German Language Resources for Students and Teachers: Welcome

Willkommen!  This guide will provide you with online and print resources to support your learning of German.  Language study promotes intellectual development, multicultural awareness, and intercultural mobility.  Language exists because we need to communicate to achieve our goals and to create and maintain relationships.  Consider making use of the many social networking sites listed in this LibGuide to further your language development by communicating with other learners and native speakers in German!

NEW!!!  CHECK OUT THE RESOURCES FOR TEACHING GERMAN!!!

NEW!!!  CHECK OUT THE "WHAT CAN I DO WITH GERMAN?" BLOG POSTING!!!

http://www.whatcanidowiththat.com/

If you examine the entry for Standard German in Ethnologue: Languages of the World, you'll see that German is spoken throughout Western, Central, and Eastern Europe, as well as Africa, Asia, and North and South America.  

Research shows that studying a foreign language provides academic, cognitive, and affective benefits for learners!

Since you're visiting this page, you're probably a student of German and already think German is important to learn.  However, in addition to whatever personal and professional reasons you have for learning German, consider these:

• 20% of Americans claim German heritage.  German Americans still comprise the United States' largest ethnic minority.
• Germany currently has one of the strongest economies in the world.  Only Japan has a stronger economy.
• Germany has one of the largest foreign investments in the United States of all foreign countries.  You can see a state-by-state breakdown of German businesses in the US at: http://www.rgit-usa.com/german-business-matters.
• There are more educational and travel-abroad scholarships to Germany than to any other country in the world.

(Chris Gwin, "Why is Learning German Important?" The Language Educator [Nov. 2007]).

According to a global survey, seven of the ten cities with the highest quality of life are in German-speaking countries.  Learn more at: http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/survey-says-the-best-place-to-live-is---.html.

Knowing German is not only intellectually and personally satisfying; there are also good professional and business reasons to study German.  Check them out here: http://www.vistawide.com/german/why_german.htm

The Goethe Institute provides an extensive list of personal and professional reasons to learn German: http://www.goethe.de/ins/ca/lp/prj/wlg/enindex.htm?wt_sc=whygerman.

The German speaking countries are strongly represented in history, art, literature, culture, science, and business.  Check out their contributions at: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~german/gerwhy.html.

Contact Dr. Carol Leibiger at: c.leibiger@usd.edu or 605-658-3383.

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