2025-2026 Events for Utah DLI German Teachers

September 4, 2025 @10:00am: GIST (German Immersion Schools Team) Webinar: KI im und für den Unterricht; Guest Speaker: Prof. Dr. Marion Grein (Uni Mainz)

September 22, 2025: Elementary German DLI PD @ USBE, 250 E 500 S, Salt Lake City (8:30 AM - 4:00 PM)

September 25, 2025: Secondary German DLI PD @ USBE, 250 E 500 S, Salt Lake City  (8:30 AM - 4:00 PM)

October 10, 2025: German Bridge Fall Workshop @ Beehive Room at Utah State Capitol

October 27-28, 2025: Atlanta German DLI Conference

November 6, 2025 @1:00pm: GIST Webinar: Utah's Core Instructional Strategies

November 19, 2025: DSD 2 Schriftliche Kommunikation

November 21, 2025:  Deutscher Vorlesetag

November 21-23, 2025: ACTFL Convention in New Orleans

December 3-6, 2025: Salt Lake City Christkindlmarkt

January 8, 2026 @1:00pm: GIST Webinar: Teaching Grammar & Spelling

January 23, 2026: German Bridge Fall Workshop at Clearfield High School Library Conference Room

January 29, 2026: Secondary German DLI PD

February 5, 2026: Elementary German DLI PD

March 5, 2026 @1:00pm: GIST Webinar: Instructional Walls

July 11-14, 2026: AATG Conference in Boston

Welcome Back, Utah German DLI Team!

Dear Wonderful German DLI Teachers,

Welcome back from what Shauna and Michaela hope was a restful, joyful, and well-deserved summer break! As we step into a new school year, we want to take a moment to thank you for all the heart, creativity, and energy you bring to your school's community.

Each of you plays such an important role in shaping not just young minds, but kind, curious, and confident human beings. Your passion, your patience, and your ability to turn everyday moments into lasting memories are what makes German DLI a place where children love to learn and grow.

This year, we’ll laugh, problem-solve, try new things, support one another, and celebrate our students—and each other—every step of the way. We know challenges will come, but we’ll meet them together, with courage and care.

Let’s make this a year full of connection, discovery, and joy. We are so glad to be on this journey with all of you!

A special welcome to our new German DLI Team Members: Regula, Yuliya and Katrin at Summit Academy and Karen at West Elementary. We are glad you are part of the team! 

AUDII 2025, the Annual Utah Dual Immersion Institute, is a wrap! AUDII is a unique induction experience and a state-sponsored professional development event led by the Utah State Board of Education (USBE), specifically intended for new Dual Language Immersion (DLI) teachers. The purpose is to introduce our new DLI team members to Utah's immersion model and its foundational structure. During the training, teachers review core instructional strategies, the state fidelity assurances and programmatic expectations, ensuring consistent and high-quality implementation across the state. The state DLI directors and coordinators address key topics such as partner-teacher collaboration, curriculum planning, and language proficiency targets. The institute is free for participants and provides 2.5 professional development credits with USBE.

3rd Year of German Bridge in Utah

Utah DLI in the News

Dual-Language Teacher in Utah Wins 3 Educator Awards

How Portuguese Dual Language Immersion Is Shaping Young Minds at Rose Springs Elementary

Utah Dual Language Teacher Honored for Resilience, Dedication

Articles Worth Reading

Elementary: Imagine stepping into your classroom on day one and noticing that every child, from the shyest whisper to the boldest giggle, feels seen and somehow already connected. That’s the magic behind the "Circle of Sameness"—a simple, playful icebreaker featured in Edutopia’s latest video. Students gather in a circle and move toward the center in response to prompts like “Step into the circle if you have a sibling” or “…if you speak more than one language.” Each step breathes life into shared experiences and sparks curiosity, laughter, and genuine conversations that break down walls and build bridges. Click here to access the article and the video.

Elementary: Imagine a classroom where celebrating each step forward—whether mastering a few sight words or closing in on a goal—sparks collective energy and pride. At Barbara Morgan STEM Academy in Meridian, Idaho, teachers intentionally carve out moments for students in kindergarten through fifth grade to honor progress, not just perfection. In one classroom, first graders gather in a celebration circle, complete with clappers and chants, to share wins and acknowledge classmates’ efforts—big or small. Rather than focusing solely on final milestones, students reflect on both their growth and what’s yet to come: “What are you doing next to push yourself?” asks teacher Kait Hudson. What emerges is more than applause—it’s a culture of ownership, empathy, and resilience. Students learn that failure is part of the journey, not a setback. Recognition becomes motivation, and learning feels like a shared celebration. Dive into the video to discover how honoring academic progress—at every stage—cultivates confidence and fuels classroom motivation.

Click here to read the article.

Elementary: Imagine your students pausing mid-lesson, pausing to pick up pencils, and—with just two minutes of calm reflection—capturing their learning in writing. No assignments to grade, just short bursts of writing that bridge curiosity, comprehension, and confidence. That’s the power of Stop‑and‑Jots, a daily, low-pressure strategy that brings writing into every subject—math, science, literacy—with ease and purpose. Rather than demand long paragraphs or draft-heavy essays, Stop‑and‑Jots ask questions like, “Today I realized…” or “I’m puzzled by…”, giving students quick and meaningful windows to process what they’ve learned. Over time, these micro-writings build stamina and sharpen thinking—even in reluctant writers. Click here to read the article.

Secondary: Imagine returning a quiz to your students and instead of a sea of crumpled papers or tense comparisons, you’re met with quiet focus and thoughtful reflection. That’s the transformation one educator experienced after switching to visual rubrics—graphical representations that map student progress across learning objectives, rather than relying on traditional percentages. In Edutopia’s latest article, Eileen Ng introduces two dynamic models: a bar‑chart style rubric, which allows learners to see at a glance where they’ve mastered skills and where growth is needed, and a spider‑web (radar) rubric, ideal for mapping out proficiency across multiple competencies over time. Click here to read the article.

Lernmaterialien

Lernmaterialien vom PASCH-Netzwerk

Alle PASCH Materialien im Überblick gibt es hier. Man kann es nach Themenbereich oder Sprachniveau filtern. Eine wunderbare Ressource, wenn man auf der Jagd nach authentischem Material ist.

A2 Text: Das Leben in meiner Stadt. 8 Jugendliche erzählen.  The material includes texts from 8 teenagers talking about their hometown. At the bottom, you can find links to worksheets and the texts with vocabulary explanations. You can access all materials here.

A2/B1 Video- und Audiodatei zum Thema Wohngemeinschaft. At the bottom, you can find the transcripts and the video to download. Click here to access the material.

B2/C1 Text, Audiodateien und Statistiken zum Thema Wohnungsnot in Deutschland. At the bottom, you will find  transcripts with vocabulary explanations. Click here to access all the material.

DAAD Updates

The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research has a website with lots of information for U.S. students that are interested in studying in Germany. The website is in English and German: https://www.study-in-germany.de. Please share with interested students!

Grants and Scholarships

AATG Grants and Scholarships

AATG has multiple grants and scholarships opportunities. Please click here to see them all.

Would You and Your Students Like to Be Featured in the September Newsletter?

Send pictures and blurbs to Michaela at mclaus-nix@utahdli.org by August  30, 2025.

Please share your hard work and the accomplishments of your students so that we can celebrate you!