Short format

The Turkish picture book "An apple for everyone" by Feridun Oral tells a very simple but loving winter story that fits wonderfully into the pre-Christmas period. It is about being together
, about sharing something with others and experiencing joy together with friends.

This workshop presents approaches to picture books that can be developed with children in multicultural teaching settings - but not only there. Each teaching suggestion always starts at a very basic level with simple movement and rhythm games, which can then be developed further
for different learning groups:

From a rhythmic finger play to a picture book song to text comprehension and picture-based, free storytelling. From a movement game for language development to a scenic dance performance to active listening to music. From experiencing the word field RUNNING through music and rhythm to composing music for the four main characters in the story. The teaching ideas presented in the workshop are particularly suitable for classes 2 and 3, but they can be adapted accordingly and implemented in class 1, a pre-school class or in a preparatory course
. All interested parties are welcome

• Head: Prof. Susanne Dreßler
• Lecturer: Birgit Jeschonneck
• Dates: 02.12.2025, 16:00-18:00
• Location: Concert hall of the Institute of Music, University of Kassel

Please come in movement clothing so that you can take part in the dance elements.

In the "VR in foreign language teaching" workshop, various virtual reality apps for foreign language teaching will be presented and discussed together with the participants. The focus will be on VR applications for mastering communicative situations (e.g. a visit to a restaurant) in English, French and Spanish lessons. Practical testing of the apps is at the forefront of the workshop and no specific prior knowledge of the participants is necessary. A special feature of using VR in the classroom is that it allows learners to immerse themselves in other cultural worlds and experience authentic communication situations. In this way, access to linguistically and culturally new environments can be created.

• Head: Prof. Dr. Claudia Schlaak
• Lecturer: Prof. Dr. Claudia Schlaak
• Dates: 20.11.2025, 17:00-19:00
• Place: ISW Room 0.016 in the Kurt-Wolters-Str. 5, 34125 Kassel

• Registration via www.uni-kassel.de/einrichtung/zlb/informationen-fuer-lehrerinnen/anmeldung-zu-einem-fortbildungsangebot.html

The first article presents a European research project investigating the use of Extended Realities (XR) in foreign language teaching. The focus is on a practical framework that supports teachers in the selection, planning, implementation and reflection of XR-supported learning environments.

The second article is dedicated to the potential of virtual reality in the context of education for sustainable development (ESD) in foreign language teaching. It shows how immersive learning environments can enrich teacher training, teaching sequences and school practice in order to make global topics tangible in terms of language and content.

The third article focuses on the learner's perspective. Intervention studies are used to show how young people perceive the use of VR in French and Spanish lessons, what attitudes they develop towards it and where there are opportunities for sustainable integration in foreign language lessons. Specific learning scenarios are also presented.

The fourth article deals with the previously little-researched use of 360° recordings in German as a foreign language lessons. It will discuss how this technology can be used in task-oriented scenarios to enable learners to engage in realistic language activities and thus promote communicative skills.

• Head: Prof. Dr. Claudia Schlaak
• Lecturer: Frauke Matz & Karoline Wirbatz (University of Münster); Michelle Zirkel, (University of Bamberg) Claudia Schnellbögl (University of Bamberg) & Theresa Summer (CHE Center for Higher Education Development); Claudia Schlaak & Lisa Vogel; Anna Sakhno (LMU Munich)
• Dates: 25.09.2025, 16:00-18:00
• Location: Campus Center, Room 1125 (Seminar Room 6), Moritzstraße 18, 34127 Kassel
• Registration via dgff2025[at]uni-kassel[dot]de

With the newly introduced curriculum, the topic of evolution has been given a higher priority in the upper secondary school. However, evolution is one of the most challenging topics in biology lessons. Diverse alternative student ideas and a rejection of the theory of evolution are just two of the challenges that biology teachers are confronted with in the classroom. The training day on the topic of evolution will consist of an overarching introduction and five individual workshops. In the first workshop (Prof. Dr. Helge Martens, University of Kassel), participants will analyze teaching videos on how to deal with alternative student ideas (e.g. goal-oriented ideas) and discuss how best to deal with these ideas on this basis. In the second workshop (Dr. Tim Hartelt, University of Kassel), learning materials will be presented that can improve students' understanding of natural selection by promoting awareness and self-regulation of students' intuitive thinking, which is often at odds with scientific understanding. In the third workshop (Dr. Helena Aptyka, University of Cologne), the mathematical concepts of chance and probability will be introduced and applied to the teaching of evolution, as these concepts have been shown to support evolutionary understanding (e.g. the randomness of mutations). In the fourth workshop (Dr. Susan Hanisch, University of Jena), participants will learn about didactic approaches to teaching human and cultural evolution. The fifth workshop (Dr. Christiane Konnemann, University of Münster) will focus on students' attitudes towards evolution (and creation) by discussing ways of diagnosing and dealing with students' (negative) attitudes towards evolution.

• Head: Dr. Tim Hartelt
• Lecturers: Dr. Tim Hartelt (University of Kassel), Prof. Dr. Helge Martens (University of Kassel), Dr. Susan Hanisch (University of Jena), Dr. Helena Aptyka (University of Cologne), Dr. Christiane Konnemann (University of Münster)
• Dates: 03.11.2025, 09:00 - 16:30
• Location: University of Kassel, AVZ (Heinreich-Plett-Straße 40), Room 2138
• Costs: Free of charge
• Registration by 17.10.2025 by e-mail hartelt[at]uni-kassel[dot]de (please indicate your type of school)
• It is desirable, but not essential, to bring digital devices. Catering will be provided.

