American Association of Teachers of German

10/15/2026

Summer Study Program applications are open! We are thrilled to invite your students to apply for this exciting immersion program in Germany. 🛩

Our 2027 dates & locations are now posted on our website, and we are accepting program applications, scholarship applications, and applications for chaperone positions! 🌤

The program is sponsored in cooperation with the German government's Pädagogischer Austauschdienst PAD. Over 2,800 students have benefited from this unique experience since the program was created in 1978!

📍 Program information: https://www.aatg.org/summer-study
💲 Scholarship information: https://www.aatg.org/summer-study-program-scholarships
💼 Chaperone information: https://www.aatg.org/information-for-teachers-and-chaperones

Questions? Reach out to Veronika ([email protected]), Director of International and Scholarships

10/14/2026

The AATG is pleased to announce the 2026 election results for the national Board of Directors.

The AATG Board of Directors represents teachers of German throughout the United States. The Board is an elected, policy-making body, with members at pre-collegiate and post-secondary teaching levels from various regions of the country.

Please join us in extending a warm welcome to our newly elected officers and representatives, and learn more here: https://www.aatg.org/news/2026-board-election-results

10/08/2026

Important AATG Leadership Update and Job Announcement

Today, the AATG Board of Directors announced that Dr. Michael (Mike) Shaughnessy will step down as Executive Director of the American Association of Teachers of German in February 2027.

Mike became Executive Director in 2020, at the start of a pandemic that upended classrooms, exchanges, and study abroad. Since then, he has grown the AATG's direct support for students, teachers, and programs. Under Mike's leadership, the AATG has built support that will outlast his time as Executive Director, including new endowments, scholarships, and grants.

Although Mike is leaving the AATG, he will continue to advocate for languages in his new role as Executive Director of the Modern Language Association. The MLA and its nearly 20,000 members in more than 100 countries work to strengthen the study and teaching of languages and literature. We are happy to know that someone from our ranks will have a voice in issues of concern to all of us.

A search to identify the next Executive Director of the AATG begins immediately. A search committee, chaired by Board President Jennifer Redmann, has been formed and will begin reviewing applications on November 16, 2026. Details about the position and how to apply can be found at https://www.aatg.org/news/job-opening-aatg-executive-director

10/06/2026

Join the DEI Committee for a roundtable on October 29:

Meinungsfreiheit: Strategien, Herausforderungen, Fragen für den Deutschunterricht
🗓️ Thursday, October 29 | 7pm ET, 6pm CT, 5pm MT, 4pm PT | Zoom

This event is open to all AATG members. Whether you're just starting to think about DEI in your classroom or have strategies you'd like to share, all perspectives are welcome. Registration is free.

👉 Registration: https://emory.zoom.us/meeting/register/TSYFlodNTxqcYnLr00xSug

❓Questions? Contact Julia Ruck at [email protected]

10/05/2026

Applications are open for the Klett World Languages Award for Innovative K–12 German Programs, which recognizes U.S. schools and districts that are making a real difference for German language learning.

This award is designed to highlight and support schools that bring original and creative approaches to German education, achieve measurable results in student engagement and enrollment growth, and create inclusive, accessible, and sustainable language programs.

One outstanding K–12 school or district will receive:

🌻$1,000 USD to support the growth or sustainability of its German program
🌻 Official recognition on the Klett World Languages and AATG websites
🌻 A Certificate of Excellence celebrating the achievement

For more information and to apply, please visit: https://klettwl.com/klett-world-languages-award-for-innovative-k12-german-programs/

Deadline: November 15, 2026

10/04/2026

Today is Teach German Day!

Need some ideas for your German classes? Head on over to our TGD resource page for classroom activity ideas, printable materials, and social media photo templates: https://www.aatg.org/teach-german-day-resources

Don't forget to tag on Facebook and on Instagram when sharing your activities!

10/01/2026

📣 Registration for the 2027 National German Exam is now open!

🥇 Each year, the AATG National German Exam gives thousands of students across the United States the opportunity to demonstrate their German skills and earn national recognition for their achievement.

Students may earn Gold, Silver, and Bronze Awards and become eligible for scholarship opportunities, including the AATG/PAD NGE Scholarship, a three-week study trip to Germany at the invitation of Germany’s Federal Foreign Office, and the NGE Post-Graduate Scholarship for graduating high school seniors who plan to continue German after high school.

🗓️ Levels 2–4 Registration: October 1, 2026–January 27, 2027
📝 Testing: December 1, 2026–January 27, 2027
🔄 Make-Up Testing: January 28–31, 2027

AATG members will receive information about registration and the 2027 exam by email.

Learn more and register your students:
https://www.nge.aatg.org/registration

Lingco Language Labs
Auswärtiges Amt

09/30/2026

Tomorrow is the last day to apply for this important opportunity. Don't miss out!

The TaF-DaF Innovation Fellows program is one of the most exciting opportunities in German education right now. Don't miss out!

🚨Applications close October 1. 🗓

The application takes five minutes. Don’t let the year get away from you before you apply.

Fellows work in one of four themes:
— Unlocking Transatlantic Resources
— Building Programs Administrators Can’t Close
— Future-Proofing the German Teaching Profession
— Who Gets to Learn German?

Behind each theme: the Boston 2026 Expert Seminar cohort — Fulbright directors, PAD leadership, university researchers, Goethe-Institut trainers, veteran K–12 teachers — ready to mentor you through the year.

Here’s what we offer:

💡Fully funded Goethe-Institut professional development in Germany
💡Mentorship from the Boston 2026 Expert Seminar cohort — Fulbright directors, university researchers, Goethe-Institut trainers, and veteran teachers, matched to your context
💡Fully funded trip to AATG Madison 2027
💡20 peers doing serious work across the country
💡A national platform to present what you build

Open to K–12 and higher ed educators. (Higher ed: The 2028 cohort is being built specifically for you. Apply now and help shape it.)

B1–B2 German expected.

Apply now: https://aatg.surveysparrow.com/s/tafdaf-application-2027/tt-qSXtA

Questions? Contact [email protected]

09/29/2026

Our latest edition of Aktuelles is out now and available to peruse for members and non-members!

🗞 Check it out here: https://www.aatg.org/newsletter 🖱

Got your own stories to share? Submit them here: https://aatg.surveysparrow.com/s/Newsletter-Submission/tt-uLgP9CMQH31goYS9mpdGM6

09/24/2026

The TaF-DaF Innovation Fellows program is one of the most exciting opportunities in German education right now. Don't miss out!

🚨Applications close October 1. 🗓

The application takes five minutes. Don’t let the year get away from you before you apply.

Fellows work in one of four themes:
— Unlocking Transatlantic Resources
— Building Programs Administrators Can’t Close
— Future-Proofing the German Teaching Profession
— Who Gets to Learn German?

Behind each theme: the Boston 2026 Expert Seminar cohort — Fulbright directors, PAD leadership, university researchers, Goethe-Institut trainers, veteran K–12 teachers — ready to mentor you through the year.

Here’s what we offer:

💡Fully funded Goethe-Institut professional development in Germany
💡Mentorship from the Boston 2026 Expert Seminar cohort — Fulbright directors, university researchers, Goethe-Institut trainers, and veteran teachers, matched to your context
💡Fully funded trip to AATG Madison 2027
💡20 peers doing serious work across the country
💡A national platform to present what you build

Open to K–12 and higher ed educators. (Higher ed: The 2028 cohort is being built specifically for you. Apply now and help shape it.)

B1–B2 German expected.

Apply now: https://aatg.surveysparrow.com/s/tafdaf-application-2027/tt-qSXtA

Questions? Contact [email protected]