National German Exam
National German Exam General Info & Test Samples
This exam is administered each year to high school students on the second, third and fourth level of German language study for measurement, placement and diagnostic purposes.
Outstanding secondary students can compete for a three- to four-week study trip to Germany, with a family stay and attendance at a Gymnasium and participation in tours.
Exam period: December 7, 2010 - January 20, 2011
National German Exam logo
Click here for the order form.
Note: One CD will be sent with each exam order, containing all three levels. Administrators are encouraged to make copies if necessary.
If teachers want to make MP3s or other digital copies of previous exam cassettes, AATG gives permission.
Samples of the past exams - click here for the Word document.
The National Association of Secondary School Principals has placed this program on the NASSP National Advisory List of Contests and Activities for 2010-11.
How to Use the National German Exam in Your Classroom
Click here to access the newly created PDF document that gives tips on how to use this exam:
http://www.aatg.org/media/UsingNGE.pdf
This publication is the result of lengthy discussions by the AATG Executive Council’s Testing Committee regarding present and future use of the National German Examination (NGE). Over the years, many teachers have expressed positive comments on the NGE and their ability to use the assessment successfully in their classroom for a variety of purposes. Each year between 800 and 900 teachers administer the NGE to well over 26,000 students.
On the other hand, committee members have heard concerns about the disappointing results students achieve. Teachers have questioned others on the AATG Listserv whether they “teach to the test “, and the reasons why they take the time and effort to have the NGE administered in their schools. They want to know how teachers pay for the test (it varies among school funds, German club funds and the students themselves). They also need solid reasoning for justifying the test to their administrators. Still others are concerned that the test does not effectively test all of the skills they emphasize in class and they fail to understand the benefits for offering the NGE.
The Testing Committee members decided to develop an online and ever-growing and improving resource to give teachers the courage to administer the NGE. The first articles were solicited by the committee and come from seasoned teachers who have had success with the NGE over the years. This publication’s goal is to continue to improve and add more tips, ideas and strategies for using the test within the classroom.
If you have a suggestion or idea to add, please send it to headquarters@aatg.org
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Why should I give the AATG examination? The exams, now in the 50th year, are a diagnostic tool and can be used to create excitement and a sense of accomplishment inherent in participation. They also provide a means of comparing your students to others in all regions of the country. The results are among the criteria used in selecting the recipients of chapter awards as well as the national AATG/PAD study trip awards.
2. Who should take the AATG examination? Everyone in all of your classes, except level one! Our statistician analyzed results and found no significant difference in scores when all students in a class take the exam, or only part of the class participates. This should eliminate the concern many of you might have about the lack of fairness when we aggregate data for classes where only the “best” students take the examination with classes where everyone participates.
3. When can the examination be administered? Between December 8, 2009, and January 20, 2010. Schedule the exam as early as possible, so that in case of school closings, student illness, midterm exams, weather conditions, etc., you can still meet the deadline.
4. Why can’t the examination be administered later in the year? Because the examination is also used to determine the recipients of the Pädagogischer Austauschdienst-supported study trips, we must send the names of the prizewinners to the Pädagogischer Austauschdienst in early spring.
NEW THIS YEAR
5. How do I place an order for the examination? Are there any changes in procedures for ordering? Over the years nonmembers have taken advantage of this AATG service and not supported the association. Many AATG members have expressed resentment of these non-members and their free access to this AATG program. Therefore, AATG has established a new policy that non-AATG members must find a sponsor who will pay a $50 fee to allow their students to participate in the NGE and the Awards Program. We hope this will encourage non-members to seriously consider joining the AATG and share in supporting their professional association.
6. What are the requirements for sponsoring students? There are two ways to sponsor students:
• AATG member sponsorship: Teachers must be current members of the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) at the time the order for the National German Examination is placed. AATG members may sponsor ONLY their own students who are enrolled in courses they teach during the exam period (December - January). They may NOT sponsor any other students including former students or students of colleagues.
• Non-member sponsorship: Those who are not current AATG members must either: a) join AATG, or b) have an outside non-member sponsor who will pay a non-member sponsorship fee of $50 to render students eligible to take the NGE. Non-member sponsors may include clubs, civic organizations, schools, corporations, individuals, etc. Each sponsor must submit the $50 non-member sponsorship fee, which allows that sponsor to order up to 50 tests. In addition to the $50 non-member sponsorship fee, the sponsor must pay for the examinations ordered ($5 per examination, plus $5 shipping/handling per order). Students sponsored by a non-member will be eligible for the awards given by the national office. NOTE: Non-members may choose to pay regular AATG membership dues at the time the order is placed in order to avoid the non-member sponsorship fee. AATG’s membership expires at the end of each calendar year. If the order for the National German Examination is placed on or after October 1, membership will begin when the order is received and continue through the end of the following calendar year.
• Certain exceptions to the non-member sponsorship fee will be made for students at Saturday schools and for those who are homeschooled. For Saturday schools, at least one teacher or the principal must be an AATG member, and that person may order for all teachers at the school, or the non-member sponsorship will apply. For home-schoolers, AATG membership and the non-member sponsorship fee will be waived.
7. How much does it cost? For students of AATG members: $5.00 per student, and you keep the examinations and CD (with all three levels), plus $5.00 shipping / handling per order. Extra CDs are available for $5.00 each. Non-member sponsors must add $50 to the costs of the exams for the non-member sponsor fee.
8. Who pays for the exam? This varies among school funds, German club funds and the students themselves.
9. Who administers the examination? Your school's testing or guidance personnel or an administrator. Knowledge of German is not necessary. No teacher of German may administer the exam! Examinations are shipped to the test administrator, not to the teacher of German.
