Learn How to Learn German So You Can Become an Independent German Learner
Live Training With Dr. Bogard
The Method teaches you exactly what to do when you sit down to study German. How to listen, understand, speak, build vocabulary, practice pronunciation, test yourself, identify what you don't know, and keep improving.
You won't have to wonder what to study next or whether you're studying the "right" way.
Discover my most efficient and effective method for learning German independently, then use it on your own or join me for support in my live Language Lab sessions.
Qualified Expert
Built by a German teacher with more than three decades of classroom experience.
I have been teaching German students of all ages for more than 30 years. During that time I had already earned a Bachelor's degree in German in New York, then moved to Florida and taught in the classroom during the day. I attended more college classes in the evenings at USF Tampa where I earned a Master's degree in Foreign Language Education and a PhD in Second Language Acquisition & Instructional Technology (SLAIT).
I hold a current and valid Florida teaching certificate. I am state licensed to teach German from Kindergarten through 12th grade with a certified endorsement for meeting the needs of gifted learners. I have also taught German to adults as an adjunct instructor at the University of Tampa and at USF in their Summer Intensive Language Institute.
I have received recognition of my dedication to my learners and technology-based foreign language instruction from my both my students and my school district.
Over the decades, I have welcomed over two thousand students into my school classroom and now I bring my online classroom live to you.
You Can Have Plenty of German Resources and Still Not Know How to Learn German.
- Maybe you've tried an app.
- Maybe you've bought a textbook.
- Maybe you've watched German videos.
- Maybe you've even taken German classes.
But when you sit down by yourself, you may still wonder:
- What should I do first?
- Should I listen or read?
- Should I translate?
- How many times should I listen to something?
- How do I know which vocabulary is worth learning?
- How do I practice speaking when nobody is there to correct me?
- How do I know whether I've actually learned something, or just recognized it when I saw it?
Having German materials isn't the same thing as knowing how to use them.
The Method solves that problem.
Imagine Knowing Exactly How to Study German.
Imagine opening a German lesson and knowing exactly what to do.
You don't randomly replay a video.
You don't copy vocabulary into a list you'll never review.
You don't simply read German and hope you remember it.
You follow a proven sequence.
- You listen.
- You understand.
- You reconstruct.
- You build vocabulary.
- You practice pronunciation.
- You speak.
- You shadow native speakers.
- You test yourself.
- You identify what you still don't know.
And then you work on those weaknesses.
Instead of depending on a teacher to tell you what to do every time you study, you know how to move yourself forward.
And later, after "The Method", when you get stuck or want more?
That's when you can come find me in a live Language Lab session.
Your German Level Doesn't Matter
Finally there's a proven and enjoyable method that makes it possible for you progress through skill building as you learn a language on your own.
The Method isn’t a beginner course. It isn’t an intermediate course. It isn’t an advanced course.
It’s a how-to-learn system, which means you can use it at whatever level of German you’re at right now.
Maybe you’re just starting out and wondering how on earth you’re supposed to study all this German.
Maybe you’ve been studying for years, but you still feel like you don’t really know how to study effectively.
Maybe you understand quite a bit of German, but you want to become more confident speaking, listening, reading, and figuring things out on your own.
The Method meets you where you are.
I’ll teach you the same seven-step learning process, but the German you use with that process can be appropriate for your own level.
And that’s the exciting part.
You don’t outgrow The Method.
As your German improves, the material you work with gets harder. Your vocabulary grows. Your listening gets stronger. Your speaking becomes more natural. Your ability to notice what you do and don’t know becomes sharper.
But the process you use to keep learning stays with you.
That means you aren’t just learning some German.
You’re learning how to keep learning German.
And that is what makes you an independent learner.
Meet "The Method"
Dr. Bogard's system for learning German independently
"The Method" is a live guided training program that teaches you how to learn German, not simply what German to learn.
Learn The Method, Then Use It With Any German Media You Choose
You will learn a precise, repeatable process for working through German video episodes and other German learning materials.
To learn The Method, we will use the high-quality German video series Nicos Weg as our media source. The Method itself is not Nicos Weg. The Method is the seven-step learning process you use to work with the German you hear and see.
