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About Us

With thousands of members across all 50 states and internationally, the American Association of Teachers of German (AATG) is the only individual membership organization in the United States dedicated to the teaching of the language, literature, and cultures of the German-speaking world at all levels of instruction.  Founded in 1926, AATG champions the belief that bringing the diverse cultures of the German-speaking world to Americans is a vital humanistic endeavor that serves essential national and global interests.

AATG supports educators at all levels of instruction—representing pre-kindergarten, elementary, middle, high school, community college, university, and heritage language programs. The organization's extensive network of local chapters drives regional initiatives, supporting activities focused on public relations, professional development, and immersive experiences for both teachers and students.

AATG is governed by a Board of Directors, which includes a president, vice-president, treasurer, presiding officer of the chapter presidents’ assembly, and regional representatives. To ensure diverse representation, the teaching level of Board members is balanced and alternates between post-secondary and pre-collegiate educators. The Board of Directors meets quarterly and sets the strategic direction of the organization. The organization's daily operations are managed by a dedicated professional staff incorporated in Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Initiatives and Outcomes
Rather than simply advocating for language learning, AATG actively delivers outcome-oriented projects and resources that strengthen German programs across the country:

  • Professional Development: Delivering high-quality training, workshops, and research opportunities to expand teaching excellence across all educational settings.

  • Student Recognition & Scholarships: Sponsoring national testing programs like the National German Exam, National German Honor Societies, study trip awards, and projects that provide direct benefits and global access to learners.

  • Access-Oriented Grants: Developing resources and funding initiatives that ensure equitable access to German programs for students from all backgrounds and diverse geographic settings.

  • Advocacy & Policy: Actively communicating the value of learning German to policymakers and the public, securing tangible support for language education at the national and state levels. AATG is a founding member of JNCL-NCLIS, the leading national language advocacy group.

  • Publication & Research: Publishing scholarly journals and pedagogical materials that define and advance the highest standards for German teaching and learning.

History
The AATG was founded in 1926 by college and high school teachers in the New York City area. On December 18, 1926, the first meeting of the organizers took place at Columbia University. Major work on the constitution followed in 1927, leading to the publication of the first issue of the German Quarterly in January 1928. In that inaugural issue, AATG president Camillo von Klenze of the College of the City of New York wrote: "…it becomes imperative for us teachers of German to use every legitimate means of improving the position of German in our schools, colleges, and universities. The first step …is the formation of an organization embracing all teachers of German in every part of the country. Only by enthusiastic cooperation can we hope to accomplish anything tangible." Today, AATG continues this strong tradition of empowering teachers from early childhood education through graduate programs.

Partnerships & Recognition AATG is a key partner to a number of organizations supporting language education. AATG is a member of the Joint National Committee for Languages/National Council for Languages and International Study (JNCL/NCLIS), the Modern Language Association (MLA), the National Federation of Modern Language Teachers Associations (NFMLTA), the National Standards for Foreign Language Collaborative, and the Internationaler Deutschlehrerinnen- und Deutschlehrerverband (IDV).

AATG Professional Partners are dedicated organizations and institutions that work alongside us to promote the study of the German-speaking world in all its linguistic, cultural, and ethnic diversity. Together, we provide the resources and opportunities needed to prepare students as transnational, transcultural learners and active participants in a globalized world. Our featured partners include non-profit, governmental, and commercial entities whose ongoing collaborations provide essential support, professional development, and cultural enrichment for German programs nationwide.

To explore the complete network of organizations supporting German education in the US, please visit our main Professional Partners directory.