Everyday Language (BICS)
Acquired quickly (1–2 years). Context-dependent, informal, situational. Sufficient for daily life, but not for school.
Understand & Support
German as a Second Language
Foundations and Pathways
for Targeted Language Support
What Is German as a Second Language (DaZ)?
German as a Second Language (DaZ) refers to the acquisition of the German language by people whose first language (mother tongue) is different and who live in a German-speaking 🇩🇪🇦🇹🇨🇭 environment. Unlike foreign language learning, DaZ acquisition takes place through everyday contact with the German language – at school, on the playground, while shopping, or at the workplace.
DaZ learners include children with a migration background who grew up in Germany, immigrant families, and adults who live permanently in Germany. They are surrounded by the German language every day and acquire it both in a guided way (in class) and in an unguided way (in everyday life). This permanent language contact fundamentally distinguishes DaZ from German as a Foreign Language (DaF).
A common question is: "Is German my mother tongue if I was born here?" The answer is: not automatically. Whether German counts as a mother tongue depends on which language is acquired first and used in the family's everyday life. If a different language is predominantly spoken at home, German can be acquired as a second language despite being born in Germany.
The term DaZ applies in particular to refugees living in Germany, resettlers and late resettlers, labor migrants, and children and young people with a migration background, provided that German is not their mother tongue. In connection with the labor migration of the 1960s and 1970s, DaZ replaced the formerly common terms such as "Gastarbeiterdeutsch" (guest worker German) and established itself as an independent field in linguistics and education.
Characteristics of DaZ Acquisition:
- Center of life in the German-speaking region – learners live in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland
- Daily language contact – learners encounter German at school, at work, and in everyday life
- Guided and unguided acquisition – learning in courses and simultaneously in daily life
- Existential importance – German is needed for education, employment, and social participation
- Frequent multilingualism – the first language is preserved as a resource
Historical Development of DaZ/DaF
The field of German as a Foreign and Second Language developed in the late 1960s for two reasons: on the one hand, the number of foreign students in the Federal Republic and the GDR was increasing; on the other hand, migration to Germany was growing. In 1956, the Institute for Foreign Studies was founded at the University of Leipzig, which later became the Herder Institute. Gerhard Helbig held the first professorship for DaF in the 1960s. Today, the Arbeitsstelle Kleine Fächer (Small Subjects Unit) maps 36 independent professorships at 23 German universities. More than 50 universities offer degree programs in DaF or DaZ.
The Difference: DaZ vs. DaF
The terms German as a Second Language (DaZ) and German as a Foreign Language (DaF) are often confused or used synonymously. In linguistics and language didactics, however, there are significant differences that directly affect methodology and learning objectives. According to a study by Goethe-Institut, DAAD, and the Central Agency for German Schools Abroad, approximately 15.4 million people worldwide learn German as a foreign language. With about 18 percent of native speakers, German is the most widely spoken mother tongue in the European Union and, together with French, the second most common foreign language.
| German as a Second Language (DaZ) |
German as a Foreign Language (DaF) |
|---|---|
| Acquisition in a German-speaking country (e.g. children in German schools) | Learning abroad (e.g. German lessons in France or Japan) |
| Daily contact with the German language in everyday life, school, and work | Contact primarily in the classroom, little everyday exposure |
| Guided and unguided acquisition simultaneously | Predominantly guided acquisition in the classroom |
| German is immediately needed for education, employment, and participation | German as an additional skill, not existentially necessary |
| Goal: Academic language competence and social integration | Goal: Communicative competence for travel, study, or work abroad |
| Learners are heterogeneous (different first languages, education levels, ages) | Learning groups are often more homogeneous (same first language, similar level) |
Why is the difference important?
DaZ learners need different didactic approaches than DaF learners. While DaF textbooks are designed for structured foreign language instruction, DaZ teaching must incorporate learners' everyday experiences, account for linguistic heterogeneity, and pave the way to Bildungssprache (academic language).
DaZ and Bildungssprache (Academic Language)
For DaZ learners, acquiring Bildungssprache (academic language) poses a particular challenge. While everyday language (also known as BICS – Basic Interpersonal Communication Skills) is often at a good level after just one to two years, acquiring Bildungssprache (academic language) (also known as CALP – Cognitive Academic Language Proficiency) typically takes five to seven years.
This means: a child who speaks German fluently and communicates effortlessly in the schoolyard can still fail in the classroom because the academic language skills are missing. This is precisely where the work of InSL e.V. comes in.
Bildungssprache – Academic Language (CALP)
Takes significantly longer (5–7 years). Context-independent, abstract, formal. Decisive for academic success.
How Does Second Language Acquisition Work?
The acquisition of German as a second language does not happen randomly but follows specific acquisition stages. Regardless of their first language, DaZ learners go through similar phases, which are reflected in grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure.
01
One-Word Phase & Formulaic Sequences
Learners use individual words and fixed phrases such as "Ich heiße ..." (My name is ...), "Danke" (Thank you), or "Wie geht's?" (How are you?). This phase forms the foundation for further acquisition.
