Often on Pinterest I'll run across a blog post from someone teaching their kids German whether in their freetime or homeschool, and they'll post a picture of their German learning materials. They use anything and everything including:

• magazines
• newspapers
• blog posts
• flyers
• advertisements
• pamphlets
• brochures
• library books
• travel guides
• maps
• dictionaries
• grammar guides
• kids books
• novels
• literature

and anything else they can get their hands on. These have specific value as they are authentic materials. And authentic materials are awesome, because we want to communicate with people in another language--authentically! And genuinely!

What's the problem then?

To answer this question, I'm going to ask you a question:  who are these materials written for?

(*waits*)

These materials are usually written for people who already speak German. They are not written for German learners. These materials are fantastic resources, when presented in addition to the course materials and included as part of the learning method.

So...what works better?

The best materials for learning German are books that were written specifically for learning German as a Foreign Language or German as a Second Language. When you learn German with this kind of a book, you learn

• gradually, and each chapter builds upon the previous chapters
• core vocabulary, upon which you build continuously
• step-by-step, so you don't get overwhelmed
• in small portions, so you can grasp the concept quickly and use it in writing and in speech

and hopefully also

• at an age-appropriate level, with age-appropriate topics
• and according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (the CEFR) see here and here.

This means that you're learning to speak German according to the standards of the countries in which German is widely spoken. So you're learning authentic language using first basic, then intermediate, and then advanced concepts using a set of guidelines that helps ensure the quality of the information you receive in your book (and hopefully the instruction you're being given!).

You'll recognize these materials often because they have a big "A1" or "B2" printed on them, usually with some version of the European Union flag (left). This tells you which level the book is at and it's really helpful if you have learned a couple of languages. You might speak Spanish at a B2 level (high intermediate), but German at an A2 level, so you can easily compare and contrast your progress in German according to what you've already learned in Spanish.

Here's an easy breakdown of the CEFR levels, starting at A1, the first level:

Within each level you may find a breakdown of "A1.2" or "A2.2," in which case the .1 indicates the first half of the level and .2 indicates the second half of the level. So you might use a book that is level "A2.2," which means you're beyond the basics, you've accomplished a bit of learning already, and you're working your way toward being a B1 speaker, when you can speak independently.

(For an in-depth look at the CEFR, click here to read the PDF from the Language Policy Unit of the Council of Europe.)

Books that are written to meet the CEFR will also include the authentic materials mentioned above, whether it's a clipping from a supermarket flyer or an excerpt from a newspaper. So go for the best of both worlds--use a book that is written specifically for learning German as a Foreign Language that uses authentic materials.

*

I practice what I preach--I only use books written specifically for learning German as a Foreign Language that were written to meet the CEFR standards and they all come from German publishers. To find out more about German lessons, click here, and I invite you to sign up for my newsletter here!