Friedrich-Wöhler-Gymnasium is a grammar school in the very south of Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It was founded in 1972 with a profile focusing on languages and science. From the beginning, its expressed goal was a new, student-orientated approach to secondary education and the implementation of new ways of learning. Today, these ideas still hold true while the school is constantly evolving towards an increasingly international and comprehensive orientation. The school employs 110 teachers and is attended by 1200 students from a variety of backgrounds with around 25% having an immigration background.
Languages and international exchange
A bilingual branch was introduced in 1998, being one of the first state-wide, soon followed by a second one to accommodate rising demands. Today, bilingual education at the school encompasses subjects such as history, biology, social studies and geography taught by a teaching staff that is deeply involved in the development of CLIL and bilingual education on a state level and as part of teacher training. Bilingual education is part of the school’s international and linguistic focus, as is the school’s language profile featuring Italian as a third foreign language. This international focus is strengthened by long-standing student and teacher exchanges with schools in Ballarat (Australia), Fontenay-le-Comte (France) and Viadana/Empoli (Italy).
Senior students who excel at a foreign language can attend specific preparatory classes at school and then take the DELF or CAE exams in French or English, respectively. The school’s own library, managed by a professional librarian, offers a variety of foreign language resources and activities in cooperation with teachers, local book stores and other libraries. A competitive English-language debating society for senior students, which participates in Germany’s national schools debating league, completes the language programme.
“World class”
Refugees and students who have arrived in Germany only recently join the so-called “Weltklasse” (world class) alongside the standard lessons. There, they receive language training individually or in groups of two by GFL-teachers (DaF), the goal being full integration into school life as quickly but also as carefully as possible. Currently there are 17 students in this class (e.g. from Syria, Pakistan and Cameroon) and it is constantly growing.
CUSHA at the FWG
Twelve 8th- and 9th-graders of the FWG participate in an exchange with students from Stiftelsen English School Gothenburg. Within CUSHA, the FWG is responsible for the workshop phase in Singen (spring 2017) and for the module for further teacher education.
The FWG project team consists of Hildegard Rieger (project lead, teacher, teaching instructor, administration consultant).