02
Simple Sentence Structures
First subject-verb-object sentences emerge: "Ich gehe Schule" (I go school), "Mama macht Essen" (Mama makes food). Verb placement is not yet correct, articles and case endings are often missing.
03
Sentence Bracket & Subordinate Clauses
Learners begin to use the German sentence bracket ("Ich habe gestern Fußball gespielt" – I played football yesterday) and form their first subordinate clauses ("..., weil ich Hunger habe" – ...because I am hungry). This is a key step on the path to Bildungssprache (academic language).
04
Complex Structures & Academic Language
In the advanced phase, passive constructions, subjunctive mood, extended noun phrases, and technical terms are acquired. This is the prerequisite for participating in the academic language discourse at school and in the workplace.
Multilingualism as an Opportunity
For a long time, multilingualism was considered an obstacle. Modern linguistics shows, however, that multilingualism is a resource. Children who grow up with multiple languages often develop a better awareness of language and can compare and understand language structures more easily.
InSL e.V. follows the BiKo Basic Concept for Academic Language Communication (Basiskonzept Bildungssprachliche Kommunikation) developed by Professor Ingrid Gogolin, which explicitly recognizes multilingualism as a resource. In our language courses for children and adults, the first language is not viewed as a deficit but valued as a foundation for acquiring German.
Advantages of Multilingualism:
- Heightened language sensitivity – multilingual children recognize language patterns more quickly
- Better metalinguistic awareness – they can reflect on language
- Cognitive flexibility – switching between languages exercises the brain
- Cultural competence – access to different cultures and ways of thinking
- Professional advantages – multilingualism is increasingly sought after in the job market
DaZ Support at InSL e.V.
InSL e.V. combines DaZ support with the acquisition of Bildungssprache (academic language). Our approach goes beyond mere language instruction: we promote continuous language education – from everyday language through subject-specific language to academic language.
DaZ Support for Children
- Sprachpiraten (Ages 4–6) – Playful introduction to the German language, early academic language support at preschool age
- Sprachdetektive (Ages 6–10) – Systematic development of academic language skills at primary school age
- Sprachforscher (Ages 10–16) – Subject-specific language support and preparation for secondary schools
DaZ Support for Adults
- Group Training – Individualized German courses with practical exercises in grammar, reading, and listening comprehension
- Deutsch4U – EU-funded project for people with limited access to regular language programs
- Reading and Writing Course – Targeted support for written language skills
Professional Development for Educators
- Professional Development – Qualified training for teachers, educators, and parents on language-sensitive instruction and DaZ didactics
- Workshops on Bildungssprache (academic language) and continuous language education
- Practical concepts for DaZ support in subject teaching
Methods of DaZ Support
Effective DaZ support is based on scientifically grounded methods. InSL e.V. relies on the BiKo Basic Concept and combines various approaches:
Continuous Language Education
Language support as a continuous process across all educational levels – not as an isolated individual measure.
Integrated Language Education
Language is not taught in isolation but in the context of subject content. This is how academic language competence develops.
Multilingualism Didactics
Learners' first languages are included as a resource, not viewed as an obstacle.
Scaffolding
Targeted linguistic support structures (scaffolds) that are gradually removed until learners can work independently.
Cooperative Learning
Learning together in groups promotes active language use and communicative competence.
Language-Sensitive Didactics
Teachers recognize the linguistic demands of their subjects and provide targeted support to DaZ learners through professional development.
Scientific Foundations
DaZ didactics builds on extensive research. Key concepts that also shape the work of InSL e.V.:
Key Terms and Concepts:
- BICS and CALP (Jim Cummins, 1979) – Distinction between everyday language and academic language competence. Fundamental for understanding why DaZ learners can fail academically despite good everyday language skills.
- Continuous Language Education (Ingrid Gogolin) – A concept of language support across all educational levels, anchored in the BiKo Basic Concept.
- Language-Sensitive Subject Teaching (Josef Leisen) – A methodology that combines subject-specific and linguistic learning.
- Scaffolding (Pauline Gibbons) – A scaffolding method for targeted linguistic support in DaZ instruction.
Key Institutions in the DaF/DaZ Field
The promotion of German as a Foreign and Second Language is a central goal of Germany's foreign cultural and educational policy. Various organizations implement this support:
- Goethe-Institut – A globally active organization with 149 institutes in 92 countries. Conducts language courses, German examinations, develops teaching materials, and provides professional development for teachers.
- DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) – The largest funding organization for international academic exchange. Awards scholarships, promotes German studies and the German language abroad.
- Central Agency for German Schools Abroad (ZfA) – Responsible for supervising German schools abroad, placing teachers, and developing the German Language Diploma (DSD).
- PASCH Initiative ("Schools: Partners for the Future") – A network of over 2,000 schools in 120 countries where German holds a prominent position. Around 600,000 students learn German there.
- Hessian Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs – Information on the comprehensive school language support concept of the state of Hessen.
DaZ Support for Children and Adults
We accompany you or your child on the path to confident mastery of the German language – individually, professionally, and based on scientific research.