Senior languages students joined 3 other Dunedin schools at German camp once more this year.

The camp was again held at Camp Tirohanga just outside Mosgiel and saw Otago Boys’ High School, John McGlashan, Columba College and Bayfield High School join forces to deliver an overnight language immersion experience for senior students. 

Every year representatives from the Goethe Institute in Wellington and several native speaker teachers join this camp to help make this experience as authentic and language rich as possible. Students participate in several games and activities carefully designed to encourage them to speak as much German as they can. This is an invaluable confidence booster before students embark upon internal speaking standards for NCEA such as speech delivery and interactions with partners. 

This year events included a Language and Culture Quiz, Speed Dating, a “Never Have I Ever” game, a German Cake competition, Family Feud in German and a Singalong to popular German songs. The Goethe Institute is kind enough to supply a few German themed prizes. 

Students in Dunedin are very lucky to have this opportunity. This is the only region that I have taught in that such a camp exists. Long may it continue! Otago Boys’ students had the following to say. Auf Deutsch, of course!

Sam Thompson : "Mann kann auf diesem Camp viele Schüler/innen aus Dunedin kennenlernen und mit denen Deutsch sprechen."

Byson Grace : “Es war eine sehr gute Erfahrung!”

Zac Lorden : “Das beste daran war das Essen – super lecker!”

Michael Crosson : “Es war toll mehere Muttersprachler kennenzulernen.”

Nick Wright : “Deutsch sprechen ist schwierig aber auch sehr befriedigend!”

Ciaran Mc Burney : “Ich habe viele neue Freunde kennengelernt mit denen ich jetzt Deutsch reden kann.”

Judah Nika : “Es hat mir sehr viel mit der Sprache geholfen.”