Johann's Britta

By the end of this month, Johann would have attended the DSKL (Deutsche Schule Kuala Lumpur) Kindergarten for a full year. Last year this time, he partially understood german. Today, not only does he understand the language, he is also able to converse in it. Joining his three older brothers, he has yet again proven to me the amazing ability that young children learn a new language extremely competently and entirely differently from their older counterparts and adults. I feel embarrassed myself for I am still struggling to converse eloquently after 3 years of german classes.

I must give credit to his favourite teacher (also principal), Frau Britta Merabet, who spoke no English to him from day one. Her insistence and strong belief in Johann’s language ability has propelled his progress tremendously. Everyday, he would impress his father with complex sentences and a good use of vocabularies, all these interjected with polite and respectful requests. He enjoys kindergarten so much he even wants to go on the weekends. Many a times, he sings and talks about what he had learnt.

Britta had been his anchor of security when he was new. Like us, she will be leaving for Germany in summer too. I know she will be greatly missed by Johann, as he affectionately calls her “my Britta”.