Each assignment is completed in a specific way and in a carefully designed sequence. Once you have internalized The Method by working with Nicos Weg, you can take that same process with you wherever you go.
Want to work with a German TV series? Great.
Want to try a German film? Absolutely.
Want to explore something else that interests you? You can.
You choose the German media you enjoy. The Method gives you the step-by-step process for turning that media into your own learning experience.
That is how you move from depending on a German course to becoming an independent German learner.
You'll be shown exactly how to use each step in the process, and you'll practice the process yourself so you know how to use it independently.
The goal isn't to make you dependent on me.
The goal is to make you an independent learner who knows when and how to use an expert.
Most German courses teach you the language. Dr. Bogard's "Method" teaches you how to learn the language.
Traditional language instruction often follows this pattern:
Teacher explains a rule → student practices → teacher explains the next thing.
The Method works differently.
I teach you the learning process → you do the learning → you identify where you need help → I provide expert support until you finish the last step in the "Method".
You aren't simply handed German materials and told to practice.
You learn a specific system for turning those materials into active German ability.
Every step has a purpose.
Every step prepares you for the next one.
You move forward one assignment at a time and that helps make the German learning process yours.
This Will Be Your New German Learning Process, Step by Step
A1 — Listen & Translate
Learn to listen to a German episode multiple times, with and without subtitles, and work through the meaning of every word, phrase, and sentence.
Why it matters: You aren't simply watching German. You're actively processing what you're hearing.
A2 — Translate Back Into German
Use your own English translation to reconstruct the German without looking at the original script.
Why it matters: You discover what you can actually produce, not merely what you recognize.
A3 — Build Your Vocabulary Headlist
Learn how to select useful phrases from the episode and build your own numbered vocabulary headlist.
Why it matters: Your vocabulary becomes connected to real German phrases rather than becoming a collection of isolated words.
A4a — Pronunciation & Synchronous Reading
Learn the pronunciation rules, practice aloud, and read along with a partner at the same time as the German speaker.
Why it matters: You begin training your mouth and ear to work together in German.
A4b — Shadowing & Mirroring
Speak along with the characters while matching their timing, pronunciation, intonation, emotion, facial expressions, and gestures.
Why it matters: German becomes something you actively perform, not something you merely understand on a page.
A5a — Retrieval & Distillation
Test yourself on older vocabulary and identify the phrases you still haven't mastered.
Then create focused distillation lists and return to those difficult phrases.
Why it matters: You stop spending equal time on what you already know and what you don't know.
A5b — Review & Self-Assessment
Review culture, vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar, and exercises, then measure your own progress.
Why it matters: You learn to recognize what you've mastered and where more work is needed.
Grammar
Between video episodes, you'll work systematically through your German grammar course.
The goal isn't to sit through endless grammar lectures.
The goal is to work with German grammar, recognize what you don't understand, and know when to ask for expert help.
Inside "The Method" - The Program Content
You'll receive:
- Step-by-step training in my German learning system
- Short instructional videos explaining each assignment
- The Daily Work Plan/Checklist system
- Guided practice using The Method
- Training in listening and translation
- Training in reconstructing German
- Vocabulary headlist training
- Pronunciation practice
- Synchronous reading
- Shadowing and mirroring practice
- Vocabulary retrieval and distillation
- Review and self-assessment procedures
- Guidance for integrating grammar study
- Expert support when you have questions
Everything has one purpose: to teach you how to become a more independent German learner.
The Method Checklist Is Your Learning Plan.
You don't have to remember what to do.
You don't have to guess what comes next.
You simply work through the checklist one step at a time. You never get lost. You love the routine. It gets comfortable. You feel safe.
The Method gives you a precise sequence to follow, so that your study time becomes purposeful instead of random.
And when you finish your work for the day, you know exactly what remains.
The checklist isn't busywork.
It is the structure and key that allows you to become an independent learner.
At the End of "The Method" Program, You'll Know How to Learn German on Your Own.
