Die Wortwerkbank

These resources are designed to support MFL learners who find vocabulary difficult to retain when it is taught as isolated items to memorise. For many dyslexic learners in particular, German can feel overwhelming: long words, dense spelling patterns, and unfamiliar structures can obscure meaning rather than reveal it.

The materials in Die Wortwerkbank approach German differently. Instead of asking learners to memorise whole words, they focus on how words are built — showing how meaning is carried through roots, prefixes, suffixes, and recurring patterns. By making structure visible, the resources help learners recognise familiar elements inside longer words and approach new vocabulary with greater confidence.

This approach is grounded in evidence-based literacy practice, but it is also practical. The resources were originally developed for my own dyslexic son, to support his experience of learning German in school. They were shaped through real use: noticing what reduced overload, what supported understanding, and what helped words “stick” over time.

The materials are calm, carefully structured, and designed to be revisited in short sessions. They are not a replacement for classroom teaching, but a support alongside it — helping learners make sense of German vocabulary, recognise patterns across words, and build confidence through understanding rather than rote memorisation.