2025-2026 Events for Utah DLI German Teachers

December 3-6, 2025: Salt Lake City Christkindlmarkt

January 7, 2026 @1:00pm: GIST Webinar: Teaching Grammar & Spelling (optional; recording will be available)

January 19, 2026: ACTFL Proposal submission deadline

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

January 29, 2026: Secondary German DLI PD

January 30-31, 2026: AATG Utah Retreat (tentative)

January 31, 2026: Presentation proposal submission deadline for German Immersion Language Education Conference on May 30-31, 2025

February 5, 2026: Elementary German DLI PD

February 19-21, 2026: SWCOLT Conference in Broomfield, CO

March 5, 2026 @1:00pm: GIST Webinar: Instructional Walls (optional; recording will be available)

March 12, 2026: UFLA @ UVU

April 15, 2026: German Fair at BYU

May 30-31, 2026: German Immersion Language Education Conference (GIEC) in St. Paul, MN

July 11-14, 2026: AATG Conference in Boston

November 20-22, 2026: ACTFL Conference in San Antonio, TX

Christkindlmarkt SLC

You and your students are warmly invited to a truly magical holiday experience: the Salt Lake City Christkindlmarkt — a Christmas market inspired by the traditional markets of Germany, right here in Salt Lake City.

Why You Should Join Us

• Living language & culture: Hear German, experience traditions, and help your students feel the connection between language and culture in a real, joyful setting.

• Fun & lasting memories: Lights, music, handcrafted gifts, warm treats, and a festive winter atmosphere create an unforgettable outing for kids and adults alike.

• Strolling past beautifully crafted wooden stalls, you can discover handmade gifts, arts and crafts, and delicious festive treats — a perfect authentic cultural experience outside the classroom.

• Live music, performances, storytelling, and cultural traditions create a rich atmosphere that supports German language learning in a fun and meaningful way.

• The market is extremely family-friendly, with many activities designed especially for children.

Event Details

• Dates: December 3–6, 2025

• Time: 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM daily

• Location: This Is the Place Heritage Park
  2601 E Sunnyside Ave, Salt Lake City, UT

• Admission: Free for everyone

Come with your class, with friends, or as a family — whether as a cultural extension to your curriculum or simply as a festive holiday outing. This market brings a piece of German-speaking culture to life in a way that no classroom can replicate.

Call for Proposals

German Immersion Language Education Conference, St. Paul, MN

From the desk of Dr. Katrin Erdmann, DaF and Testing Specialist at the Germanic-American Institute, and Kathrin Gillhoff, TCGIS Middle School DaF Koordinatorin at Twin Cities German Immersion School:

Dear German Immersion Language Education Professionals, 

We are pleased to send out the "Call for Proposals" for our second pre-K to 12  "German Immersion Language Education Conference" (GIEC) organized by and to be held at the  Germanic-American Institute in St Paul, MN on May 30-31, 2026.

At this time, we ask you to consider holding a workshop, giving a presentation on best practices, or presenting an academic paper in the field of German immersion education.  We are explicitly including but not limiting it to our pre-K colleagues as well as those who are working on the admin and governance side. The uploading deadline for your contributions is January 31st, 2026. The uploading form can be found here.

The cost for participation in this conference is $150,  with an early bird discount of $30 when registered before January 31st.

Please also keep in mind that the AATG has the  Metzler-Mews Conference Travel Grant for German teachers who do not get reimbursed by their institution for travel cost.  The application deadline for this grant is December 15,  2025.

Deutscher Vorlesetag 2025

Vorlesetag is a nationwide German reading-aloud initiative organized each year (in Germany and internationally) to celebrate reading, stories, and the power of listening. Schools, libraries, families, and communities often participate by having adults — teachers, parents or volunteers — read aloud to children in German to encourage a culture of reading and shared storytelling. 

Utah's elementary German immersion schools, Summit Academy Independence in Bluffdale and West Elementary in Tooele, participated in this annual event for the second time.

Participating in Vorlesetag gives students in German immersion a chance to hear authentic German read aloud — beyond textbooks — reinforcing listening skills, vocabulary, pronunciation, and cultural familiarity. By involving volunteers (parents, fluent speakers, community members) as readers, the events help build connection among DLI families, teachers, and the broader local German-speaking community. A special event like this can spark enthusiasm for reading and stories — especially in a second language — and can help motivate students to view German not just as a class, but as a living language for enjoyment. 

We thank all of our volunteers for participating and sharing their love of reading with our German immersion students.

Articles Worth Reading

Elementary: This Edutopia article is a quick, energizing read that shows how celebrating small, steady progress can dramatically boost student motivation and ownership. Using simple, practical strategies—like setting attainable goals, tracking growth visually, and recognizing even 1% improvements—the author illustrates how students begin to see themselves as capable learners and build real momentum. The examples are easy to replicate in any classroom, and the message is powerful: when we help students notice their growth, we empower them to keep going. Click here to read the full article.

