German Language Center Lahore: German Courses and ÖSD Exams in Pakistan

Learning German in Pakistan is taking on a new dimension: German Language Center Lahore not only offers German courses, but is now also a licensed ÖSD examination center. This gives German learners throughout the country the opportunity to obtain high-quality and internationally recognized German certificates.

In July 2024, German Language Center Lahore was officially opened. The aim of the language school is not only to open up new opportunities and pathways for German learners in Pakistan, but also to invest in the induction and training of German teachers.

The institute offers online and in-person courses for all levels as well as special conversation courses. On site, the participants come not only from Lahore, but from the entire country. Online, both participants from within Pakistan and from abroad benefit.

German Language Center Lahore is located in the cultural capital of Pakistan. It is near the famous Canal Road, which runs through the city center, and is also easily accessible from the airport via the Lahore Ring Road.

The institute building is small but impressive: it has two well-equipped classrooms, an office, and a reception room. On the first floor, there are also additional rooms available for future expansion.

Culture and politics from a new perspective

Cultural activities are an important part of its work. Among other things, the organization takes part in the “Language, Literary, and Cultural Festival” of Aitchison College – one of the most prestigious educational institutions in the country. At this festival, schools, colleges, and institutes from all over Pakistan are represented. The participants perform plays, recite poems, and present contributions related to the DACH countries.

Current and cultural topics are also given importance in the classroom: content from the German-speaking countries is taken up, and political developments in Pakistan are reflected on – also with reference to German-language media. This not only supports language acquisition, but also promotes confident handling of different perspectives and text types.

“Although our institute is still young, we are seeing strongly increasing participant numbers,” reports Saira Niazi, Head of the Language Department, on the current developments at her language school.

German courses for different target groups

The target group in the in-person courses at German Language Center Lahore is mixed: it consists mainly of people interested in vocational training and skilled professionals, but equally of students as well as candidates for family reunification.

The group in the online courses is also very heterogeneous. In the advanced courses, there are occasionally participants from other countries as well – together with learners from several regions of Pakistan. In addition, German learners who already live in a German-speaking country and study or work there also take part.

Communicating better in German

Housewives and mothers often attend the courses: for example, because they want to begin vocational training, return to the profession they already practiced in Pakistan, or because they want to communicate in German with their children and their children’s environment.

What is mainly offered are German courses for groups of 8 to 22 participants. Course times are based on demand; there are also evening, late-evening, and weekend courses.

The course duration varies according to level:

• A1: 10 weeks, 100 hours of 60 minutes each
• A2: 10 weeks, 100 hours of 60 minutes each
• B1: 12 weeks, 114 hours of 60 minutes each
• B2: 13 weeks, 130 hours of 60 minutes each
• C1: 13 weeks, 130 hours of 60 minutes each
• Conversation: 8 weeks, 24 hours of 60 minutes each
• B2 ÖSD exam preparation: 4 weeks, 40 hours of 60 minutes each

Modern teaching with quality

The teaching methods used correspond to modern standards. In the courses, an effort is made to integrate the teaching principles of action orientation and learner autonomy. The course content aligns with the CEFR “can-do” descriptors.

“Our learners appreciate the quality of the teaching. The majority of the teachers have taken part in the Goethe-Institut’s ‘Deutsch Lehren Lernen’ training units,” Mrs. Niazi continues.

In general, the commonly used textbook in the region, Netzwerk neu, is used for levels A1 to B1, as well as the textbooks Aspekte neu B2 and C1 and Kontext B2 and C1. The institute has a small library with supplementary materials and a selection of digitally available textbooks. Screens are available for teaching in order to convey the digital content of the textbooks in the best possible way and to use resources from the internet.

Qualified teachers at German Language Center Lahore

The competent teaching staff always strives to motivate and inspire the participants in the best possible way. The teachers are also willing to invest extra time to ensure learning success and to provide targeted support in the case of learning difficulties.

One of the teachers brings many years of experience in working with doctors and is an expert in preparation for the professional language examination. She has a special connection to Germany and Austria, as she comes from the region of the tri-border area. Three other team members also lived and studied in Germany for a long time and can bring regional and cultural topics closer to the learners.

Other teachers report on their own experiences as learners of German: they studied German as a foreign language themselves and know how challenging that can be. They share these experiences in the German courses and thereby provide additional motivation to the learners.

ÖSD German examinations in Lahore

In its role as an examination center of the Österreichisches Sprachdiplom Deutsch (ÖSD), German Language Center Lahore initially offers the German examinations ZB1 and ZB2, as demand is particularly high here. However, there are plans to expand the offer to additional levels.

Previously, there had only been few opportunities in Pakistan to take a German examination. The growing number of participants has further increased the demand for courses and examinations – and this motivated the organization to become an ÖSD examination center.

Since making this new offer available, German Language Center Lahore has been delighted to receive numerous congratulations and words of thanks from successful German learners from all over the country.

Training for participants and teachers

In general, examinations are also in demand in Lahore and the surrounding area from learners at other educational institutions. Many people see their professional future in a German-speaking country and especially want to make use of the opportunity for vocational training in Germany.

This requires qualified teachers – and German Language Center Lahore sees the training of new teachers as an important future focus.

Intercultural knowledge transfer

Another concern is to prepare the participants – most of whom are familiar with life in an extended family – comprehensively for life in a German-speaking country and in Europe in general. This includes addressing cultural differences, engaging with their own culture as well as with (false) expectations. It is also emphasized how important it is to prepare not only linguistically, but also for a life in which one is more on one’s own.

Question-and-answer sessions with former students who already live in Germany help with this, as they report on their experiences and give practical tips.

In addition, there are profession-specific online events for doctors. There, they receive information on how they can prepare in the best possible way for the professional language examination and what steps are necessary, for example, for a work permit.

Last but not least, it is important to the organization that learners can experience that learning languages does not have to be that serious – it can also be fun!

Contact

German Language Center Lahore
Mrs. Saira Niazi
Plot # 24, Street #4, Amir Town, Harbanspura, 54000 Lahore
Pakistan

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