An interview with the English department

It’s Monday again, our Read-Weekly-Gossip day, so:

Hey RWG!

Today, I’d like to dive into the English department of our school and help us get to know our English teachers better. Therefore, we’ve conducted an interview with them and would like to share it with you! We asked our teachers multiple questions, and their answers were pretty interesting and helped me understand them better. So have fun reading it!

Blog-AG: Being an English teacher now, has English been your favorite subject at school when you were a student?

Ms. Möller mentioned that English was indeed her favorite subject in her school time. She continued by telling us that she had always had an interest in reading English literature and that her constant visits to Britain as a young girl later made her decide to become an English teacher. Ms. Kubiak reported liking English literature and having an interest in British culture, which was influenced especially when she went to her English honors class in high school. She also likes English for another reason, which she finds weird, but I just think it’s very interesting and observant of her. She said that she likes how the pronunciation in British English has a kind of softness, but is also hard on the edges, which she finds intriguing. In contrast to her colleagues, Ms. Bryan actually struggled with English when she was in seventh grade. She said that she worked really, really hard to improve her English grade back then. She stated that during that process, she fell in love with America and watched many movies in order to learn the language. She also listened to many songs and singers and songwriters who became her role models. This is how she learned English, wanted to study it as a language, and eventually became an English teacher.

Blog-AG: What do you like about the language?

Ms. Bryan spoke about English being a global language, which she liked because it helps with communication all over the world. She also noted that English is very versatile and useful in many situations, making it more likable. She enjoys the different varieties of English dialects and accents, such as Australian, Scottish, and American (especially the American drawl). Additionally, she finds it astonishing how English enables travel, cultural exchange, and connection with people worldwide.

Blog-AG: As an English student at university, did you also study abroad in an English-speaking country, and if so, would you recommend it?

Ms. Becker declared that she hasn’t studied abroad but has spent some time at an English school in England and would highly recommend it to students. She explained that studying in an English-speaking country improves language skills and cultural understanding, and that it’s often fun living with a host family. Ms. Hahn, who unfortunately wasn’t present during the interview, shared her experience with us afterwards. She spent one year studying at Liverpool John Moores University. During her stay, she taught German one day a week at a local school as a language assistant, helping British students prepare for their GCSEs. In the evenings, she also gave German courses at the Liverpool Language Academy, teaching adults in order to earn some extra money during her student life. At the end of her stay in Liverpool, she took and passed her Cambridge Proficiency Exam at Wirral Metropolitan College. She described the experiences she had during that year as amazing and highly recommends studying abroad to any student who wants to study and teach a foreign language.

Blog-AG: What topics do you like to deal with in English class?

Ms. Kubiak informed us that she likes teaching Shakespeare. She also asserted that she finds the scientific and linguistic approach to language compelling, for example the history and evolution of English and the different varieties of English worldwide. Ms. Möller announced that she likes teaching English grammar, even though she disliked it as a child. She elaborated by telling us that she enjoys comparing the grammar of different languages and finds it interesting how language influences thinking and learning. She understands that most students don’t like grammar, but she still finds it remarkable.

Blog-AG: Do you speak other languages, other than English or German?

Ms. Kubiak expressed that she can speak French and Luxembourgish since she is from Luxembourg. She is also a Latin teacher, but she doesn’t really speak it. She can also speak Danish and Swedish, though Danish more, because Swedish was a long time ago. Those sure are a LOT of languages! Mr. Käufer also expressed that he can speak Spanish since he also teaches Spanish at the school, and French as well. When we asked him whether his French was fluent or not, he replied that it wasn’t and that it was probably not good enough for a trip to France either. He mentioned that he somehow couldn’t get rid of French and that his skills somehow got stuck on the way. I can relate to that. French is a very hard subject for many, including me. Ms. Hahn also wishes her French was better and she dearly wished she had paid more attention to her French teacher when she was a student!

Blog-AG: When you’re not correcting exams, what are your hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?

Ms. Möller shared her love and passion for knitting and cooking. She also mentioned liking to read a lot whenever she has time. Ms. Becker also stated that she enjoys reading a lot. She is also very fond of going outside for walks and spending time in nature whenever she has time.

Blog-AG: Do you have a favourite book or author you’d like to recommend to the students?

Mr. Käufer shared his passion for „Sherlock Holmes“ short stories and novels. He enjoys reading crime and mystery genres. He also mentioned that easy-reader versions are available for younger students. Ms. Bryan enjoys reading fantasy novels and finds crime fiction engaging as well. She recommended „The Name of the Wind“ to us students and found the coming-of-age fantasy epic novel by Patrick Rothfuss to be the best one she knows.

Blog-AG: What advice would you give to students who want to improve their English and are currently struggling with it?

All teachers stated in unison that reading helps a lot. In fact, they often tell students to read all kinds of things in English — from books and newspapers to watching films, favorite TV shows, podcasts, and so on. Talking to friends in English is also beneficial. Ms. Möller teasingly said that doing English homework helps a bunch, too.

Blog-AG: Is there a movie, moment, or scene from a book that had a huge influence on your love of English and its literature?

The first English book Ms. Möller ever read was „Alice in Wonderland“, and she read it in England. A lot of people told her, “You can’t do it, it’s too hard for you.” Despite that, she never gave up and said, “Yes, I can do it!”, which she did. Reading and understanding that complicated book back then made her gain confidence, and she proved herself. „Alice in Wonderland“ is still one of her favorite books. Ms. Jansen had a little difficulty answering the question because she grew up in a bilingual family in the US. However, she did have a favourite children’s book that used to be one of her favorites: „Charlotte’s Web“. To her, English is a more personal matter because she finds that she has a different personality when she speaks English compared to when she speaks German. She also finds Shakespeare very enlightening because of his timeless themes and relevance to modern issues concerning mankind and how we deal with each other. She only studied Shakespeare during her time in high school, but it still holds a special place in her heart. Ms. Hahn’s love of English sparked when she went on an English exchange programme for two weeks in the summer holidays when she was 14 years old. She stayed with a Pakistani family in Morley, Leeds, and became friends with her exchange partner Naushin from the very beginning on. „Naushin and her family are great and kind people who taught me a lot about their British as well as their Pakistani culture. That was the moment when I fell in love with England and the English language.“

Blog-AG: Is there a quote or message you’d like to tell your younger self?

Ms. Bryan said: “You’ll get through this! It’ll get better!” She also says this to the teenagers in her class. Ms. Möller said: “Pull yourself up and get started.” Meanwhile, Mr. Käufer encouraged early and constant exposure to English and believes that it makes school and exams easier later on. Wow, now that were a lot of great answers, don’t you think so, too? All of the teachers emphasized exposure, practice, and persistence.

The interview made it clear that „English“ cannot only be reduced to a school subject, but must be seen as a tool for connection, identity, and understanding the world. One more thing I would like to add for students who are currently struggling in English or school:

Struggling doesn’t mean you’re failing. It means you’re learning something hard—and that takes time and courage. Always remember that every student who succeeds once was a student who struggled but kept going.

Until next week,

your RWG-Blog

(Text: Samina Atif)