Online English lessons for children in Germany: school English, sounds and speaking time

How do children in Germany learn English at school?

Education in Germany is run by the 16 states, so the details depend on where you live. In most states, children start learning a foreign language at primary school (Grundschule), and for most children that language is English. Some states start in the first year, others a little later, and a few schools near the French border teach French first. Primary school usually lasts four years (six in Berlin and Brandenburg), and English then continues as a core subject at secondary school.

In the early years, primary English is mostly listening and speaking: songs, rhymes, greetings, colours, numbers and short dialogues. Reading and writing in English grow in the later primary years. Your child's school is the best source for what their class covers this year and how it is assessed.

What a classroom finds hardest to give is speaking time. With a whole class to teach, each child may say only a few sentences of English in a lesson. Many primary schools in Germany also finish around lunchtime, so afternoons are often free for activities. That makes a short, regular lesson at home easy to fit in.

Where do the CEFR and Cambridge Starters, Movers and Flyers fit?

The CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages) is the scale used across Europe to describe language ability, from first words to fluent use. For young learners, the first levels are Pre-A1, A1 and A2. CEFR Pre-A1, A1 and A2 correspond to the Cambridge English Young Learners levels Starters, Movers and Flyers. CurioKids is not affiliated with or endorsed by Cambridge University Press and Assessment. These exams are optional. Some children enjoy working towards one; for others, steady speaking and reading practice matters more than a test date. Read CEFR levels for children explained and what parents should know about Starters, Movers and Flyers.

Which English sounds do German-speaking children find tricky?

German and English are close relatives, so children spot many familiar words early on: Hand, Haus and Butter are easy wins. A few sounds and spellings take more practice, and knowing what to expect helps you stay relaxed when a word comes out the German way.

• The th sounds. German has no th, so think can come out as sink and this as zis at first.
• W and V. The German letter w makes the sound English writes as v, so wet may sound like vet until your child has heard the difference many times.
• Word endings. German softens the last sound of a word, so dog can sound like dock and bed like bet. In English, that ending changes the meaning.
• Familiar letters, different sounds. German j sounds like English y (ja), and ei and ie are read the German way, so English spelling needs its own rules. That is what phonics teaches.

Then there are false friends: words that look the same but mean something different. Handy is a German word for a mobile phone, a German Gift is poison, and bekommen means to get, not to become. Children find these funny once they know about them, which helps them remember.

What age is right to start English lessons?

There is no single right age, and children aged 4 to 12 can all enjoy lessons when they are pitched at their stage. What changes with age is what a lesson looks like.

• Four to six. Before or at the start of school, English should feel like play: songs, pictures, movement and lots of listening. Short lessons suit short attention spans. See English for 4-year-olds.
• Six to eight. As your child learns to read German at school, phonics helps them read English too, without mixing up the two spelling systems.
• Eight to twelve. Older children can talk about their own interests, read short books and get ready for the step up to secondary school English.

When can a child in Germany fit in an online lesson?

A 25-minute lesson is short enough to fit around school, homework, sport and music. Many families choose an afternoon slot on a school day, once lunch and homework are done, or a weekend morning. Younger children usually do best earlier in the day, before they get tired.

Whatever time you choose, keep the slot the same each week so it becomes part of your routine, and check that the times on offer suit your week before you commit.

What should I look for in online English lessons?

• A live teacher who listens and replies to your child, not a recorded video.
• 1-to-1 time, so your child speaks for much of the lesson rather than watching others.
• Lessons short enough for your child's age, with games and movement for the youngest.
• A clear starting point and level, so you can see progress over the months.
• Feedback after lessons that tells you what your child did and what comes next.
• Clear safety rules: checked teachers, lessons only on the provider's own platform, and an easy way to raise a concern.

A free first lesson is the best test of all. Our guide on what to look for in a free first lesson lists what to watch for, and choosing a safe online tutor covers the safety questions to ask.

How can I support English at home in Germany?

You don't need fluent English to help. A few minutes of relaxed English most days does more than a long session once a week.

• Read English picture books together, and keep reading in German too. Strong reading in one language helps the other.
• Spot English words around you, on packaging, shop signs and in the songs your child likes, and say them together.
• Play quick word games in the car or on the train, such as I spy with English sounds.
• Let your child teach you what they learned in their lesson. Explaining it is great practice.

How would CurioKids lessons work for a family in Germany?

CurioKids gives children aged 4 to 12 live, 1-to-1 online English lessons with a real teacher, 25 minutes each, in the CurioKids online classroom with video, an interactive whiteboard, lesson slides and games. Most children start with Phonics Starter; a child who already reads can be placed straight into a CEFR-based level after the free first lesson. Phonics Starter is our 52-lesson reading course, from letter sounds to reading sentences. Teachers can't teach until our team has confirmed a background check and they have signed our teaching agreement. Lessons happen only inside the CurioKids classroom, and your child's teacher gives feedback after lessons. See our levels and safety pages for more.

For a child in Germany, the first lessons of Phonics Starter focus on the English sounds and spellings that differ from German, so your child can read English words without reading them the German way.

Visit our Germany page to see how lessons work, what your child will learn and how we keep children safe. If lessons for families in Germany haven't opened yet, the page has a waitlist: leave your details and we'll let you know when you can book your child's free first lesson. Plans for families in Germany are priced in euros: see the prices for Germany.