Registration for around 1,300 free courses starts on January 13, 2025 Vienna learning aid in the subjects German, mathematics, English and German Start for children who are new to learning German. There are offers for students at secondary level 1 (AHS lower school and middle school) as well as for elementary school students. The courses start on February 10, 2025.
Vice Mayor and City Councilor for Education Christoph Wiederkehr emphasizes the importance of the initiative: “Language opens doors to further educational perspectives. Without language, no social integration, both in the classroom and beyond. That’s why the Vienna Learning Aid is once again giving children a good start in life this semester through the free subject ‘German Start’. With our free learning support, we give children aged 6 to 14, regardless of their financial background, the chance for a promising future. Equal opportunities are the foundation for a society in which everyone can follow their own successful path. In order to achieve this goal, we have been continuously expanding our educational offerings for primary school children since 2022 in order to offer all children fair educational opportunities and to provide them with the best possible support in their dreams and goals.”
This initiative underlines the City of Vienna’s commitment to making educational opportunities accessible and breaking down language barriers to promote an inclusive community.
“As Vienna adult education centers, we stand for making “education for everyone” possible. Thanks to the support of the City of Vienna, we can also implement this for Vienna’s students. Private tutoring is simply not affordable for many families, which is why offers like the Vienna Learning Aid are so important in order to give all children the same opportunities, regardless of the parents’ financial resources.” emphasized VHS managing director Herbert Schweiger. The Vienna Learning Aid is funded by the City of Vienna and implemented by the Vienna Adult Education Centers since 2015.
Different formats address the different needs of children:
For around 11,000 middle school students: 1,100 learning support courses
Semester courses at Viennese schools provide long-term support for learning. A total of over 1,000 VHS learning support courses are offered to more than 10,000 secondary school students (10 – 14 years) in mathematics, German, English and German Start. Deutsch Start is aimed specifically at students who are new to learning German. There are around 60 German starter courses available for this age group.
Learning assistance courses regularly help you learn a specific subject. They take place once a week at over 120 schools in Vienna and last two teaching units. By continually attending the course, students develop their learning techniques and consolidate what they have learned.
For those who prefer to learn from home, there are an additional 100 online courses available in the same subjects. They each last an hour and also promote digital skills.
For primary school students: learning support courses for 1,800 children
The learning support courses for elementary school students will be increased by 26 courses. This means there are around 180 courses for up to 1,800 students. Here, learning content in the subjects of German, mathematics and German Start is developed in a playful way. The courses last 1.5 hours each and take place primarily at VHS locations, but also at individual school locations. Over 30 of the courses offered are in the subject of German Start.
Learning in small groups
In order to provide the students with the best possible support, all face-to-face learning support courses learn in small groups of a maximum of 10 participants. A maximum of 7 students take part in online courses.
Information and registration at www.vhs.at/lernhilfe
Registration as a learning supervisor: www.vhs.at/de/jobs-lernbetreuerinnen