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Recognition of Teacher Qualifications and Teaching Opportunities in Germany
Craig Childers, Language Program Coordinator Goethe-Institut Washington

3. Our Mission
To promote the German language as a foreign and second language.
To promote international cultural cooperation.
To convey a comprehensive picture of Germany by providing information about Germany’s cultural, social and political life.
(Animation in 3 Stufen) 10

4. At a Glance 149 locations worldwide 136 institutes in 91 countries
10 liaison offices
13 institutes in Germany
Non-governmental organization (NGO)
Provides services on behalf of the Federal Republic of Germany
Headquarters in Munich
Capital office in Berlin
2.800 employees worldwide 6

5. Locations worldwide
Goethe-Institut – Ein weltumspannendes Netzwerk 7

6. Locations in Germany and Europe
Goethe-Institut – Ein weltumspannendes Netzwerk 8

7. An American Teacher in Germany
Is there recognition of foreign teaching credentials in Germany?
Jein!
The Federal Republic of Germany is, as its full name indicates, a federation of states (Bundesländer), not wholly unlike the United States of America, when it comes to teacher certification.
At the university level, there are more opportunities and less red tape. PhD-holders are judged exclusively on the quality of their research, their reputation and the demand for their talents in high-demand fields.
Is there recognition of foreign reaching credentials in Germany?
Jein!
The Federal Republic of Germany is, as its full name indicates, a federation of states(Bundesländer), each with its own teacher certification guidelines. The teaching profession, unlike other professions such as doctors, for example, is not regulated on the national level. Even for German citizens, trained as teachers in Germany, having your credentials recognized just across the state line can be a challenge. Sound familiar?! 7

8. EFL Teaching Opportunities
Foreign Language Teaching Assistantships for recent college graduates (Fulbright, US State Department)
Private Language Schools (Wall Street Institute, Berlitz, etc.) 8

9. International Schools
Every major city in Germany hosts at least one “international school”
Typically, this type of school is a private, independent, K-12, US-accredited school catering to a primarily expatriate clientele
A Master’s degree, K-12 certification from any US state and two years of experience will pre-qualify you to begin applying for jobs throughout Germany and all over the world (these qualifications are equivalent to German teaching qualifications) 9

10. Department of Defense Schools
The DoD also operates dozens of schools in Germany, which are actively recruiting teachers from the US
DoD schools provide quality education for the children of military and eligible civilian personnel stationed around the world
Competitive salaries and great benefits available at schools in Germany and beyond 10

11. Teaching at German Public Schools
Having your credentials recognized in Germany will be a long and difficult process
Decide which Bundesland you’d like to work in and focus on that state’s requirements/process
Having your qualifications certified/recognized is no guarantee of employment 11

12. Teaching at German Public Schools
There is a shortage of teachers in Germany: some estimate a shortage of 45,000 teachers for the 2010/2011 school year
In conjunction with the ongoing discussions about integration, the topic of recognizing immigrants’ qualifications is being discussed/debated at the state and national levels
In the US 12

13. The Future is Bright
Currently only 49% of well-educated immigrants in Germany are working in a highly-qualified job, v.s. 70% of native-born Germans (
Studies have shown and state boards of education recognize both the advantages and dire shortage of immigrants as teachers in the classrooms

14. Best Practice Example: TAP
The Teacher Acquisition Program (TAP) in NRW is a program to recruit native English speakers to English-language Immersion schools in NRW to teach EFL, as well as content classes in the subject areas of Biology, History and Geography.
Good German skills are required.

15. TAP Guidelines Who can apply? Which degree is required?
How do I apply?
How much can I earn?
Answers to these questions and more:
Again: the existence of such programs does not guarantee the availability of job openings 15

16. Going Forward
To meet its current needs and to stay competitive, Germany needs to reform its teacher qualification recognition policies
Due to the decentralized state-based education system in Germany, this will take time
Innovative states and states where there is a need for highly-qualified English native-speaker teachers, whether as EFL teachers or content teachers in Immersion schools, will achieve the best results with special programs such as TAP 16

17. More information? www.goethe.de
250,000 webpages
15,000,000 internet hits per month 26

18. Vielen Dank für Ihre Aufmerksamkeit!