This is what you will have at the end. You'll know how to:
- Work through a German video episode systematically
- Listen for meaning instead of simply hearing German sounds
- Translate German into English to verify your understanding
- Reconstruct German from your own English translation
- Build useful vocabulary phrases instead of collecting random words
- Practice pronunciation deliberately
- Read German aloud with accurate timing and pronunciation
- Shadow native speakers
- Use intonation, emotion, facial expressions, and gestures while speaking
- Test your own vocabulary
- Identify the German you haven't mastered yet
- Create focused "distillation" lists of difficult phrases
- Review and retest those difficult phrases
- Use grammar study alongside your language practice
- Recognize when you need help, and ask a much better question when you do
Most importantly, you'll know what to do the next time you encounter new German.
First, I'll Teach You the Method. Then You'll Learn to Use It.
The Method is taught through short training sessions, demonstrations, videos, checklists, and guided practice.
You'll see exactly how each step works.
Then you'll do it yourself.
I'll explain what you're doing, why you're doing it, and what to look for as you work.
The objective is not for you to memorize my instructions.
The objective is for you to internalize the process so you can use it without me.
Independent Doesn't Mean Alone.
Becoming an independent learner does not mean figuring everything out by yourself.
It means knowing how to do the work independently and knowing when you need an expert.
That's my role.
When you encounter a difficult exercise, confusing grammar rule, pronunciation problem, or question about how to use the Method, you have an experienced German teacher to turn to.
Instead of waiting for a teacher to tell you what to study next, you come with a specific question.
That changes the relationship.
You do the learning. I provide the expertise.
Don't Just Take My Word For It
This is what my students are saying:
This course is very fun, mainly about learning German through entertaining videos about a man named Nico that follows a plot. Every episode we have a certain number of assignments we have to complete before moving on to the next episode. Some assignments are harder than others, but the more you do it the easier it gets. Overall, it is not too hard, and the purpose of these assignments isn't about getting good grades, but learning how to speak German.
What I like about this course overall is the variety of assignments we do, so it doesn't get too boring and how the further you progress the more of the Nicos story you unfold. The episodes act as little motivators to complete your work faster and on time.
The assignment I like best is A1, because that's when we get to watch a new episode and you get to test how much your skills in interpreting German have improved. Translating German into English can be hard, but when you start to recognize words from previous episodes, it's exciting because it means you are learning the language.
The Method course has greatly improved my German speaking skills, specifically small conversational topics. Each Nicos Weg episode has a "theme" to the script, for example one episode you may learn all the days of the week or ways to greet people. These episodes are like building blocks, expanding your vocabulary to where eventually you can hold a full conversation in German.
You learn the soap operas script and test on the vocabulary and act out the episode. The hardest part about this course is A2 which is translating your English script back into German with no help really and presenting the episode to the class because you get a little insecure about how you speak German + the room is so quiet beforehand.
I like Nico's Weg because it helps you learn how to speak German in day to day conversations. Like if you were to go to Germany this would teach you important things to know like stuff about airports, how to use a train station, foods, where you're from, etc. since Nicos whole journey is going to Germany to find his aunt.
My favorite assignment is A4a where you put the pronunciation notes on the script.
This course has improved my German because you get to listen to real German speakers speak out day to day conversations instead of like how Duolingo teaches you how to say random stuff lol.
It's fun, but a bit repetitive. We take notes on the script of an episode of a German educational TV show and shadow the voices of the characters in it. It is not difficult.
It does well in regard to pronunciation and vocabulary, and the show itself is interesting.
My favorite of them all is probably A1, because it's the easiest. A4b is probably the most efficient when it comes to learning, though.
It has improved my vocabulary and my ability to structure sentences.
This course includes a step-by-step process for each Nicos Weg episode. For every episode, we have 5 assignments where we translate, guess, and speak German in class. Every assignment is in order, so I never get lost with classwork. Nicos Weg isn't necessarily difficult if you put in some effort.
I like this course because it lays out clear steps that I can follow. Assignments are never a surprise, so I don't have to worry about whats next.
I like A5b the most, as it gives me time to reflect on the episode I completed while also applying my knowledge I've learned.
This course has improved my German by allowing me the chance to translate German on my own. Additionally, I am also given the opportunity to speak German and receive feedback.
