German School Seoul International
Encyclopedia
The German School Seoul International (DSSI) was founded in 1976. It serves German expatriate families
, other foreignersl and Koreans living in the South Korea
n capital and its surroundings
. The school is approved by the Federal Republic of Germany
as a private foreign school
.
. Initially four elementary students were taught in a private apartment in Seoul's UN Village apartment complex. In 1976 eleven students enrolled in the school, leading the school to move to the Goethe-Institute premises. In December 1985 the school relocated to the Itaewon
and in 1988 to its current location in Hannam-dong
.
, elementary school
and secondary school
, the school provides extensive all-round education similar to “regular” German schools in Germany. Students receive, after completing 9th grade, the "Certificate of Secondary Education" ("Hauptschulabschluss") and after completing 10th grade the "Certificate of Higher Secondary Education" ("Realschulabschluss"). The Certificate of Higher Secondary Education automatically includes the entrance qualification for higher education till 12th grade which leads to the qualification for university admission.
Elementary school students (1st to 4th grade) receive special attention in case certain study areas require special support, particularly in case German is not their first language. During secondary school (5th to 10th grade), the language programme intensifies; in addition to English, the students study French, Korean, or Latin. The natural sciences programme is also emphasised. In the higher secondary school (11th and 12th grade), students are prepared to take the German International Abitur exam.
. Students also have the option to learn Korean
as well as another foreign language. The DSSI also co-operates with both an English- and a French-speaking school in Seoul to facilitate students' progress in the obligatory language lessons.
Exposure to the English language
begins with English lessons in 1st grade and is furthered through bilingual instruction in individual subjects starting in grade 5. The "English as a second language" programme was introduced in order to fulfill the heightened requirements of bilingual instruction.
(DIAP) after graduating from 12th grade. Students receive the Intermediate Secondary School Certificate after 9th grade and the Certificate of General Secondary Education after 10th grade.
Germans in Korea
Germans in Korea have a long history, though they have never formed a very large population.-History:The first German to set foot on Korean soil in 1832: Lutheran missionary Karl Gützlaff, who aside from religion, is also credited with importing the potato...
, other foreignersl and Koreans living in the South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
n capital and its surroundings
Seoul National Capital Area
The Seoul National Capital Area is a region located in the north-west of South Korea. It is generally referred to as Sudogwon in Korean, and contains three different administrative districts; Seoul, Incheon and Gyeonggi-do....
. The school is approved by the Federal Republic of Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
as a private foreign school
International school
An International school is loosely defined as a school that promotes international education, in an international environment, either by adopting an international curriculum such as that of the International Baccalaureate or Cambridge International Examinations, or by following a national...
.
History
In August 1976 the Verein Deutsche Schule Seoul was founded as a registered association by German speaking parents and members of the Gesellschaft für Technische ZusammenarbeitDeutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit
The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit or GIZ is an international enterprise founded in 1975 by Erhard Eppler and owned by the German Federal Government, operating in many fields across more than 130 countries. It primarily works for public-sector organizations and is...
. Initially four elementary students were taught in a private apartment in Seoul's UN Village apartment complex. In 1976 eleven students enrolled in the school, leading the school to move to the Goethe-Institute premises. In December 1985 the school relocated to the Itaewon
Itaewon
Itaewon is a city district, in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea. It is served by Seoul Subway Line 6 via Itaewon, Noksapyeong and Hanganjin stations. About 22,000 people reside in the district and it is a popular area for residents of Seoul, tourists, and U.S...
and in 1988 to its current location in Hannam-dong
Hannam-dong
Hannam-dong is a dong, neighbourhood of Yongsan-gu in Seoul, South Korea.Initially not belonging to Yongsan ward, it was just a little hamlet called Han-River-Village belonging to Hanji within Goyang County and lying close near Han river, during Korea under Japanese rule's period.-External links:*...
.
Mission and Values
The German School Seoul International is a German and English-speaking international school. It is a place of encounters and of intercultural communication. The school is part of a network of German international schools in Asia, which is supported by the Federal Republic of Germany. It feels obligated to European educational traditions and at the same time searches for cultural dialogue with the Korean host country.Curriculum
In close co-operation between kindergartenKindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
, elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
and secondary school
Secondary school
Secondary school is a term used to describe an educational institution where the final stage of schooling, known as secondary education and usually compulsory up to a specified age, takes place...
, the school provides extensive all-round education similar to “regular” German schools in Germany. Students receive, after completing 9th grade, the "Certificate of Secondary Education" ("Hauptschulabschluss") and after completing 10th grade the "Certificate of Higher Secondary Education" ("Realschulabschluss"). The Certificate of Higher Secondary Education automatically includes the entrance qualification for higher education till 12th grade which leads to the qualification for university admission.
Elementary school students (1st to 4th grade) receive special attention in case certain study areas require special support, particularly in case German is not their first language. During secondary school (5th to 10th grade), the language programme intensifies; in addition to English, the students study French, Korean, or Latin. The natural sciences programme is also emphasised. In the higher secondary school (11th and 12th grade), students are prepared to take the German International Abitur exam.
Languages
Above and beyond the lessons that correspond to the curriculum, intensive promotion in subject-specific areas is taking place at the DSSI with regards to special talents and interests or also in overcoming deficiencies. "German as second language" from the 1st to the 10th grade and the "Pre-school programme according to Penner" in pre-school years assist non-native speaker students to acquire the German languageGerman language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
. Students also have the option to learn Korean
Korean language
Korean is the official language of the country Korea, in both South and North. It is also one of the two official languages in the Yanbian Korean Autonomous Prefecture in People's Republic of China. There are about 78 million Korean speakers worldwide. In the 15th century, a national writing...
as well as another foreign language. The DSSI also co-operates with both an English- and a French-speaking school in Seoul to facilitate students' progress in the obligatory language lessons.
Exposure to the English language
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
begins with English lessons in 1st grade and is furthered through bilingual instruction in individual subjects starting in grade 5. The "English as a second language" programme was introduced in order to fulfill the heightened requirements of bilingual instruction.
Degrees
Students obtain, as the highest degree, the German International AbiturAbitur
Abitur is a designation used in Germany, Finland and Estonia for final exams that pupils take at the end of their secondary education, usually after 12 or 13 years of schooling, see also for Germany Abitur after twelve years.The Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife, often referred to as...
(DIAP) after graduating from 12th grade. Students receive the Intermediate Secondary School Certificate after 9th grade and the Certificate of General Secondary Education after 10th grade.
External links
- Homepage - German School Seoul International
- Academic rigor, close relations, an article from the JoongAng IlboJoongAng IlboJoongAng Ilbo is a conservative newspaper published in Seoul, South Korea. It is one of the "big three newspapers" in South Korea. It has a circulation of 1.96 million copies in South Korea . Its average page count per copy is around 52...
, 17 September 2010 - article from "Der Spiegel" weekly, Aug. 17th, 2005
- On the Award "Exzellente Deutsche Auslandsschule" to the school, May 27th, 2011