoting FDI outflows, with the strongest effect realised when a home country locates its cultural institutes in host countries with developing economies. Importantly, results also suggest that the Chinese government's approach to extend its soft power through rapid expansion of Confucius Institutes worldwide has not been as successful as the efforts by the German Goethe Institut in increasing trade and FDI.

Presence of Language-Learning Opportunities and Migration

This paper analyses the effect of the presence of German language learning opportunities abroad on migration to Germany. We use information on the presence of the Goethe-Institut (GI), which is an association that promotes German culture and offers language courses and standardized exams. Our unique dataset covers 69 countries for the period 1977 to 2014. In this multiple-origin and single-destination framework, we estimate fixed-effects models as our basic specification. We find evidence that the number of language institutes of the GI in a country is positively correlated with migration from that country to Germany. The correlation is higher for countries with lower income, larger linguistic distance and without wars. To establish causality, we consider Switzerland as an alternative destination country as the decision to open a language institute in a country is exogenous to migration flows from that country to Switzerland. We find that the institutes of the GI also affect migration flows to the German-speaking part of Switzerland, but not to the French- and Italian-speaking part. Backed by further extensions which control for the presence of multilateral resistance and omitted variable bias, we interpret our results as presenting a causal effect from language learning opportunities to migration flows.

Life of Muslims in Germany, and Its Contextualisation to Indonesian Islam

A PPIM’s junior researcher together with 13 young Indonesian Muslim intellectuals participated in Life of Muslims in Germany Program organized by Goethe Institut during 8-21 July 2018. This event explored Muslim everyday life in Germany through academic and cultural discussions in universities, research and cultural centres, and state officials. Therefore, this document is his insight to describe Muslim life in Germany and its contextualisation for Indonesian Muslim based on experiences in this program. This document article depicts two main issues which are happening in Germany: Muslim integration after the wave of refugees as a result of bloodiest conflict in Middle East and German government’s policy in religious pluralism issues. This program had been initiated in order to bridge cultural understanding for Indonesia, as the most populous Muslim country in the world, toward Muslim life in Germany. Indonesia has been considered as a strategic country which stands for disseminating moderate Islam. In addition, Dr. Heinrich Blomeke, Goethe-Institut, Institute and Regional Director Southeast Asia/Australia/New Zealand, said “the participants will engage in academic discussions and visit Muslim cultural organisation to obtain an insight about Muslim everyday life in German secular state. This program gives an opportunity for them and some Germany’s institutions to share their ideas regarding the experiences of Muslim life in Germany and Indonesia”.

The Case of Discordant Harmony Seoul exhibition - With a Focus on Sponsorship by the Goethe Institute of Transnational Art Exhibitions -

최근 몇 년간 서구 문화기관에서 지원하는 중요한 의미를 갖는 아시아 현대미술전시가 있어왔다. 본 논문은 이 중에서도 독일 문화기관인 동아시아 괴테 인스티튜트의 ‘불협화음의 하모니’ (2015년 2월 7일-2015년 3월 29일) 서울 전시지원 사례에 주목하였다. 이 프로젝트는 서구에서 조화 (Harmony)라는 개념이 아시아를 바라보는 유럽의 관점을 단순화시킨 것으로 보고 아시아가 통일된 정치적, 문화적 공동체가 아니라는 불협 (Discordant)의 관점에서 시작한다. 따라서, 전시 제목 ‘불협 화음의 하모니’는 아시아 국가 간의 정치적, 문화적, 이데올로기적, 역사적 차이와 불일치를 드러내 고 인정하면서 아시아에 대한 새로운 개념을 구축하는데 목표를 두고 있다. 본 논문은 괴테 인스티 튜트의 지원 경위와 취지를 살펴보고 ‘불협화음의 하모니’ 서울 사무소 현대미술관 전시를 다각도로 분석하였다. 이러한 배경을 바탕으로 이번 전시가 서구에 의해 재편된 보편적 아시아의 개념을 어떻 게 비판적으로 성찰하였는지와 사회적 영향력을 가늠해보고자 한다.

The German Language Worldwide: a New Data Set on Language Learning

This article presents a comprehensive overview of German language learning for more than 100 countries (including Germany) over a period of 50 years. We provide new and unique data from the Goethe Institut, a German cultural institute, which offers language courses and standardized exams. These data contain information about the supply of language learning opportunities, that is the number and the geographic distribution of institutes, and the demand in the form of course and exam registrations. These data do not only show the development of language learning for the German language over time, they also underline common trends and heterogeneities across regions.

