Partial bottlenecks

High demand, new places: German courses are booming

Integration is strongly promoted in Graz (symbolic image).(Bild: dpa/Armin Weigel)

There is an increasing demand for German language courses among children with a migrant background. The city of Graz is responding by increasing summer courses by 20 percent. However, there are hardly any comparable offers in the surrounding areas of Styria.

Migration has played an increasingly important role in Styria, and not just since the war in Ukraine - and Graz is the hotspot. As a result, more and more children want to and should learn German. "We've heard that capacity utilization is particularly high this year. Despite the expansion of places, there are waiting lists," says Kavita Sandhu, Head of the Integration Department of the City of Graz. And so the summer courses in Graz facilities have been expanded by 20 percent - from 1254 to 1512 places.

"More places than ever"
Due to the great interest in the courses, however, almost all capacities have already been exhausted. For example, "ISOP" and "Deutsch und mehr" cannot accept anyone else this summer. "Only Gragustl still has places," says Sandhu. The Caritas project offers a two-week summer school - learning in the mornings and sports in the afternoons. "We have more places than ever this summer. We always ask which class the children are in and what certificates they have. Among other things, this results in classes with a focus on German," explains Lena Trummer, the person responsible at Caritas.

Graz facilities for German language courses

• GRAgustl: All-day learning and sports program
  Mariengasse 24, 8020 Graz
  0676 880167187
  [e-mail]
• ISOP: Intensive German courses
  Dreihackengasse 2, 8020 Graz
  0699 14600045
  [e-mail]
• German and more: Playful German promotion
  Volksgartenstraße 1, 8020 Graz
  0316 329929
  [e-mail]

Trummer explains that children between the ages of seven and 15 from a wide variety of nations and backgrounds take advantage of her offer. "We have a core group of children who have been coming for years. However, the war in Ukraine has changed the audience." Registration is usually still possible after the deadline - "where there is a need, the children can come," says Trummer.

Few support courses outside of Graz
It is much more difficult for migrants who live outside of Graz. In many places in the Styrian regions, so-called summer schools are offered, even if they are not just about German language support. "Both children with and without a migration background take up the offer," according to the Education Directorate. In total, there are 4,000 pupils at 184 locations.

The search for teachers is a major factor.

Kavita Sandhu, Leiterin des Grazer Integrationsreferats

Student teachers are being recruited from all over Germany to run the summer school. "The search for teachers is a big factor," says Sandhu. Gragustl is constantly on the lookout for volunteers and interns. Every effort is made to offer all courses free of charge. "There may only be a charge for learning materials," says Sandhu.

Another summer offer is available for a mere 50 euros per week: "AKtiv lernen" from the Chamber of Labor offers all members German lessons in addition to math and English. "There are still a few places available out of a total of 200," says Katrin Hochstrasser, responsible for education.