The demand for language courses is enourmos. In Germany, newly arrived refugees have to wait for a place in one of the government funded so called integration courses. Before, the administration has to decide about the status of their residence permit. This may take several months or even more than a year.
In the Netherlands, the situation is similar (see EPALE blog: Dutch language learning toolkit for volunteers and refugees).

 

 

In order to provide refugees with language training during this waiting time, adult education centres are  developing flexible course structures according to funding opportunities (see EPALE blog Adult education centers are highly sought after, EN, DE). Volunteer initiatives are very active in this field as well.

Funding mechanisms are different according to the administrative structures at local, regional and national level. The Robert Bosch Foundation's study Sprachvermittlung und Spracherwerb für Flüchtlinge: Praxis und Potenziale außerschulischer Angebote ("Language training and language learning for refugees: practical experience of extracurricular activities") highlights examples of innovative approaches from adult education centers for implementing refugee language courses.

All in all, there are many aspects to be taken into account when planning a language course for refugees. On this page, we provide further information to:

(click to jump to topic)

Developing language courses for refugees - background studies

Funding of learning opportunities

Learning material for German language courses

Qualifying volunteers

Europe: EPALE resources

 

 

• Sprachvermittlung und Spracherwerb für Flüchtlinge: Praxis und Potenziale außerschulischer Angebote (DE)
  "EN: Language training and language learning for refugees: practical experience of extracurricular activities".
  Expert dossier from the Robert Bosch Foundation, November 2015.
  Language: German.
   
• Angebotsentwicklung für Flüchtlinge. Rahmenbedingungen und Strukturen für die Bildungsarbeit mit Flüchtlingen (DE)
  "Development of learning oppoertunites for refugees. Limiting factors and administrative structures for educational work with refugees", in magazin 'EB Erwachsenenbildung', April 2015.
  Language: German
   

 International

• Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund AMIF (European Commission website, EN)
• Urban Innovative Action (European Development Fund, EN)       
• Stiftung Mercator. project database, searchable by topic and partners (DE, EN)

National (German)

Individual donors

• "Einstieg Deutsch", The German Government's Programme for migrants.
  Funding: Federal ministry for Education and Research (BMBF),
  Implementation: German Association for Adult Education (DVV), application form
• Berufsbezogene Deutschsprachförderung gem. §45a AufenthG
  Newly implemented Government Programme replacing the programme known as "ESF-BAMF funding, that has been closed in December 2015.
  The language courses are aimed for German language learnes with experience (level B1), not for beginners.
  The approval procedure for applicant institutions starts on 1 July.
• Funding opportunities of the Otto-Benecke-Fondation (DE)
  PDF-flyer with summary of the foundation's funding opportunities for migrants.
• Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) supports focal point for integration in municipalities 
  Press release (DE)
  Guidelines for funding (DE) in EPALE news

Summary and listings

• Adult education funding opportunites for refugees (DE)
  List of funding opportunities within the adult education sector in Germany; sorted by typ of donor; published by the adult education association 'Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft für Katholische Erwachsenenbildung'
• Funding opportunites for integration and refugee support (DE)
  List published by the private agency 'Fördermittelbüro Vorhof'
• German donors for integration and refugee support (DE)
  Website of the German Association of German Foundations with database and donor-search.
• Fördermöglicheiten zum Thema Flucht und Asyl (Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung) (DE)

Regional (German) 

• Funding of German courses in the Land Bavaria by "lagfa" (DE)
  The lagfa (Landesarbeitsgemeinschaft der Freiwilligen Agenturen/Freiwilligen-Zentren/Koordinierungszentren Bürgerschaftliches Engagement in Bayern e.V) gives a lump sum (500 €) for language courses that are held by volunteers.

 

 

• Asylplus aid organisation: collection of free online learning material (DE and online courses in different languages)
  The website provides a carefully elaborated list of learning tools that are constantly used by refugees who learn autonomously. See EPALE blog: "Asylplus": Refugees need opportunities to teach themselves (DE, EN)
• Language courses from the Goethe Institute (DE, EN)
• Workbook for Learning German of the "Münchner Flüchtlingshilfe" (DE; course material in many languages: Arabic, Dari, English, Farsi, French, German, Paschto, Somali, Tigrinya, Urdu)
• Learning material "Erste Hilfe Deutsch" from Hueber Verlag (DE, EN; course language German)
• Online German courses from Deutschen Welle (DE, EN; course languages: English, German, Russian)
• Online German learning with Welcomegrooves (learning material for initial stage in many languages)
• Online learning material from ZUM.de (DE; platform linking to online resources in different languages)
• Online Learning Tool of the German Adult Education Association "Ich will Deutsch lernen" (I wish to learn German) (DE)

 

 

• German learning companion webinar series (DE; course language: DE)
  Online training courses from the Goethe-Insitute.
• "Sprachanker" - ein Qualifizierungsangebot für ehrenamtliche Sprachlehrkräfte (DE)
  "Sprachanker" - training for volunteers working with refugees; published by the adult education organization "Katholisches Bildungswerk".
• Unterrichtseinheiten für die Beschulung der Kinder und Jugendlichen in Zentralen Erstaufnahmeeinrichtungen (DE).
  "Learning material for German courses for children und young persons" 
  Published by Landesinstitut für Lehrerbildung und Schulentwicklung Hamburg ("Institute for Teaching of the Land Hamburg")
• Handbuch Flüchtlingshilfe Baden-Württemberg (DE)
  "Manual for volunteer working with refugees in the Land in Baden-Württemberg" 
  Comprehensive information about topics around volunteer work, among others: legal issues, opportunities for refugees on the labour market, housing, language courses, financial support.

 

Great Britain

• How to support the integration of migrants, refugees and asylum seekers (EN)
  A collection of innovative approaches to using learning to promote integration in the UK

Netherlands

• Dossier Migranten
  Collection of resources in Dutch and in English about language learning for refugees,
  for example:
• Dutch language learning toolkit for volunteers and refugees (EN, NL) 
  Social initiative of CINOP (link is external) and the Expertise Centre ETV.nl with the aim to provide language courses to refugees, as long as they are waiting for their official residence permit. (NL, EN)

Norway

• Norway: Collaborative English learning for new immigrants (EN)

Europe

• ECRE (European Council on Refugees and Exiles) (EN)

 

Barbara Hiller has a Bachelor of Honours in Agricultural Engineering, and after several years of professional experience she finished her Master of Arts in Education at the Open University (UK). Her focus is on science learning. She is member of  the German EPALE team.