The U.S. exchange program enhances language skills

The exchange program with the U.S. is a well-established tradition at Steinmühle. This spring, it was organized by English teacher Eva Stelz, with her colleague Rosie Boebel contributing her many years of experience. Eberhard Wieth accompanied the group on the trip to the U.S. as the second teacher traveling with them.

First, the Steinmühle students were in Goshen, where they accompanied their exchange partners to class. “Everyone got a taste of typical high school life,” reports Eva Stelz. In the third week, the group visited Chicago and New York City. Of course, a souvenir photo in front of Central Park was a must. The Americans’ return visit to Steinmühle took place from June 5 to 19. The itinerary included, among other things, a trip to the Rhine.

The trip boosted motivation to use the language

There’s no doubt that the students were able to gain a wide range of experiences through the exchange. Eva Stelz: “Above all, however, they were able to greatly improve their language skills, since they spent every day with their host families and had to speak English there. It was clear that they can now speak much more fluently and that their motivation has generally increased thanks to the wonderful experiences they had in an English-speaking country.”