Action-Oriented Responses to Sexual Harassment in Egypt

Action-Oriented Responses to Sexual Harassment in Egypt

In Turkey, Museums Need Reciprocity, Not Only Repatriation

In Turkey, Museums Need Reciprocity, Not Only Repatriation

Implementacija mobilnog učenja u nastavi stranih jezika na primeru nemačkog

The paper analyzes the possibilities of effective implementation of mobile learning in foreign language instruction and the potential contribution of mobile learning to the enhancement of teaching quality and to the achievement of teaching goals. The paper aims to critically examine the potential of mobile learning in foreign language instruction, based on an analysis of the findings of a study conducted in 2017 on a sample of 120 students of German language courses at the Goethe Institute in Belgrade. The results of the study, which utilized a questionnaire supplemented with a five-point Likert scale, have been used for and analyzing and summarizing students‘ experiences, attitudes and suggestions with regard to mobile learning, primarily with the aim of improving teaching practice. In order to assess the effects of tablet use on the quality of instruction, a Likert scale was created with indicators formulated on the bases of Meyer’s “The characteristics of good teaching” (Meyer, 2009:17-18). The paper starts from the following premises: the use of tablets has a positive effect on the quality of instruction and on achievement; students show more interest in educational games and tools that facilitate vocabulary acquisition and structural language patterns practice than in tools and applications that aim to develop speaking or writing skills; in their choice of applications and tools, teachers don’t use the full potential of mobile media for developing all language skills, and the most frequently used tools and applications are those designed to expand learners‘ vocabulary and provide practice of structural language patterns. The findings have confirmed the hypothesis that tablet use has a positive effect on instruction quality by helping create a stimulating learning environment and more efficient achievement of teaching goals. Questionnaire responses indicated that students perceived the greatest benefits of implementing mobile learning in German language teaching to be rapid feedback, interesting teaching and the opportunity for collaborative work. None of the indicators of good teaching pointed to any deficit in teaching that used tablets compared to teaching without tablets, and students stated they would like to use them either in every class or several times a week, preferably in pairs, as they regard pair work as the most effective. Educational games were rated as the most interesting, followed by vocabulary and reading exercises and culture learning activities. Respondents suggested that more time should be allocated to exercises for listening, writing and reading skills development, but also to culture learning activities. Although responses indicated that in their free time students used tablets primarily for information searches and communication and only very rarely for informal learning, respondents expressed interest in the possibilities of using tablets for German language learning in their free time. The findings of the study indicate that there is a need for teachers to become more thoroughly acquainted with collaborative learning techniques such as collaborative writing, while learning scenarios should include a number of tasks that lead to the creation of new cultural products, as defined by Bachmair (Bachmair 2010: 24), because they enable task-based language learning.

African Metropolis: Six Stories from African Cities. 2013. 92 minutes. In Arabic, English, French, Kiswahili, Nouchi, Pidgin English, and Yoruba, with English subtitles. Goethe Institute South Africa. $42.50.

African Metropolis: Six Stories from African Cities. 2013. 92 minutes. In Arabic, English, French, Kiswahili, Nouchi, Pidgin English, and Yoruba, with English subtitles. Goethe Institute South Africa. $42.50. - Volume 59 Issue 3

The Gadamer-Derrida Encounter: A Pragmatist Perspective

The paper offers a philosophical commentary on the widely discussed 1981 meeting of Derrida and Gadamer at Paris’ Goethe Institute. These two figures “virtually personify, in hermeneutics and deconstruction, the two major and rival ‘schools’ of contemporary continental philosophy associated with the primacy of interpretation.” Adopting a pragmatist perspective, the author discusses their approaches to the issue of interpretation – different and often seen as mutually exclusive. He claims that Derrida and Gadamer in fact have a great deal in common and tries to show that American pragmatism offers a mode of mediation, which allows us to grasp their mutual relations. The author concentrates on the three central issues that emerge from Derrida’s Three Questions to Hans-Georg Gadamer, namely the context of interpretation, consensual continuity versus rupture as the basis or precondition of interpretation, and the nature or possibility of perfect dialogical understanding.

Singing Social Inclusion: Towards the Applicability of German Approaches to Community Building in Australian Choral Music

Germany is a country with a proud musical heritage. Music making in community is Germany’s largest civic activity and there are a vast number of active choirs and choral organisations. Choral singing is valued as a cultural asset and national export. In this article I survey the recent history of choral singing in Germany, a civic movement that is expanding and changing beyond traditional understandings of what it means to be a “choir” and with evolving organisational structures supporting its growth. This article summarises findings of a larger 2014 study undertaken for the Australian German Association (AGA) and the Goethe Institut. It offers a number of suggestions for colleagues, leaders, and policy-makers who work in choral music in Australia, a country with a vibrant choral music scene but with much potential to improve its supporting institutional structures. As a community music research project, it may provide wider context for music therapists with an interest in community music therapy in particular. This article was first published in Sing Out (Vol. 32, No. 2, 2015)[1] and is adapted here to share my experiences and findings beyond Australia’s choral music community.