10. How long is the examination? 1 hour and 5 minutes. For scheduling purposes, students may complete the top part of the answer sheets ahead of time (name, etc.). The listening comprehension section may be administered separately from the remaining portion, as long as the examinations are kept secure by the test administrator.
11. What is tested? Levels 2, 3, 4 with listening comprehension: brief interchanges and longer dialogues; situational questions testing reading and conversational skills; applied structure or grammar and idioms in context; comprehension of connected passages of approximately 200 words each; comprehension of some authentic materials. Grammar specifications can be found at: http://www.aatg.org/student-programs/32-national-german-exam/562-grammar. The NGE Commission covers the standard vocabulary for self, family, daily life, school, chores, travel, hobbies, coupled with various and many cognates to help students. The reading texts have been as varied as how to tell the age of car tires, spiders in the world of today, traffic accidents, police stories, a cow in a swimming pool, a cat in an airline cockpit, and a dog in a clothes dryer. The NGE Commission looks for authentic and interesting stories and makes sure that they contain vocabulary within reach of the students. No one method, textbook, or approach is given preference.
12. The exam does not reflect the communicative strategies I emphasize in my classroom! A national pencil and paper exam, unfortunately, does not lend itself to assessing all aspects of student performance. You may want to add speaking and writing components of your own to gain a more complete picture of student progress, especially if you are using the examination as a highstakes evaluation instrument.
13. Which level should my students take? A general rule is that students should take the examination for the level at which they are studying at the time of administration. The design takes into account that students are tested halfway through the year: the level 2 exam is designed for students at 1 ½ years; the level 3 exam for students at 2 ½ years; the level 4 exam for students at 3 ½ years. If students are in level five or higher: order the level four exams, which will be graded in a separate category with other students in the fifth or sixth year of German study. If your school is on a block schedule: order the level they completed when they last studied German.
14. My student has special needs (ADA); how is this handled? Students who receive accommodations under the ADA guidelines on standardized examinations may receive the same accommodations on the AATG National German Examination.
15. May these students take the examination: Those from German-speaking homes; those who have spent more than two consecutive weeks since the age of six in a country where German is spoken; foreign students? Yes, but they are in a special category and are ineligible for study trips.
16. This examination is approved by the NASSP. What does this mean? Once again, the National Association of Secondary School Principals has placed the AATG National German Examination on the Advisory List of National Contests and Activities for 2009-2010. Therefore, school principals usually support the administration of the examination during the school day by a guidance counselor or administrator. In order to gain NASSP approval, AATG sends this announcement to over 8,000 secondary school
teachers of German in the USA, regardless of AATG membership.
17. Who develops the examinations? The AATG National German Examination Commission writes, reviews, and selects exam items, using their professional judgment to make sure that the vocabulary, idioms, topics, and questions are appropriate and interesting for each level. New examinations are developed each year. The 2009 commission members: Eckhard Kuhn-Osius, Chair (Hunter College, 695 Park Ave., New York, NY 10021); Susan Adams (Concord Academy, Concord, MA); Marita Cleaver (McKinney Boyd High School, McKinney, TX); Jack Denny (Leyden High School District 212, Franklin Park, IL); Christina Frei (Univ. of Pennsylvania), and Jennifer Redmann (Franklin & Marshall College, PA). To find out more about the work of the Commission, or if you are interested in serving on the Commission, please contact the Chair.
18. Is there information on the reliability and validity of this examination? Yes! The Interpretive Data Booklet for last year’s examination is available on AATG’s website at: http://www.aatg.org/media/InterpretiveData2010.pdf
Awards Program
19. Why is the local/regional awards program important? You as a teacher of German work in a political environment in which it is important to make maximum use of all opportunities to advocate for the teaching of German. Therefore, we ask you to recognize outstanding students at a prominent local school awards event, if possible. Many chapters also honor students at awards ceremonies, luncheons, and dinners with prizes, including certificates for placing at the 70th percentile and above, books, special medals, T-shirts, savings bonds and cash. Many of these awards are donated by the German Embassy, Austrian Cultural Forum, Langenscheidt Publishers, among others, such as the GLOW Award.
20. What other prizes are awarded? In the past, the Federal Republic of Germany, through the Auswärtiges Amt and its Pedagogical Exchange Service (Pädagogischer Austauschdienst – PAD), has provided the AATG/PAD Study Trip Awards. We hope that they will be granted again in 2011.
21. What are the AATG/PAD study trip awards?
Award I: Prizewinners (not graduating seniors) receive round-trip group transportation from New York to Germany, spend 3-4 weeks living in Germany, attend classes at an academic high school, and participate in various excursions to places of cultural significance.
Award II: Graduating seniors receive round-trip group transportation from New York to Germany, spend 3-4 weeks living there, where they are placed in groups with international students. In addition to a homestay program, they also attend special seminars in other locations within Germany.
22. Who is eligible for the AATG/PAD study trip award? The minimum requirements include: 90 percentile (or higher) on the examination; minimum of a B average; 16 years old by December 31, 2011; must not live in a household where regular conversation is in German; must not have visited a German-speaking country for more than two consecutive weeks since the age of six; must be a US citizen or US permanent resident (“green card” holder).
23. My students participate in GAPP – why can’t they receive a study trip? GAPP is also supported by German government funds, and the PAD, the donor of the award, has told us that they want students who would not otherwise have the chance to go to Germany.
24. How does a chapter nominate its study trip candidates? A committee, headed by the Chapter Testing Chair, selects the nominees for Award I and Award II. Some chapters use additional criteria, such as a writing sample or oral interview. Chapter criteria should be available to all teachers.
25. Who selects the study trip award winners? A nationally representative committee chooses the final award winners from among the chapter candidates.