The Merkelbachschool is a school for Early Foreign Language Education. We provide English language learning from group 1 onwards. In group 1 to 3 we use Groove Me, a method based on the use of interactive games and songs to familiarize children with the English language.
In groups 4 to 8 we us Take the Easy, a method which also provides written assignments from group 5 onwards.
We follow the development of speaking skills with the help of a native speaking teacher. She interviews all children twice a year. Written assignments and tests are also used in the middle and upper classes. The intended outflow level in group 8 is A2.
We try to integrate English into the curriculum in various other ways. Via Cambrigde Penfriends and Skype the superstructure groups maintain contact with schools elsewhere in Europe. English is also the language of communication at the annual exchange with the Japanese School of Amsterdam.
Our school library also has a collection of English books and we have organized an English reading breakfast and English holiday poetry project.
Research carried out by the CITO has shown that primary school children who have had early English language lessons perform significantly better in secondary school than classmates who only followed English in group 7 and 8 (Cito, 2013).