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Primary and secondary schools; information on German language support measures
The main aims of supporting pupils with a migration background are to integrate them into school life and to further improve their educational success. The German language plays a central role here as the key to participation in society.
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Regierung von Oberbayern - Sachgebiet 40.1 - Grund- und Mittelschulen – Erziehung, Unterricht, Qualitätssicherung
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80538 München
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Description
One focus of the integration of fellow citizens with a migration background is undoubtedly education. This is where state policy has the most direct influence. In accordance with the principle of federalism, the federal states must set up educational programs to promote the integration of children and young people with a migrant background. The Free State of Bavaria has set priorities here: The main aim of supporting pupils with a migrant background in Bavarian schools is the rapid and thorough acquisition of the German language and thus the smoothest possible integration into school, training and the labor market, and therefore into society. The focus is on intensive language support as early as possible, combined with an in-depth study of our values and our legal system. A lack of or poor knowledge of German is a major obstacle to integration and success at school for newcomers and late entrants with a non-German mother tongue. The German support measures specifically counteract this. They begin for children with a non-German mother tongue even before they start school at the daycare center.
Pre-course German 240: With the pre-course German 240, German support begins for all children with additional support needs in German as a first or second language even before they start elementary school. In a total of 240 hours, the children's German language and literacy development is supported for a year and a half before they start elementary school in equal parts by specialists in daycare facilities and primary school teachers, support teachers and additional specialist staff from elementary school , so that the children can follow the lessons of Year 1 when they start school.
DeutschPLUS offers: A DeutschPLUS course (up to four additional hours per week) or a DeutschPLUS differentiation (up to twelve hours per week as a substitute for the subject German according to the timetable plus additional support) can be set up at primary and secondary schools in the Free State as part of the so-called DeutschPLUS offers. The aim is for the pupils taking part in the corresponding offer to acquire further skills and learn a specialist and educational language. These support measures take place in addition to or parallel to compulsory lessons and are adapted to the pupils' learning progress.
German classes: Children and young people whose first language is not German, who are subject to compulsory schooling due to their age, who have immigrated to Germany and have little or no knowledge of German, generally attend a German class at a primary or secondary school for one school year, or a maximum of two school years. German classes offer intensive German language support in all subjects with the possibility of temporary differentiation for non-literate pupils. In addition, learners receive cultural education and values education as well as further language and learning practice as part of an extended timetable.
As a new long-term concept for initial school integration, German classes independent of school type have been set up at secondary schools, intermediate schools, business schools and grammar schools since the 2024/2025 school year. These are aimed at newly immigrated pupils who, due to their age, are assigned to grades 5 and 6 and are not (yet) able to follow lessons in regular classes due to a lack of knowledge of the German language.
German classes will continue to be set up in the elementary school and secondary school years 7 to 9.
Special notes
German support measures at other schools
Realschulen:
All state secondary modern schools offer supplementary and remedial lessons in German. Furthermore, the SPRINT project (intensive language support) offers intensive language support for pupils with a refugee or migrant background in parallel to regular lessons. The pupils are initially accepted into regular classes as guest pupils, although they initially receive almost exclusively special support in German in order to develop, promote and support their educational and technical language skills. These pupils are gradually integrated into regular classes. A competence center has been set up at the Middle Franconia MB office to coordinate and design language support measures for young asylum seekers suitable for secondary schools and for pupils with a migration background throughout Bavaria.
Grammar schools:
In the InGym (Integration Gymnasium) project, pupils who have immigrated from abroad are prepared to attend regular classes in their own courses for half a school year. This involves intensive support in the German language and lessons in various subjects. The group courses themselves are currently set up at five locations according to demand: in Augsburg, Munich, Nuremberg, Regensburg and Würzburg.
The ReG_In_flex (regional flexible integration at grammar schools) support program also serves the integration of lateral entrants and is a flexible form of language support that supports the admission of lateral entrants to state grammar schools - especially in rural areas - as well as transfers from German classes.
The language support project is aimed at all pupils with a history of migration or flight who have been living in Germany with their families for some time and speak German as an everyday language. The support program is offered in addition to regular lessons in specially set up courses and supports the acquisition of technical and educational language.
The pilot project Sprachlich fit fürs Abitur supports pupils with a history of migration or flight in the upper school as part of an additional two-hour course to develop their reading and writing skills at a high level with a view to the Abitur.
Business schools:
Young people who do not have sufficient language skills to follow German-language lessons are taught the necessary basic skills, particularly in the area of language, as part of integration pre-classes at business schools (IVK-WS). The promotion of language skills is the subject of instruction in all subjects. The primary aim of the lessons offered is to give suitable and interested young people the opportunity to enter the regular entry class of the two-tier business school if they have the appropriate performance potential and academic development.
Vocational secondary schools:
Young people or young adults with previous vocational training and/or an intermediate school-leaving certificate are accepted into the integration preliminary class at vocational secondary schools. Here, the necessary language and subject knowledge is taught in preparation for attending a regular preliminary class or for attending the entry class of the technical secondary school or vocational secondary school.
Vocational schools:
In the vocational integration model at vocational schools, young people and young adults who are required to attend vocational school acquire not only German language skills but also basic skills that are necessary for subsequent successful (vocational) training and integration into society as part of a generally two-year vocational preparation phase (possibly preceded by attendance of a so-called German class at vocational schools). These include, in particular, democracy and values education.
In addition, pupils who successfully complete the vocational integration class can acquire the qualifications required to successfully complete secondary school. The vocational integration model provides for a socio-educational support concept and is open to young people with a refugee or migrant background who are required to attend vocational school (admission between the ages of 16 and 21 or, in justified exceptional cases, up to the age of 25) and who have a special need for language support. The fastest possible integration of pupils into a dual or school-based apprenticeship is supported by subsequent support measures in the specialist classes (German as a vocational language, vocational language support, combined model 1+X to extend the first year of training to two years and additional language support).
In addition, people with a refugee or migrant background can also take part in the school trial "One-year extension of specialist assistant training at vocational schools for geriatric and nursing care assistance and at vocational schools for curative education care assistance". In the one-year measure at vocational schools for geriatric and nursing care assistance or vocational schools for curative education care assistance, the desired language skills as well as general knowledge and relevant specialist knowledge are taught. Following the one-year program, participants are enabled to complete a one-year nursing assistant training course or to work for a year in the field of care for the disabled and then complete a one-year curative education nursing assistant training course.
Especially for the target group of young people with a history of flight or migration, the above-mentioned support services as well as the other support services with additional vocational language and school support provide a good framework for successfully completing training in a dual or school-based vocational training program.
Status: 18.07.2025
Editorially responsible for prodecure description: Bayerisches Staatsministerium für Unterricht und Kultus
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