• Students from German-speaking homes

They have native or excellent language skills and need maintenance and further development of the language. Some of them return to their native country and will reenter the German, Austrian or Swiss school system.

• One or both parents speak German, but English is the dominant language at home

Children from these homes often have excellent or good listening skills and can communicate more or less well. They need intensive practice in the areas of vocabulary development, writing skills and accuracy as well as in understanding and producing more demanding communication (oral and written).

• Some other relatives still speak German, but English is the dominant language at home

Parents no longer speak German. Students from this group have been exposed to German and sometimes have some listening skills and some or little communicative ability. They need to learn German as a foreign language.

• Students with no roots in the German language

Students from these homes are beginners in the language

• Adult learners

Adult learners may fall into any of the above categories. Their need to learn German may be professional or personal. Many schools offer in-house classes for German and American firms as well as private lessons. The respective percentages of the above mentioned five groups may vary and often depend on the geographic area and the exposure to international commerce and education in the region.