German Professional Development Day – Friday, October 17 2025

The German professional development day held on October 17 proved to be an outstanding opportunity for educators from across Manitoba to engage in meaningful professional learning.

Participants explored evidence-informed strategies for supporting second-language learners and examined effective ways to integrate language instruction with outdoor education, fostering authentic and engaging learning experiences. Hannelore Wurmann, an outdoor learning expert and experienced German teacher, brought the outdoors indoors with her insightful teaching strategies on the rainy PD day.

The event also featured an insightful presentation by Irene Mrázek, German Language Advisor Canada West, for the Federal Office of Foreign Affairs and the Central Agency for Schools Abroad, who introduced her approach to “Crack the Code: Mystery Puzzles for German Learning Success” as well as discussing Pre-Conference and DSD II Calibration Seminar with educators. Her session provided educators with practical, interactive methods for enriching German language instruction in the classroom.

In addition, teachers had access to high-quality instructional materials through on-site vendors Everything Deutsch (Edmonton) and Goethe Books (Toronto). Both offered a range of valuable resources for educators, along with engaging literature suitable for students at various proficiency levels.

Overall, the day was highly productive and well-received by all participants. Further details will be shared once the date for the next professional development session has been confirmed.