fuchs01

I live in a rural area, worked in the city,my German after needing to speak in German, is not without an accent and not without the odd mistake. Hey-ho even in the city
Local Germans arent brilliant.I found when I started they had patience, now they
love the accent.Not forgetting few English in UK have command of their own
Language, but German youngsters know their own language better than
English kids know theirs.

My strength in the languages I know is my spelling, and comprehension.
Grammer, can be good one day, diabolical the next.
I used to be cocky and use the 'Du form' (familiar) to my bosses, some Doctors,
but they never got stroppy, not so stuffy as some English enviroments.
Respect of position in actions seemed more important.

I did clash once in a supermarket with an older so called lady, who was pushy,
with all, and told me off when I spoke to her using the familiar term, I simply
told her in German ' act like a child you'll be spoke to like a child',
The other customers loved it...The thing was I only asked if she was in the queue,
firstly in the formal form, and politely.She showed impatience towards the cashier
over a question, then towards me..So I gave her both barrels, but politely.

Just a lifes anecdote, can happen anywhere, except humour and use of language ,
gives it a kick where varying imperative forms with formal/familiar is the norm.

scot47

At my advanced age I continue to be amazed at how many people in the UK cannot use or understand Standard English. German kids have a better command of the language than kids in Britannia !

Moses2013

No different in Germany though. Now it's all "Was guckst du?

fuchs01

Thats a typical purpose mis-use of the language, which is taken with humour
of the foreign-German influence.
The thing is one can question mid-level to low level language taught in
England, (not Scotland, not Ireland).
Germanys teaching in these levels still get through to all/majority of the
children. Poor German families still have a good command of their language.
Then foreigners like the Turks, Poles, etc who have been taught in Germany
are mostly further advanced than their peers at all ages than in England.
UK high levels of education is probably the best in the world, but I measure
it against the other levels, where imo majority of children in England have
a poorer approach and discipline to their educational years.

scot47

Most kids in UK do NOT have the self-discipline and "Sitzfleisch" to study Music or learn a foreign language. Too obsessed with their devices !

Moses2013

I agree with foreign languages, but most people worldwide are obsessed with their devices. I wouldn't say that kids in the UK have no self discipline either and there are loads of kids in the UK who are interested in music, or study other subjects.



Look how many great musicians come from the UK and most people produce music on their computers these days anyway.



It's no different in Germany and just depends where you live. I have a friend who is a teacher in Germany and many kids actually struggle with German. Rechtschreibung: Metchen, mach keine Fehler! | ZEIT ONLINE


This is also another point and each Bundesland is very different:


Lüge #1: Die Talent-Lüge Unser Schulsystem sortiert Kinder aus, ja es stempelt sie ab. Es trennt die „Guten“ von den „Schlechten“.Deshalb haben wir ein System mit Haupt- und Realschulen und den Gymnasien.

Novocastrian

How common are Gesamtschulen these days?

Moses2013

This is a year old, but should still be correct:
Weiterführende Schulformen in Deutschland je Bundesland
The problem I see is that you can go to Realschule in Hessen and it could be a lot easier than a Hauptschule in Bayern, so there are huge differences.

Novocastrian

Yikes! It's got even more divergent not less.

We were in Rheinland-Pfalz when the kids were in school. Then it was Hauptschule - Realschule - Gymnasium while a couple of Gesamtschulen were around which were supposed to be a step towards integration of the others.

In the meantime every single Land still has Gymnasium.

Hmmm. Plan C?

fuchs01

What part of Rheiland-pfalz..?? I live now between Bad Kreuznach and Alzey.
"Rheinhessische-Schweiz"

Novocastrian

Further north. Our last house was in Heidesheim am Rhein.

But one of my employees lived in Bad Kreuznach and his wife was a schoolteacher in Alzey.

fuchs01

obviously know the area well, my youngest daughter is doing an apprenticeship
in Budenheim in the chemiefabrik.
Why did you move on, where are you now, in France???
Sorry if I am too intrusive, just curious, it seems like me you have been
around a bit. Wont be offended if you tell me to mind my own business.

Novocastrian

Mind your own business.

I know the chemical plant in Budenheim well... one of my German buddies was a Works Doctor there.

I moved on in 1993 because of a job offer "I couldn't refuse" in Toronto, where I stayed until retiring last year.

I (we) have owned a house in France for about 10 years but have decided to have our main residence in the UK now (at least for the time being).

Note my sig line.