How to avoid using ‘interessant’ as an iGCSE/GCSE German adjective
How to avoid using ‘interessant’ as an iGCSE/GCSE German adjectiveI’ve been a GCSE German examiner, a secondary school German teacher and a private German GCSE tutor. As with many other German teachers, the amount of times I’ve seen or heard ‘interessant’ and ‘gut’ used to provide justifications is far too many! 
As you can see from the comment on ‘X’ (it will always be Twitter for me!), Dr. David has banned the adjectives for his pupils. Similarly, I know other GCSE German teachers who have done the same! Do you have this as an issue and how have you overcome it?
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The Problem with “Interessant”:
Now, don’t get me wrong – “interessant” is a fantastic word in many contexts. However, its constant repetition can make students’ writing and speech feel very ‘uninteressant’…! And German, with its rich vocabulary, offers a treasure trove of adjectives that can elevate their language skills. Thus, making students’ expressions and justifications much more vibrant.
For all GCSE German examiners and for the sake of all German teachers’ sanity, let’s embark on a journey to liberate our GCSE German students from the clutches of “interessant”. Let’s introduce our students to a colourful palette of adjectives that will make their language sparkle!
Before we continue though, have you subscribed to my YouTube channel yet? It contains more useful GCSE German teaching and learning resources!
The Ultimate GCSE German Adjective Resource:
To make this ‘interessant’ journey easier, I’ve created this resource that will hopefully be a great weapon in the battle against the mundane “interessant.” Drumroll, please! 🥁
My brand-new FREE GCSE German resource, “100+ Better German Adjectives To Avoid Interessant for GCSE Success,” is a carefully curated list of adjectives. It is completely tailored to the GCSE German syllabus of AQA. In addition, it is very well suited to Edexcel, Cambridge iGCSE and WJEC GCSE exam boards.
The list of adjectives is divided into various topics, aligning with the curriculum to ensure your students not only expand their vocabulary but also ace those exams!
DOWNLOAD THE GCSE GERMAN ‘HOW TO AVOID INTERESSANT’ PDF HERE
I love creating resources to help my GCSE German students. Have you seen this GCSE Writing – Grades. 4-9 Resource? It’s had 7,000+ downloads!
GCSE German Topics Covered:
Familie und Freunde: Spice up descriptions of people, including your feelings, with German adjectives that bring them to life.
- Das Internet / Soziale Netzwerke: Navigate the digital world with adjectives that capture the essence of the online world.
Freizeit: From thrilling to relaxing, help students express their passions in vivid detail.
Haus: describe your house with with more interesting adjectives than groß or klein!
Urlaub: Transform writing about fun experiences from ‘interessant’ to enchanting with these descriptive gems.
Umwelt: vary descriptions of the world around us, it’s certainly much more than just ‘interesting’.
Schule: Impress examiners with a diverse range of adjectives to describe the place students spend much of their time
- Arbeit: Explain how you really feel about the world of work to come.
How to Use This ‘How To Avoid Interessant’ Resource?:
Integrate this resource into your lesson plans and encourage students to incorporate these adjectives into their written and spoken German. Make it a game, a challenge, or even a weekly vocabulary contest – whatever engages them the most! You could also use it as a display item that students can refer to in your classroom. I haven’t provided the translations, as the point is to get students familiar with alternative adjectives and so they have to put a bit of work in!
- Provide students with the full list to put somewhere safe to use over the course.
- Translate at the beginning of the topic, either in pairs or individually. Then learn them for a vocab test in the middle of the topic. YAWN.
- Provide opportunities to allow students to use these alternatives to interessant, i.e. photo cards, general conversation opportunities, translations, short and exam based writing tasks etc and encourage students to choose 3-4 new adjectives per topic and use their preferred alternatives to interessant in any writing and speaking tasks they do.
You might find my video on ‘Fun Ways to Teach Vocabulary‘ useful to use in addition.
Why Do GCSE German Students Need This Adjectives Resource?
This resource isn’t just about replacing “interessant.” It’s about empowering students to become wordsmiths, expressing themselves with precision and creativity. As language teachers, our goal is not just to teach a language but to foster a love for it. This resource is a tool to make learning German adjectives not just a task but a way in which students can really express themselves.
So, let’s bid farewell to the days of “interessant” dominance and usher in a new era of vibrant, expressive German language skills! 🚀
Click [here] to grab your free copy of “100 Better German Adjectives for GCSE Success” and watch your students’ language soar to new heights. Happy teaching, and may the adjectives be ever in your favor!
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