Interactive and effective German lessons? New tools are constantly being introduced to make language lessons more exciting, motivating and communicative.

But when a lession of day begins and German learners ask themselves why the teacher doesn’t use something more modern… At this point at the latest, it becomes clear that the use of these tools must first be learnt. The following blog post is intended to support this learning process.

Focus on interaction and efficiency  

Are you a German teacher preparing your learners for an upcoming ÖSD exam? Have you tried out different formats and would like to add an AI component to your German lessons? Then you have come to the right place! Because today we are focusing on the topic of snippets. These are small, entertaining snippets of information that you can make available to learners or that learners can work on themselves. Both receptive and productive skills can be addressed and trained. However, snippets are primarily about efficiency, consistency and user-friendliness. In the context of education, it is therefore more precisely about microlearning. How does AI support you in this?   

At the AI (Artificial Intelligence) in Education Forum in May 2024 in London, the different usage scenarios, opportunities and concerns of AI were discussed. Dr Panagiotis Fotaris, Professor at the University of Brighton, spoke about tools and his own teaching experiences. 7Taps, for example, is a useful mobile application in his opinion, which was designed for microlearning; this means that learning content is presented in small, easily digestible units. This is particularly beneficial at a time when attention spans tend to shorten and learners are often distracted by many different sources at once. A tool of this kind could also prove useful outside of class time and as preparation for an ÖSD exam. This is because repetition is particularly important when it comes to vocabulary and grammar.   

With the help of such tools, you can also present certain topics, such as living, in hospital, etc., in different formats (audio, video, quizzes, etc.). Have you realised after working with the ÖSD exercise materials that the vocabulary in one area needs to be improved? No problem – just enter a topic and have the microlearning course created for you. Once created, you can easily adapt the cards generated by 7 Taps, for example, so that they meet your requirements. 

Advantages of microlearning in your German lessons  

Short, concise learning units: Tools specialising in content in small, easy-to-understand portions enable learners to learn even during short breaks or on the go. This is ideal for preparing for ÖSD exams, where continuous but not overwhelming repetition of content is crucial.  

Interactive elements: In principle, such platforms use various interactive elements such as quizzes, flashcards and multimedia content to make learning varied and motivating. These interactive elements allow learners to be better prepared for various parts of the ÖSD exam, such as listening and reading comprehension.  

Personalization: Apps such as 7Taps enable teachers to customise learning content and respond specifically to the needs of their learners. Teachers also have the option of recording audio or integrating videos themselves. This is particularly beneficial for ÖSD exam preparation, as each level (A1 – C2) has different requirements. 

Disadvantages of AI-based microlearning tools for learning German   

Limited depth of content: Some topics cannot be covered in the depth required for comprehensive ÖSD exam preparation. Supplementary materials, such as the ÖSD exercise materials or ÖSD model sentence brochures and longer learning units should not be forgotten. Therefore, try to use microlearning as a supplement to your lessons and your ÖSD exam preparation and not to replace them.

Dependence on (English-language) technology: The use of digital and/or AI-based tools requires that all learners have access to a smartphone or tablet and a stable internet connection. This could be problematic in some learning environments. In addition, the system language is usually English. German prompts are often provided in German, but this can lead to misunderstandings. AI-generated audio files are also sometimes only available in English.

Loss of motivation due to a lack of self-discipline: Microlearning requires a high degree of self-organisation and self-discipline. Without this, continuous use of the app and therefore learning success can be jeopardised. Therefore, do not neglect motivating games and exercises during lessons, such as the ÖSD memory.

With microlearning and ÖSD practice materials for the ÖSD language certificate 

ÖSD exams test German language skills in the areas of listening, reading, writing and speaking. With the help of microlearning, learners can improve their listening comprehension skills through interactive listening tasks. Quiz questions and short text passages also help to train reading comprehension. Flashcards and quizzes support the continuous development and repetition of vocabulary and grammar rules. Whereas suggestions for short writing tasks or speaking exercises can help learners to improve their ability to express themselves. In conjunction with the ÖSD practice materials, this enables a wide range of exam preparation to take place. 

Tools such as 7Taps offer a modern and flexible way to expand German lessons and support preparation for ÖSD exams. Despite existing disadvantages, such as the limited depth of content and the need for technical equipment, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages, especially due to the interactive and customisable learning units. If you combine microlearning with other teaching and learning materials and teach good learning strategies, it can become a valuable tool in German lessons and accompany your learners on their way to the ÖSD certificate. 

Do you have the feeling that your learners are already ready, but would rather play it safe? Then why not register them for an ÖSD mock exam where your learners will receive personalised feedback? You can then use microlearning courses to make your exam preparation more personalised and targeted.