The AATG (American Association of Teachers of German) was founded in 1926 by college and high school teachers in the Metropolitan New York area. Today we have a network of 61 chapters (1 in Europe) which hold at least two meetings a year. The AATG employs seven staff members and is located in a suburb of Philadelphia, Cherry Hill, New Jersey.
Perhaps our greatest accomplishment was TraiNDaF program funded by the German government. To assure that we have future leaders at all levels of instruction, close to 100 younger colleagues participated in leadership development. Another major focus is strengthening the continuum between pre-collegiate and post-secondary German programs. The “Maintaining the Momentum” recommendations were published in 2000, and the next phase of the project “Sustaining the Momentum” is underway.
In 1997 the Student Study Abroad Endowment was established. AATG members, chapters, and several organizations outside the profession have donated over $300,000, the dividends from which have funded 15 students thus far to study and live with families in Germany A second Endowment “Friends of AATG” has been established, the intention of which is to support the infrastructure of the AATG once the funds reach a total of $250,000.
Among the major activities which the AATG administers each year to support its approximately 5500 members are:
- Promoting the highest quality of the teaching and research of the language, literatures, and cultures of the German-speaking world, and expanding teaching and research at all levels of instruction. We publish the German Quarterly, a literary and philological journal; Die Unterrichtspraxis, a twice-yearly pedagogical journal; and the AATG Newsletter four times annually; offer the services of 80 professional development consultants to our chapters, and summer seminars here and abroad; publish over 300 classroom-ready print and audio-visual materials; sponsor numerous awards to honor outstanding members; and host an Annual Meeting with sessions on literary, cultural studies, pedagogical and professional focus topics and issues.
- Defining and promoting the highest standards for teachers and learners of the language, literatures and cultures of the German-speaking world. AATG, a member of the Foreign Language Standards Collaborative, has been involved in the development of K-16 student standards, professional standards for the accomplished teacher of German through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, standards for the entry level teaching licensure, and the accreditation of teacher education standards through the National Council on the Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).
- Emphasizing the importance and obligation of providing increased access to, and equity in, all German program offerings at all levels for all students, including those from multiracial, multicultural and multiethnic backgrounds and for students in diverse geographic settings.
- Fostering relationships within the language teaching profession, the teaching profession in general and the educational establishment at large. AATG is affiliated with numerous other language-related organizations.
- Communicating to policy makers and the public the rationale, substance and value of learning German as well as the conditions for effective language teaching and learning through a number of projects including brochures, an advocacy handbook and a CD.
- Maintaining and strengthening the structure of the Association and its communication with its members. The AATG Web site and its two listservs with many thousands of subscribers, regular e-mail blasts to members as well as several Infoblätter serve this purpose.
- Improving the quality of present services as well as developing new programs to serve a diverse membership by constantly evaluating our services and programs by communicating with members and our regional and national leaders.
In addition, the AATG offers programs for secondary school students which include the national testing and awards program, the German summer study program and the National German Honor Society for student at the high school level as well as a National Junior Honor Society for middle school students.
For more information on AATG, go to www.aatg.org.