HILLCREST High School is one of the only schools in the Highway area that offers German as a third additional language and as such, has been acknowledged by various German institutions.
German teachers and learners are regularly invited to participate in competitions, summer camps, seminars and training courses in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.
The German class teachers add value to lessons by utilising the platform, ‘Moodle’ that was introduced to the school.
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By talking on a forum or chat regarding educational topics, learners can not only communicate with each other about school work or project work from home, but also with learners taking German as an additional language all over the world.
Great international projects can be done in future as the school experimented with and found out this year.
Ilse Bothma, the teacher in charge, said this year the school registered for the G20 Global Classroom Project, with more than 700 high school learners from around the world participating in it.
“We were the only school from the African continent and South Africa, learning about the issues that drive the G20’s work. We look forward to apply our newly gained knowledge in the 2018 G20 Global Classroom Project,” said Bothma.
She added to take German as a subject has many advantages.
More and more German companies prefer to appoint (if they have a selection) candidates who can communicate in German and who have German as a subject on their matric certificates.
“On the Hillcrest High School Exchange Programme itself, The German Exchange Programme at HHS is running for its 11th year. Although the regulations for visa applications have become strict, we were still able to visit our partner school in Lennestadt, Germany during April and in October 2017, we returned the hospitality.
Georgia Gifford (Grade 12), Mandy Pitchers (Grade 11) and Alex Louter (Grade 10) stayed with host families, visited the school, joined in with activities and were able to visit many interesting places all over Germany.
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“They came back full of inspiration and knowledge and as more independent learners. Lea Mathes and Maya Kuhlmann then, in return, visited Hillcrest High School from 13 October until 5 November, to learn more about the South African school system, the culture and the country itself. They were two students from the Lennestadt Gymnasium in Sauerland, Germany. They lived with South African host families to experience South African hospitality.
“Despite new regulations regarding the travelling of minors to and from South Africa, we are still able to adapt and manage this wonderful learning experience for our learners,” added Bothma.
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