Promotion of
language development

Almost everyone who is recruited as a nurse in Germany will have the extra task of learning German. The nurses are prepared to deal with their everyday life and working life in a foreign language. This is a great challenge that can be coped with better if they receive professional support.

Moving to a foreign country is a huge challenge anyway, which puts enormous pressure on the nurses, especially at the beginning. Many things happen at once and it is only understandable that the incoming nurses may feel overwhelmed by this and may not be able to use their language skills at first as expected from the language certificate acquired in the language course. The need to process many impressions can mean that the development of speech and the further learning of the linguistic-communicative skills initially fade into the background. Another challenge in the development of such skills is that not all language courses also include “nursing specialist language”. This makes it all the more important that companies take on a supporting role and, on the one hand, create an offer for language promotion and, on the other hand, sensitise other colleagues to the fact that having German skills at non-native level is not associated with a lower level of professionalism. Studies and field reports show that linguistic uncertainties in everyday nursing professional life can lead to irritation, uncertainty and frustration – both for the internationally recruited employees and also in the team. Major areas of tension can arise, for example, in written nursing documentation, telephone conversations, handovers in the team or communication with the carers and their relatives. The emergence of such areas of tension must therefore be prevented by raising awareness and involving the existing team at an early stage.

There are different ways to support the new colleagues in deepening their knowledge of German. We therefore strongly advise host companies to be proactive beyond their legal obligations. The truth is: understanding the language and the ability to express oneself are related to a sustainable integration into the team and the company, and also whether the new nurses feel well looked after and welcome.

In order to obtain a professional licence as a nurse in Germany, not only a professional recognition is required, but also knowledge of the German language at B2 level of the competence scale of the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR). In the case of entering Germany to participate in a compensation measure (according to § 16d Residence Act (AufenthG)), visas and a temporary work permit can also be issued for nurses who can demonstrate a B1 level according to CEFR. In this case, German language skills up to a language level of B2 CEFR must be acquired in the context of a recognition process in order to receive the professional licence as a nurse.

This regulation was adopted by the Health Ministers’ Conference of the federal states as part of a key points paper. You can find the document here: Key points of the paper

This means that internationally recruited nurses not only have to prove the equivalence of their vocational qualifications, but they also have to expand their German language skills usually in parallel or in advance, in order to be allowed to work as nurses in Germany.

But even German at B1 level still has to be learned. If a person does not already have German language skills, then both the employer and the applicant will need to search for solutions for structured language acquisition, by considering the language learning programmes of certified language providers abroad. It is also important to consider that half-day or full-day language courses must also be financed. Just as important is the need to ensure that the internationally recruited nurses have enough money to pay their living costs in their country of origin while taking part in languages courses. (Because often they hardly have time to continue their jobs as nurses before entering Germany.) Last but not least, the nurses also need to apply for and pass an examination at an accredited language school to be able to prove their language level in order to apply for the visa. You can normally find out which language certificates are recognised on the websites of the competent authorities for professional recognition in your region.

Employers can give concrete support to the new colleagues beyond their legal obligations in learning German. This makes arriving in Germany easier for the new nurses as well as taking up their nursing duties. You can find tips and suggestions/ideas here:

What are the basic options?

• Participation in language school courses in the region
  There is good access to general German language courses in almost all regions of Germany. This can take place as a block lesson, either full-time or part-time – or also in a weekly rhythm.
• Online language courses as well as support by app
  For many students, online language courses and apps that support everyday life are an attractive supplement – and not only during the coronavirus pandemic. There are more and more offers coming on the market for healthcare professions in particular. You can find examples here.
  
• Language promotion integrated into the compensation measure
  Integrated subject-specific and general language learning is particularly effective and time-efficient, for example in the form of “team teaching”, in which a language lecturer and a subject-specific lecturer work together to design the lessons. Here, a special focus can be placed on practical language skills. You can find contact persons if you have any questions on the topic of integrated language promotion at Netzwerk IQ and Fitt. The DKF is also supporting the pilot project INGA Pflege, which places a special focus on integrated language promotion during the compensation measure.
• Help with raising language levels
  In the model project Integration im Gesundheitswesen (INGE), there are tools for measuring the current language level of nurses as well as other useful information. This kind of tool can be useful to establish if there is a need for more support in respect of language development.
• Language flyers of the network Companies Integrate Refugees
  These flyers give typical vocabulary for different occupational groups, including healthcare professions.
• Language tandem
  In many adult education centres but also on social media, there are often offers for language tandems. These are a good supportive method of learning a language. The tandem is a language-learning method in which two native speakers teach each other their own language. Examples from the Hamburger VHScan be viewed here.
  
• Occupational language courses for healthcare professions
  Occupational German language courses are offered via the DeuFöV. The Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) is responsible for implementing the DeuFöV course. You can find more information here.
• You can find support for all questions on the topic of learning languages and further education offers
  at the “Fachstelle Berufsbezogenes Deutsch” in Hamburg and the “Arbeitsstelle Deutsch in Saarbrücken”. Both information centres focus on integrated specialist language learning, linguistic skills and language-sensitive offers for practice instruction.
• In the future, the topic “specialist language examination” will become ever more important. Specialist language is a central factor in the ability to perform. It is therefore enormously important that new colleagues are given the opportunity to further develop their specialist language skills. Further information on this topic is already available. You can find examples here. In the northern federal states (Bremen, Hamburg, Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony), the specialist language examination is already implemented or planned.

It is important however to create a sufficient time window to enable language skills to be deepened. We therefore urgently advise you to grant the nurses leave of absence for the period when they are participating in a language course.

As a supplement to classic language promotion via language courses, it can also be very helpful to offer an accompanying digital programme. There is now a wide and continually growing range of programmes on offer. Here are just a few examples:

• Ein Tag Deutsch in der Pflege, free-of-charge learning game, developed by IQ Fachstelle Berufsbezogenes Deutsch
  Ein Tag Deutsch in der Pflege is a free-of-charge learning game for German language in the healthcare professions with exercises on communication, vocabulary, structures, practiced using real nursing situations. Available as an online version and app.

• DiCognita
  DiCognita helps nurses to expand their knowledge of German with a language learning app.

• Learning games from the Goethe Institute
  With its language learning games such as Undercover-Mission im Krankenhaus the Goethe Institute aims to support the learning of German.

• Further opportunities for digital support are listed in an overview of the IQ-Landesnetzwerk in Hessen.

• Mit Vergnügen Deutsch üben
  Practise German with pleasure. Learn German free of charge with many media for practising the German language, developed by the Goethe Institute.

• IHK Ratgeber Sprachförderung
  Language development guide. Support services and information for employers on language acquisition for nursing professionals from abroad.

• Kurs „Fachkraft Pflege“
  In the free vhs learning portal of the Deutsche Volkshochschul-Verband e. V. (German Adult Education Association), nursing professionals learn about nursing terminology and practise their vocabulary.