Academics

Bilingual Education

Das Herzstück unserer Arbeit - Bilingual Education is at the heart of what we do.

Our language immersion program provides students with international or American backgrounds with the tools to learn and communicate effectively in German. Expatriate students from German-speaking countries will maintain and improve their language skills, ready to return to school in their native countries without missing a beat. 

GISC students, fluent in both German and English, will leave our school prepared to study in German-speaking countries and beyond.

Dr. Ashley Chung-Fat-Yim, Bilingualism Expert, Northwestern U

“The benefits of learning a second language are far reaching. Bilingualism helps improve attention, promotes academic success, sparks creativity, protects against the onset of symptoms of dementia, and even rewires the brain by building new connections between brain regions. As a bilingual, you are essentially training your brain to process information more flexibly so you can efficiently adapt to new information. Best of all, with a bilingual education, your child will be able to communicate and connect with others in a new language!”

The Benefits of Bilingualism

In an increasingly globalized world, language skills are an enormous benefit academically, professionally, and socially. Students at GISC have their eyes opened to new cultures through language, and develop into creative, responsible global citizens. By creating an international, bilingual environment for our students, we provide them with a unique perspective and a lifelong network of friends and colleagues around the world. 

Why German?

German is the most widely spoken first language in the European Union, with nearly 130 million native speakers worldwide. Fluency in German allows for extraordinary academic and professional opportunities – Germany’s economy is the 4th largest in the world, and its university system is renowned for its quality and affordability. 

We provide our students with the ability to engage with Germany’s cultural richness and historical heritage. From Paul Maar to Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, from Rolf Zuckowski to Ludwig van Beethoven, and from Augsburger Puppenkiste to Caroline Link, we explore the literature, music, films, and history of the German speaking world together at GISC!

How We Learn Languages

Students entering Kindergarten from our preschool have oral fluency in German and have also acquired some basic reading and writing skills in both German and English. 

When students join GISC after preschool, they are placed in one of two specialized language acquisition programs: Become Bilingual and Quereinsteiger. 

Beyond instruction, which includes these two programs and individual or small group instruction, new GISC students also experience immersion - hearing and speaking German in the hallways, on the playground, and more.

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  • Become Bilingual Program (K-2)

    • New students in grades K-2 without fluency in German will join our Become Bilingual Program (BBP) as German Language Learners (GLL).
    • Through intensive small-group instruction in German, students are quickly prepared to attend all regular courses.
    • Students with limited English knowledge will receive tutoring through our Become Bilingual Program (BBP) as English Language Learners (ELL).

  • Fast Track German Language Program (3-6)

    For students in Grades 3-6, GISC offers a Fast Track German Language Program (FTGLP). Through highly individualized learning, older students with little or no German experience can develop the language skills to engage with their new bilingual classroom environment.

Additional Resources

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1726 W Berteau Ave, Chicago, IL 60613 | +1-773-857-3000 | info [at] germanschoolchicago.com
German International School Chicago (GISC) is an IB World School that prepares students to become well-rounded, creative, and responsible global citizens. Located in Chicago's Ravenswood neighborhood, GISC provides students with a German-English bilingual education in a supportive and individualized learning environment. GISC graduates are prepared academically and socially to succeed in an increasingly global world. Now enrolling Preschool to 8th Grade.

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