Excel workbooks for informal learning contain occupation-specific vocabulary. The workbooks shown below and at ZUM Deutsch lernen can be used globally as Open Educational Resources (OER) with a CC-BY licence.
The subject vocabulary is extracted from the Framework Curricula of the Conference of Ministers of Education and Cultural Affairs. Alphabetically sorted tables are provided for the Office software used by many people. Each line contains a vocabulary word with links to helpful apps and usually an example sentence. In addition, there is the English translation of the word and sentence. In further columns, the word is linked to the automatic DeepL translator, so that you can translate the word and sentence into a further 28 languages by clicking on the selection. One column entry each links the word to the OpenThesaurus and the Wiktionary. The first is a free German dictionary of synonyms, antonyms and associations, the second provides explanations of semantics, grammar and translations for the words.
Another column transfers the German sentence to translate.google. There you can have the sentence spoken to you in German and many other languages. The automatic Google translator does not provide as good a translation as DeepL, but it does support languages that are not available at DeepL if necessary.
In rare cases, the dictionaries do not provide useful results. Then the well-known search engines provide suitable texts, pictures or videos. Those who dislike the Google and Microsoft hit lists can use the DuckDuckGo hit list from Excel without disclosing personal data.
The vocabulary extracted from the framework curricula contains words that should be familiar to every native speaker and every person with German as a foreign language who is capable of independent language use. This language level assumes the B1 vocabulary of the Common European Framework of Reference as known. Using suitable functions, Excel is able to highlight all words in colour if they are not yet included in the reference vocabulary. This is almost always the case with technical vocabulary.
The video for the industrial clerks shows how the workbooks work. They are all structured in the same way. Only the vocabulary is occupation-specific. German is spoken in the sample video. If you want, you can choose subtitles from 29 languages and reduce the playback speed if necessary. The article is also available in German: https://konrad-rennert.de/berufsdeutsch
| Workbooks on the professions | Explanatory video(s) and notes on the workbooks |
|---|---|
| Industrial Clerk |
The workbook contains the links to translations of the framework curricula into the languages English, French, Polish, Russian and Ukrainian. |
| Education in bricklaying and other construction trades | Explanation see video above – In the workbook the links to translation of the framework curricula into the languages English and Ukrainian are included. |
| Vocational driver | Explanation see video above – In the workbook the links to translation of the framework curricula into the languages English, French and Ukrainian are included. |
| Informatics specialist | Explanation see video above – In the workbook there are links to translations of the framework curricula into the languages Chinese, English, Finnish, French, Russian, Spanish and Ukrainian. |
| Specialist in warehouse logistics | Explanation see video above – In the workbook there are links to translations of the framework curricula into the languages English, French and Ukrainian. |
| Skilled worker in catering | Explanation see video above – In the workbook there are links to translations of the framework curricula into the languages English, French, Russian and Ukrainian. |