Elementary: This article from Edutopia highlights research-backed, classroom-friendly strategies for building math fluency in K–2 students — going well beyond drills and flashcards to teach children how to think about numbers. It outlines practical tools like skip-counting on a hundreds chart, using number lines, “count-on/off” finger strategies, rounding or “friendly numbers,” and encouraging flexible, mental-math approaches that deepen number sense while boosting computation speed. If you want your youngest learners to gain confidence, flexibility, and real understanding — rather than rote memorization — this piece offers ready-to-use ideas and a compelling philosophy for early-elementary math instruction. Click here to read the full article.

Elementary: This article from Edutopia dives into five research-backed literacy strategies that move well beyond phonics to help students become strong, confident readers — by building background knowledge, boosting fluency with repeated read-alouds, engaging bodies and minds through movement and games, and grouping instruction by specific skills rather than reading levels. Whether you teach early grades, support multilingual students, or simply want to enrich your reading block, this piece gives practical, science-informed tools you can weave into any classroom starting tomorrow. Click here to read the full article.

Secondary: This article from Edutopia packs a powerful punch — it offers more than a dozen “micro-assessments” that you can use tomorrow to get a real-time read on what your students understand. From colored-cups and emoji-cards to one-question quizzes, drawing ideas, or rapid thumbs-up checks, these quick, low-stakes strategies give teachers immediate insight into student thinking — often before misconceptions solidify. If you’ve ever wished for a simple, efficient way to make sure no student gets left behind mid-lesson — without adding grading overload — this article is a must-read. Click here to read the full article.

Secondary: This article from Edutopia explains why teaching students to annotate their reading—intentionally and thoughtfully—is a game changer for comprehension and critical thinking. Instead of letting students speed-read or highlight randomly, the piece shows how a simple, consistent system that includes pause–think–annotate, margin notes, symbols for main ideas/reactions/questions, and handwritten reflections can transform reading into an engaged, interactive process — whether you’re using print or digital texts. If your students tend to skim texts or struggle with deeper understanding, this article is a must-read — because good annotation isn’t just note-taking, it’s a powerful habit that improves learning across all subjects. Click here to read the full 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:  Dieser Text bietet kulturreiches Lernmaterial für Deutschlernende auf A2-Niveau: Der Text beschreibt bekannte deutsche Weihnachtsmärkte wie den Dresdner Striezelmarkt, den Leipziger Weihnachtsmarkt oder den Nürnberger Christkindlesmarkt — mit ihren Besonderheiten: traditionellem Gebäck, Kunsthandwerk, Lichterstimmung und historischen Hintergründen. Das Material ist reich bebildert, mit Worterklärungen versehen und enthält ein Glossar mit relevanten Vokabeln. So ermöglicht es Schülern, nicht nur ihre Lesekompetenz zu üben, sondern gleichzeitig deutsche Kultur und Traditionen rund ums Weihnachtsfest kennen- und schätzen zu lernen — perfekt für eine motivierende und lebensnahe Unterrichtseinheit vor den Feiertagen. Bitte hier den vollen Text anklicken.

A2/B1 Text: Das Material „Adventszeit – Bastelzeit“ lädt Lernende ab Niveau A2/B1 dazu ein, auf kreative und handlungsorientierte Weise in die deutsche Advents- und Weihnachtskultur einzutauchen: Es bietet leicht verständliche Anleitungstexte und Bildmaterialien, um traditionelle Weihnachtsschmuckstücke selbst zu basteln – z. B. Strohsterne, Kerzenständer aus alten Deckeln oder Dekorationen aus Naturmaterialien (Orangen, Zapfen, Zweige etc.).  Durch die Schritt-für-Schritt-Anleitungen sowie ein Glossar mit Worterklärungen lässt sich das Material hervorragend im Deutschunterricht einsetzen und fördert dabei nicht nur kulturelles Verständnis, sondern auch Wortschatzerweiterung, Sprachkompetenz sowie feinmotorische und kreative Fähigkeiten. Somit ist „Adventszeit – Bastelzeit“ eine wunderbare Ressource, um die Vorweihnachtszeit sprachlich und kulturell lebendig im Unterricht zu gestalten. Bitte hier den vollen Text anklicken.

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.

ACTFL Classroom Microgrants

This grant opportunity is available to K-12 language educators in any teaching setting. Up to 100 microgrants of US $300 each will be awarded during the 2025-26 academic year (September 2025 to May 2026). Funds may support projects such as: cultural events or activities, partnerships with community organizations, and initiatives that develop cultural competence or diverse perspectives in language instruction. 

There are three funding cycles:

• August 4 – November 12 (awards announced November 17)

• November 13 – February 4 (awards announced February 9)

• February 5 – April 29 (awards announced May 4)

Applicants must include a clear description of need, purpose, and a detailed budget (the maximum award is $300). Basic classroom supplies (e.g., markers, pencils) are excluded.  Award recipients are required to submit a short promotional video (30-45 seconds) within one week of notification.

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

Send pictures and blurbs to Michaela at mclaus-nix@utahdli.org by December  31, 2025.

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