This is Annika’s third weekly reflection on her internship experience at German School Campus in Newport Beach. She continues to share insights into classroom teaching, cultural engagement, and what it means to support German language learning abroad.

Monday – Exploring the Topic of School

My third internship weekend at German School Campus started with lessons in Sarah’s class. The students learned about the topic of “school.” Together, we collected important words and created a mind map. Additionally, we compared school subjects in Germany and the USA to make students aware of similarities and differences.

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Tuesday – Strengthening Spanish Vocabulary

On Tuesday, the Spanish class focused on the topic of “clothing” again. The students repeated and reinforced their vocabulary through fun activities. It was great to see how confidently they used the new words and applied their knowledge.

Wednesday – Preparing for the DSD-I Exam

Practice Test and Exam Structure

Wednesday was all about preparing for the DSD-I exam. The students completed a full practice test to familiarize themselves with the exam format and requirements.

Building Confidence for the Exam

This exercise was not only helpful for reviewing the material but also for getting used to the time limits and exam pressure. It was exciting to see how they handled this challenge.

Thursday – Spanish Class in Huntington Beach

On Thursday, I once again accompanied the Spanish class in Huntington Beach. After a short review, the lesson focused on the difference between the pronouns “tú” and “ustedes.”

Understanding Formal and Informal Speech

Since English does not distinguish between formal and informal forms of address, this was a new challenge for many students. However, through targeted exercises, they quickly understood and applied the differences.

Weekend Adventures in Southern California

Friday – Exploring Long Beach

On Friday, I visited a new friend in Long Beach. Together, we explored the beach and harbor, where the famous Queen Mary ship is located – a former passenger ship that now serves as a hotel and museum.

El Dorado Nature Park – A Peaceful Escape

Afterward, we visited the El Dorado Nature Park, whose green landscape provided a relaxing contrast to the lively harbor.

Saturday and Sunday – Discovering Irvine

The rest of the weekend was unfortunately cloudy and rainy, so I visited the Irvine Spectrum Center – a large shopping mall with many stores and restaurants.

A Visit to the University of Irvine

After that, I explored the UC Irvine, which really impressed me. The campus is huge and even has its own cafés and shops – something I am not familiar with from my university in Germany.