See how a German teacher defines what a full-mark answer must contain — before marking begins.
The mark feels surprising. My child understood the topic, wrote a long answer and still lost points — and nobody explains what was missing.
Your child may know the answer but present it in a form the marking criteria do not recognise. Understanding the criteria before writing helps your child show what they know.
Before writing, ask your child to list the points the answer must contain. After the test, compare the answer with the corrected paper. A corrected test may not come with a separate marking guide. Ask the teacher which criteria were used and where your child gained or lost points.
Der Vulkan ist gefährlich, weil er explodiert.
Der Vulkan ist gefährlich, weil austretende Lava und Asche ganze Landstriche zerstören und Menschen ihre Wohnungen verlassen müssen.
Which points must your answer contain for full marks?
Take one recent test question. Write down the three or four points a full-mark answer would need, then check whether your child's answer contains each one.
Receive practical German-school strategies, German examples and new Parent Tools matched to common challenges experienced by expat families.
These tools help you practise individual skills. If you are unsure which skill your child needs help with first, the Warum-Check can help you choose a starting point.
Turn the teacher's test announcement into a preparation checklist your child can work through.
Know what each official task verb requires before your child starts writing.
Understand the three requirement levels — and why the higher marks live in levels II and III.