My students often ask me how they can improve their German listening skills at home without having to listen to the same exercises from the lessons. One fantastic way – especially, if you like music – is lyrics training. The site has mainly English songs, but the amount of German songs is also growing. I … Read more
A few weeks ago I went to France for the Twinning weekend. Devizes is twinned with two towns, Waiblingen in Germany and Mayenne in France. Apart from a great fun weekend, it also means work for me as I translate when the German delegates speak at the conference. I don’t always remember or even know … Read more
This morning my friend Pia Parry came across an unusual website, where you can generate a love letter in German. What a great and fun way to practise some German, I thought. So, this is what you do: You give the name and gender of the person you want to send the letter. Add your own … Read more
EDIT 2025: X, as Twitter is now called, has changed, and sadly not for the better. Although I am still there, I have stopped posting and may even leave. So I don’t know whether there are any useful posts anymore. I often get asked by my students how they can extend their vocabulary. One way … Read more
Once my students have acquired a basic knowledge of German they often ask me what other text (rather than just their textbooks) they could read. One answer is: German newspapers or magazines! Most newspapers nowadays have a website with lots of news and other topical information. Some have newsletters you can subscribe to and some … Read more
A while ago I wrote how listening to German radio stations can help with learning German, and then the blog post Learn German with Children’s TV Programmes for people who have started learning German. Today I’d like to give some suggestions for those who already understand enough to watch a bit more advanced TV. Watch TV … Read more
Do you know that feeling? You listen to a song on the radio. You find it absolutely terrible …. and yet, you can’t get the tune out of your head for the rest of the day!!! Yes? Well, this happened to me this morning. Somebody posted a video in a facebook group, I listened to … Read more
How is your German learning coming along? Good?! I’m glad to hear it! You are having your lessons, you’re enjoying them and would like some extra work, just not boring homework. I don’t blame you, homework is not always the most interesting thing to do (although sometimes it is). So, how about some German children’s … Read more
Do you remember that song? “Video killed the radio star ………and you remember the jingles used to go ….’ But what does that have to do with learning German? We all know that the quickest way to learn German (or any other language) is to learn it in Germany (or the other countries, of course … Read more
This is me ( a few years ago!) ‘reading’ one of my favourite books! Many of you will have heard about the Struwwelpeter, or the shock-headed Peter, as he is also known – a very famous children’s book written by German doctor Heinrich Hoffman in 1844. He was looking for a picture book Christmas … Read more
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