The Berlin State Europe School (SESB)
The Berlin State Europe School (SESB), with the wide range of language
combinations it offers, is unique within the German school system. Only in
Berlin are there 15 primary Europe Schools with nine different partner languages,
offering children the opportunity to be brought up and educated in a bilingual
environment within the state education system.
The SESB provides free education which is bilingual and cross-cultural from
pre-school to upper secondary stage. All the standard German school-leaving
qualifications can be obtained: Hauptschulabschluss, Realschulabschluss
(mittlerer Schulabschluss) and Abitur after the 10th and 13th years respectively.
In addition, an Abitur with a special European character is under discussion, as
are certificates which will be recognised in the EU and internationally. As a
rule, the Berlin school legislation applies to the SESB.
Aims
Pupils at the SESB are of various nationalities and are taught
together in their mother tongue (or in their stronger language) and their
partner language. In addition to increasing their fluency and improving their
communication skills in both languages, this also enables the pupils to learn
tolerance and understanding of the culture, the traditions, festivities, way of
life and thinking of the home countries of the partner language. Special
emphasis is placed on European aspects. The inter-cultural education fosters a
global consciousness in the pupils. This type of school requires special effort
and close co-operation between all participants.
Lessons and other Activities
The SESB offers bilingual classes throughout the child’s
schooling, whereby half of the pupils - and teachers - are native German
speakers and the other half are native speakers of the respective partner
language (e.g. English). A standard pre-school class has an average of 16
children. There may be average class sizes of 24-26 children in years 1 to 6 and
up to 29 pupils in the upper years. In years 1 to 8 the pupils are taught their
mother tongue and the partner language as specialised subjects (e.g. German
lessons and English lessons), by native speaking teachers, in groups separated
according to mother tongue. Only from year 9 onwards is the class taught these
subjects together (it is assumed that by year 9 there will be a parity of
ability in both languages among class-members). All other subjects are taught to
the whole class in either the mother tongue or the partner language (e.g.
Mathematics is taught in German, Biology in English). The SESB pupils have more
lessons per week than their main-stream colleagues.
In the pre-school year, the partner language is introduced through play and
creative activities. In years 1 and 2, the children learn to read and write in
their mother tongue, whereas oral instruction in the partner language takes
place by way of training in listening comprehension. Maths is taught in German
throughout the entire schooling. Music, Art, P.E. and Ethics (Lebenskunde) or
Religion are taught in the respective teacher’s mother tongue.
From years 1 to 4, Environmental Studies (Sachkunde) are taught in the
non-German partner language. In year 3 at the latest, pupils learn to read and
write in their respective partner language.
In years 5 to 6, language competence in oral and written work is intensified in
both the mother tongue and the partner language. Geography, Biology and History
are taught in the non-German partner language. In the 5th year at the latest,
the second foreign language is introduced - French for pupils at the
German-English Europe Schools and English for all the other language
combinations. In several SESB schools, English is offered as an extra-curricular
activity (Arbeitsgemeinschaft) from year 3 onwards.
At the end of the 8th year, it is compulsory for all pupils to choose a subject
which they will study in years 9 and 10 (Wahlpflichtfach). This may be an
additional language, further Mathematics or Physics, Art, Music, Geography,
History or Social Sciences.
The curriculum is based on the Berlin curriculum (Berliner Rahmenplan), while
taking the national curriculum of the respective partner language country into
consideration as far as possible.
In the Europe primary school, lessons take place in the morning, but whole day
supervision from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. is available. This includes, for a fee, a warm
midday meal. All the children have the opportunity to participate in bilingual
afternoon recreational facilities which include handicrafts/drawing, computer/Internet,
photography, music/choir, language courses, sports, as well as dance and drama
classes. Bilingual supervision is also available for homework. These activities
are usually sponsored and partly organised by the support groups (Fördervereine)
of each school.
Other activities include the publication of a school newsletter, annual
celebration of cultural traditions, special projects, e.g. Book Week, Europe
Week in May as well as the annual All Europe Schools’ Soccer Championship and
the Inter-Europe School Music Show. Class trips are organised to SESB-language
countries.
School libraries have, with the financial assistance of parents and support
groups, become increasingly well-stocked with books, videos, cassettes, CDs etc.
in the respective language of the school. The Europe Schools also have
specialised computer-rooms, in which the use of computers and the Internet is
taught and can be practiced. Partnerships have been established with schools in
numerous European countries.
Registration
Registration for the Europe Schools is open to all pupils
throughout Berlin and is not restricted to the catchment area of the schools. So
far the parents of only one Europe School have organised a commercial school-bus
service, for which they pay a fee. It is recommended that children begin their
schooling in the pre-school class. Registration takes place in February. Should
the number of school children registered exceed the number of places available
in a school, then admission will be decided upon according to the general rules
of each school. Children possessing the necessary language skills and wishing to
join the school at a later date may be admitted, should vacancies exist.
History
In the 1970s, a group of French parents together with the
''Europa-Union Berlin'', attempted to introduce bilingual schools in the city.
Thanks to the unceasing endeavours of parents and support groups, the first
Europe Schools, with language combinations of German-French, German-English and
German-Russian were opened in 1992/93 under the auspices of the then
School-Senator Klemann. Further language combinations were added over the years
to a system that now encompasses German combined with: French, English, Russian,
Spanish, Italian, Turkish, Greek, Portuguese and Polish.
For further enquiries contact the Berlin Education
Authority:
Senatsverwaltung für Schule, Jugend und Sport,
Beuthstr. 6-8
10117 Berlin, Tel: (030) 902 65 694.
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