Networking of all Stages of Teacher Education
Working with partners from all three stages of teacher education
Close collaboration across all stages of teacher training is essential for successful teaching and learning processes in schools. This includes 1.) university-level training as part of the teacher training programme (University of Potsdam), 2.) pre-service training at the Teacher Training Centres, and 3.) continuing professional development for teachers (both based at the Brandenburg State Institute for Schools and Teacher Training, LIBRA).
This collaboration takes shape in the networking meetings, which are held twice a year with the participation of the Junior Professorship for German Didactics in an Inclusive Context. These include the networking meetings for German, special educational needs, and the cross-disciplinary networking meeting. The interdisciplinary networking meeting and the German subject meeting are coordinated on the university side by Prof. Winnie-Karen Giera in collaboration with Thomas Linke (LIBRA). Coordination of the special educational needs networking meeting is the responsibility of Dr Felix Fricke (University of Potsdam) and Kerstin Beyreuther (LIBRA). In all formats, expertise on pre-agreed key topics is exchanged in the form of input and Barcamp sessions between the three phases. This facilitates a transfer of knowledge and insights between all three phases of teacher training.
Networking Meeting for German Teachers
Since: 2024.
Contact persons/Initiators:
• University of Potsdam: Prof. Dr. Winnie-Karen Giera, winnie-karen.giera@uni-potsdam.de
• LIBRA: Thomas Linke, Thomas.Linke@LIBRA.Brandenburg.de
The German Networking Meeting brings together participants from all three phases of teacher training in German twice a year. The topic of each meeting is decided in advance by the participants. Between 2024 and 2026, the following key topics, among others, were explored in depth:
• Written lesson planning
• Reading literacy
• Literature instruction
• Orthography
• Standardized testing and educational monitoring
The next networking event will take place on 9 September 2026 at the University of Potsdam as part of the specialist week ‘Many Languages in the International DACHL Exchange’ and will focus on the topic of ‘Multilingualism in German lessons’. The specialist week is being organised by the ‘Many Languages’ team from the innovative teaching project ‘Teaching German in Multilingual Primary School Classes’.
Networking Meeting in Special Education
Since: 2024.
Contact persons:
• University of Potsdam: Dr. Felix Fricke, felix.fricke@uni-potsdam.de
• LIBRA: Kerstin Beyreuther, Kerstin.Beyreuther@LIBRA.Brandenburg.de
The Special Education Networking Meeting brings together participants from all three phases of teacher training in special education twice a year. This includes all areas of specialization that students at the University of Potsdam can specialize in. These include learning, language, cognitive development, and emotional-social development. The topic of each networking meeting is decided in advance by the participants. During the 2024–2026 period, the following key topics, among others, were explored in depth:
• Educational assessment
• Models for adaptive instruction
• Transitions between the first and second phases for all areas of special education
• Written lesson planning in special education
Interdisciplinary Networking Meeting
Since: 2026.
Contact persons/initiators:
• University of Potsdam: Prof. Dr. Winnie-Karen Giera, winnie-karen.giera@uni-potsdam.de
• LIBRA: Thomas Linke, Thomas.Linke@LIBRA.Brandenburg.de
Report - The First Interdisciplinary Networking Meeting on May 27, 2026
How can we help students in all subjects become “fit for reading” ? That was the main focus of the first interdisciplinary networking meeting held at the Ludwigsfelde campus of the Brandenburg State Institute for Schools and Teacher Education (LIBRA). All three phases of teacher training were represented: These include faculty and researchers from the University of Potsdam (first phase), training coaches from the pedagogical centers (second phase), and continuing education instructors (third phase). The meeting was initiated and organized in cooperation between LIBRA and the Junior Professorship for German Didactics in an Inclusive Context/Special Focus on Language and Communication in Lower Secondary Education (University of Potsdam). Thomas Linke (Bernau Educational Center) represented LIBRA, and Prof. Dr. Winnie-Karen Giera from the University of Potsdam was responsible for organizing the networking meeting.
The aim of this format is to sustainably integrate all three phases of teacher education (see above) into a face-to-face program and to pool their expertise with a focus on interdisciplinary foundational competencies. The inaugural session on May 27, 2026, kicked off with the topic of reading skills as a prerequisite for subject-specific learning. The meeting opened with a keynote address by Prof. Dr. Birte Friedrich from the field of inclusive mathematics education (University of Potsdam). Her presentation provided on-site participants with an overview of why taking language and reading skills into account is particularly relevant for the acquisition of basic mathematical skills. Using case studies, she demonstrated how language skills can be specifically incorporated into mathematics instruction.
Following this keynote address, the teachers, trainers, and researchers in attendance split into four different working groups. Each working group focused on a specific topic related to promoting reading across all subjects. The following key topics were addressed during the focus group sessions:
• Cross-curricular and cross-school implementation of reading promotion
• Cross-curricular and cross-school implementation of reading strategies
• Subject-specific reading strategies and techniques
• Reading assessment across all subjects
For each topic, potential solutions were gathered, documented, and presented as well as discussed in a plenary “harvest session” at the end of the networking meeting. The results of the group sessions and the “harvest session” were digitally recorded. An overall review of the results showed that teachers of various subjects and at different types of schools in Brandenburg already have access to valuable resources for successfully promoting reading.
For example, the discussion highlighted the relevance of the Leseband, which has been firmly embedded in the timetable of over 200 primary and secondary schools since the 2023/2024 school year. The curriculum includes a mandatory daily reading period of at least 20 minutes, although the specific structure of this reading time may vary.
Furthermore, the networking meeting underlined the necessity to continuously create reading opportunities for lower secondary school students, rather than assuming that learners have already acquired all foundational reading skills by the end of primary school. In addition, the networking meeting confirmed the need to continuously develop reading programs for lower secondary school students, and not to assume that students already possess all basic reading skills upon completing primary school. Facilitating reading across different subjects was found to be best achieved by encouraging greater collaboration between subject-specific faculty members and making adjustments to school-based curricula. In addition, participants emphasized the importance of involving students more closely in the selection of topics and related texts.
At the end of the first networking meeting, the teachers in attendance in particular expressed a strong desire for another session. The networking meeting format has already become established in the German language and special education programmes over the past three years (see above). These interdisciplinary meetings also highlight the importance of regular and sustained knowledge transfer across all three phases of teacher education.
At the end of the first networking meeting, the teachers in attendance in particular expressed a strong desire for another session. The networking meeting format has already become established in the German language and special education programmes over the past three years (see above). These interdisciplinary meetings also highlight the importance of regular and sustained knowledge transfer across all three phases of teacher education. The next meeting, planned for 2027, is already being organised and is expected to encourage collaboration between different phases and different subjects in teacher training.
Photo gallery from the first interdisciplinary networking event
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The invitation to the networking event was sent out in advance to everyone involved in teacher training at LIBRA and the University of Potsdam. -
The agenda for the networking meeting, drawn by Thomas Linke (LIBRA). -
In her lecture, Prof. Dr Birte Friedrich provided an overview of the relationship between basic language and mathematical skills. -
In preparation for the focus group sessions, relevant questions were compiled and recorded for each key topic. Pictured: Dr Lucas Deutzmann (University of Potsdam).