The Method is a course that you follow a story of Nico that he go to Germany and you know about more the story, at the same time you watch the story you know some words and phrase in German, you read the script for the episode and know about the meaning and the pronunciation of the words in German, Is not to hard to make this work because can you learn words and pronunciation while you watch a story
I like this course is that I can learn some of the pronunciation and know some words in German, This is my third language that I want to learn and is a lit bit difficult to undestand but Nicos Weg activities help you to understand how to pronounce and the meaning of the word in a funny way like a story. This I like for this course that I learn while I have a funny way to do it and can be interested more
My favorite assignment is A1,A4a,A5b,Because A1 is an assignment that help to understand the meaning of the words in German to English, With that I can undestand the meaning and can memorize and practice the word,A4a help me to the pronuncation of the word in german so can I pronunce correctly so I don't use incorrectly when I said, And, A5a is when I tested all the practice that I learn in the episode so I know where I am,this are my favorite assigment.
This improve me like the way that explain me the words,the meaning and the pronuncatrion of the words,Is a lit bit difficult for me to undestrand all the words because english is not my first languange but also I learn how can improve more in the german and the way I can used.
Hallo! I'd say the course is like watching a cheesy but fun story unfold. You watch as Nico goes on his journey throughout Germany, learning more about the country and culture as he goes. While it does get harder as it carries on, it starts slow and easy in my opinion.
What I like about it is that it's from the perspective of a non-native speaker, meaning you get to learn German and the same rate he does.
A5b, the exercise, is my favorite. Applying what you learned directly into an after-episode quiz is fun.
This Method course has easily helped massively in learning German. It's easy to understand and gives you simply sentences and phrases you can memorise!
I would like Lisa to take a chill pill...she's way too fast.
Hi, I'm Dr. Bogard.
My students just call me "Frau".
I've earned my Bachelor's degree in German, my Master's degree in Foreign Language Education and my Ph.D. in Second Language Acquisition & Instructional Technology. I have spent more than three decades helping teens and adults learn German. I am what people call an expert in teaching German language skills.
Over all those years, I've learned something important:
Knowing German and knowing how to learn German are two different things.
I've heard how learners struggle with German. It's not because they weren't capable of learning German, but because they didn't know what to do with the German they were given.
So I developed a system.
A system that breaks the learning process into specific steps.
A system that tells learners what to do with a German video story or film.
A system that makes them listen, translate, reconstruct, speak, retrieve, review, and identify their weaknesses.
And a system that gradually gives the learner more responsibility for their own learning.
That's what I want to teach you.
I don't want you to need me forever.
I want you to know how to learn German.
And if you decide after this training program that you would appreciate Dr. Bogard's support and guidance as you continue through your German studies, that's available as well in her Language Lab.
What The Program Price Includes
When you enroll, you’re getting everything you need to learn The Method and start using it to guide your own German study.
Your $400 includes:
- Nine live training sessions with Dr. Bogard — 30 minutes each, meeting Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for three weeks in a row.
- The Method checklist — your step-by-step blueprint for guiding your own German study sessions. You’ll use it again and again as you continue learning independently.
- Live instruction and guided practice — I’ll walk you through each step, explain what to do, demonstrate how to do it, and help you get comfortable using the process yourself.
- Your place in the next live training series — as soon as you pay, your spot is reserved in the next available series of Method training sessions.
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There are no additional costs. Your $400 covers the complete Method training program and your Method checklist.
What if you miss a session?
Life happens. If you miss one of your scheduled sessions, there is no refund for the missed session, but you don't lose the opportunity to complete your training. You can make up the missed session with a later group of learners. There is one opportunity to make up the missed session during the next scheduled training cycle, so be sure to mark that on your calendar.
The goal is simple: learn the Method, learn how to use it, and leave knowing exactly how to guide your own German study.
Learn the system once. Use it every time you study German.
This isn't simply another German course to add to the pile of German courses you've already bought.
You're learning a process you can continue using as you encounter new German.
You'll leave The Method knowing:
- What to do.
- How to do it.
- Why you're doing it.
- How to tell whether you've learned it.
