Refugee students and teachers learn how to cope with life in Germany

For 15-year-old Mustafa, the trickiest part about learning German is knowing when to use the articles der, die or das.聽

国产视频淎nd the umlaut,国产视频� his classmate Majd reminds him, sending both Syrian teens groaning in mock frustration at the vowel alteration, one of the quirks of German grammar.

But they国产视频檙e not really complaining. Having escaped the fighting at home and survived the harrowing journey to Europe, they are glad to be back in school.

For them, as for young refugees everywhere, it国产视频檚 the first step back to a normal life. But they are fast learning that the hard work is only just beginning 国产视频� for pupils and teachers alike.

Mustafa, Majd and their families were among the nearly 900,000 migrants who streamed into Germany last year. Around a third of them were minors聽and the country now faces the Herculean task of absorbing the newcomers into its school system.

The obstacles are formidable. Most of the youngsters don国产视频檛 speak a word of German on arrival and have usually missed months, if not years, of school. Many are also scarred by the experiences that led them to flee their homes in the first place.

国产视频淚t国产视频檚 a huge challenge,国产视频� said Ilka Hoffmann, a board member of the GEW, Germany国产视频檚 largest teachers国产视频� union.

She estimates Germany will have to hire some 24,000 new teachers to cope with the influx, and that国产视频檚 without including the urgent need for more psychologists and counsellors in schools.

国产视频淭rauma manifests itself in different ways,国产视频� Hoffmann told AFP. 国产视频淲e国产视频檙e ill-prepared in that regard.国产视频�

The Kultusministerkonferenz, a grouping of the nation国产视频檚 state education ministries, has calculated that educating the child refugees will cost an extra 2.3 billion euros ($2.5 billion) a year.

In German classrooms today, Chancellor Angela Merkel国产视频檚 国产视频淲ir schaffen das国产视频� (We can do it) motto about integrating the migrants is more than just a catchphrase. It国产视频檚 a daily assignment.

Mustafa and Majd are enrolled in the Heinrich-von-Brentano school in Hochheim, a picturesque town west of Frankfurt.

To cope with the refugee arrivals, the school has set up two so-called 国产视频渋ntensive classes国产视频� for 22 pupils where the immediate focus is on learning German, the same approach that has been taken nationwide.

In Mustafa国产视频檚 small classroom, where most of the students are from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan, the atmosphere is jovial, but their teacher Michael Smiraglia says there国产视频檚 no denying the daily difficulties.

With pupils ranging from the gifted to those who are still learning the Latin alphabet, Smiraglia has to tailor his lessons to a range of levels and come up with several approaches to the same exercises.

Then there国产视频檚 the added challenge of working with teens who have lived through traumatic events, which can trigger disruptive or antisocial behaviour

国产视频淚 quickly found that the name 国产视频榠ntensive class国产视频� also meant it would be intense for me as a teacher,国产视频� Smiraglia told AFP, while his pupils, in halting German, read out a dialogue about ordering lemonade and ice cream.

He says his background as a family counsellor, which saw him work with traumatised youths, has proved 国产视频渋mmensely helpful国产视频� in bonding with the class.

国产视频淚 have pupils aged 12 to 15 who have feared for their lives,国产视频� the bespectacled, soft-spoken teacher says, stressing the importance of giving the teens a safe place to share their stories.

国产视频淚t国产视频檚 a gift for me when they open up to me because it helps me understand them better and deal with things like inappropriate behaviour.国产视频�

For the students the real test of their progress will come when they move on from the cocoon of the intensive class to regular classes, where teachers have a curriculum to follow and may not have the time or tools to focus on their individual needs.

To ease the transition, the Brentano school国产视频檚 refugee pupils already spend several hours a week with their German peers for lessons such as English, maths or sports.

The results are mixed, with Mustafa pointing out that language remains a barrier. 国产视频淭he teachers speak so fast, I don国产视频檛 understand much.国产视频�

But the mingling has helped break the ice between the newcomers and their German schoolmates, as has playing football during break times. 国产视频淲e play together and then we also learn a bit more German,国产视频� says Mustafa.

Generally though, the teens in the intensive classes admit they tend to stick together in their free time, speaking in their native tongues.

国产视频淚 don国产视频檛 have a lot of contact yet with the German kids,国产视频� says 14-year-old Marjan from Afghanistan. 国产视频淏ut everyone is very friendly.国产视频�

She says one of the biggest differences with her old school is that boys and girls here are in the same classroom. 国产视频淏ut it国产视频檚 good,国产视频� she adds. 国产视频淲e understand each other better when we learn together.国产视频�

Mustafa is not yet convinced. 国产视频淏oys and girls (together)国产视频� the boy is all 国产视频業 love you国产视频� and then he can国产视频檛 study. Am I wrong?国产视频� he asks, flashing another goofy smile as his classmates burst out laughing.

With their education slowly back on track, the teens are cautiously making plans for the future.

Mustafa says he wants to be a pilot, but only because he can国产视频檛 see a career in his true passion, karate. Marjan is hesitating between becoming a lawyer or a make-up artist. Majd, in a determined voice, says: 国产视频淚 will graduate and become a police officer.国产视频�

漏 1994-2016 Agence France-Press