At the University of Kassel, the two theological institutes hold an annual Religious Education and Theology Study Day to which we invite students, graduates, mentors of the practical school studies and the practical semester, trainee teachers and teachers (around 30 to 60 participants). This day is intended to promote networking between the different phases of teacher training and strengthen contact with each other. In addition, the study day is part of an interdisciplinary teaching-learning concept and is intended to look at the central theme of the year, which will be dealt with in several courses during the year, from an interdisciplinary perspective. This year's theme is "Preventing anti-Semitism".

We have already been able to secure Prof. Dr. Matthias Schmidt (University of Giessen) as the main speaker for this study day. Prof. Dr. Jan Woppowa (University of Paderborn) has agreed to give a response on religious education. After the presentations and a plenary discussion, we want to offer various practice-oriented, classroom-based workshops (lasting around 90 minutes in groups of 5 to 20 participants).

In particular, the exchange between subject science and subject didactics as well as between students, trainee teachers and religion teachers is always experienced as mutually enriching.

• Leader: Prof. Dr. Annegret Reese-Schnitker, University of Kassel
• Lecturers: Prof. Dr. Matthias Schmidt (University of Giessen), Prof. Dr. Jan Woppowa (University of Paderborn), Dr. Werner Haußmann (University of Erlangen-Nuremberg), Katharina Josephine Barth, Dr. Marcel Franzmann (teacher from Gelsenkirchen)
• Dates: 13.11.2025, 15:00 - 20:30
• Location: University of Kassel, Henschelstraße 2, Room 1140
• Registration deadline until 23.10.2025

• Speakers: Various
• Keynote lecture: Prof. Dr. Susanne Prediger (TU Dortmund) & Prof. Dr. Charlotte Rechtsteiner (PH Ludwigsburg)
• Dates: 29.09.2025, 09-17 h
• Location: University of Kassel, AVZ, Heinrich-Plett-Straße 40 (various rooms)
• Implementation format: Main lecture + various workshops and workshop discussions

During the workshop, various immersive teaching and learning methods for foreign language teaching will be presented and reflected on together with the participants. Specific teaching units for foreign language lessons will be discussed. The focus will be on teaching and learning methods with augmented reality and working with merge cubes in foreign language teaching.

The workshop will take place online and last approximately 120 minutes. Various immersive learning and teaching methods such as augmented reality (merge cubes) and virtual reality will be presented and discussed together with the teachers. Furthermore, various technologies and concrete teaching units will be presented during the event. The workshop will give participants an insight into the versatile applications and learning environments of these new digital tools, which can offer great potential for modern and varied language learning. Specifically, there will be short keynote speeches to introduce and explain the various immersive methods, followed by an examination of various teaching units using the methods presented and, finally, participants will be able to create their own methods for foreign language teaching.

• Leader: Prof. Dr. Claudia Schlaak
• Dates: 18.09.2024, 16:00-18:00
• Place: online

The training combines a workshop and a plenary lecture, which together explore the question of how foreign language teaching and education for sustainable development (ESD) can enrich each other.

The workshop will discuss what contribution early English lessons can make to fulfilling the educational mission of elementary school within the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Examples of lessons - for example on peace education and environmental protection - will be used to show how complex global topics can also be addressed with beginning learners, thereby promoting a change of perspective, empathy and openness. The aim is to raise awareness of the importance of early foreign language teaching for ESD and to initiate a longer-term working group for this topic.

In the subsequent plenary presentation, Klára Sokol (Director of Fondation éducation21) will show how foreign language teaching and ESD can be interlinked. She will highlight the potential of this connection.

• Chair: Prof. Dr. Claudia Schlaak
• Lecturer: Stefanie Frisch (Goethe University Frankfurt), Julia Reckermann (University of Münster), Katja Schwemmer (Heidelberg University of Education); Klára Sokol (Director of Fondation éducation21)
• Dates: 26.09.2025, 13:30-15:30
• Location: Campus Center, Room 1111 (Seminar Room 2), Moritzstraße 18, 34127 Kassel
• Registration via dgff2025[at]uni-kassel[dot]de

The first article presents a design principle that develops foreign language listening comprehension in a skills-oriented and sustainable way. It shows how suitable task types can be integrated into lessons to support learners in developing comprehension strategies and reducing anxiety.

The second article focuses on the transition from elementary school to secondary school. It discusses how oral skills (oracy) can be specifically strengthened through open task formats, thus ensuring continuity in language acquisition.

The third article focuses on early foreign language learning and examines the role of chunks with open slots in textbooks for elementary school English lessons. The focus is on the question of how productive speaking can be promoted and sustainably developed through the use of variable language patterns.

• Head: Prof. Dr. Claudia Schlaak
• Lecturer: Jens-Folkert Folkerts (University of Münster) & Heiner Wirtz; Rebecca Schlieckmann (University of Münster) & Sarah Victoria Lellé; Katja Schwemmer (Heidelberg University of Education)
• Dates: 27.09.2025, 09:45-11:15 a.m.
• Location: Campus Center, room 1124 (seminar room 6), Moritzstraße 18, 34127 Kassel
• Registration via dgff2025[at]uni-kassel[dot]de