- And when to ask an expert for help.
It's a lifetime solution. You'll always know how to learn German.
Ready to Stop Guessing How to Study German?
Click the green button below to get inside "The Method" and be added to the next series of training sessions. A new cycle of nine sessions on a Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday starts every three weeks.
You'll be taken to the registration and payment page. Then you'll be added to our roster of the next cohort of Method students.
Your Investment Is Protected.
If you change your mind about joining us in this series of training classes you can get a full refund if you send us a cancelation email before your first scheduled session.
This Program Is For You If...
- You want to learn German but don't want to depend on a teacher for every step.
- You want a clear system instead of randomly jumping between apps, videos, websites, and textbooks.
- You are willing to actually do the work of learning rather than simply consume German content.
- You plan to spend additional time working through the assignments between our live training sessions. The Method works because you practice the process, not because you simply watch me demonstrate it.
- You want to understand how to study, not just receive another list of things to study.
- You appreciate structure and clear instructions.
- You want to become increasingly independent as a German learner.
- And you want an experienced German teacher available when you need expert guidance.
This Program Is Probably Not For You If...
- You want someone else to do the learning for you.
- You want to sit back and watch German videos without actively working with the language.
- You don't want to practice aloud.
- You don't want to test yourself.
- You don't want to revisit material you haven't mastered.
- You want to do it your way during the training sessions.
- You want a magic shortcut that allows you to learn German without putting in regular effort.
- You can't focus on the instruction or the work because you have to do something else at the same time.
Dr. Bogard's "Method" gives you the system. You have to do the learning.
What Happens When You Join This Program?
Joining The Method is easy.
1. Enroll in The Method.
Complete your $400 purchase, and you’ll reserve your place in the next live training series.
2. Get ready for your first training session.
You’ll receive everything you need to know about your upcoming training sessions, including the schedule and how to join us online.
3. Join the live training sessions.
You’ll meet with me on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for three weeks. Each 30-minute session focuses on one part of The Method, and we’ll work together to learn and practice the process.
4. Use what you learn between sessions.
The live sessions give you the instruction and guidance you need. Between sessions, you’ll use the process yourself and complete the assigned work.
5. Keep going until you know how to do it on your own.
The goal isn't for you to depend on me forever. The goal is for you to become an independent German learner who knows exactly what to do when you sit down to study.
You bring your willingness to learn. I’ll bring the expertise, instruction, and support.
Frequently Asked Questions
About This Training Program
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Is "The Method" program a German course?
The Method is different from a traditional German course. Its primary purpose is to teach you how to learn German independently. You'll use German materials while learning the system, but the focus is on learning the process.
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Do I need to know German already?
No. "The Method" is designed to teach the learning process, and the German materials used to train you in "The Method" are created with a beginner in mind. More experienced German students will enjoy the materials and be able to focus on the process.
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Will I have to study by myself?
You'll learn how to work independently, but independent learning doesn't mean you can only work by yourself. You can partner with a friend or family member; and you will have met the pre-requisite for joining Dr. Bogard's live Language Lab after you finish this program.
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Is there a discount available?
You get a free seat inside this training program for a family member (parent/guardian or sibling) who lives in the same household with you and can join you at the same time and on the same screen from the same place.
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What age group is this for?
The Method and The Language Lab are for motivated learners from ages 13 through adulthood. Our online classrooms consist of diverse and mixed-age students.
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Do I have to do all of the steps?
Yes. The Method is a precise system. The seven assignments are designed to move you through all the language development skills, so skipping steps or changing the order changes the learning process. If you miss a session, you get one opportunity to make up the missed session and finish the steps in order during the next scheduled training cycle.
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Is there homework?
The Method teaches you how to complete your work independently, including finishing unfinished work and continuing German practice outside of scheduled training.
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What happens after I finish The Method?
You'll have learned the system you can use to continue studying German independently. And if you want ongoing live practice and expert support, that's where Dr. Bogard's Language Lab comes in.
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What's the difference between The Method and the Language Lab?
The Method teaches you HOW to learn German. The Language Lab gives you a place to KEEP USING "The Method", with live German practice and expert support.
WHAT COMES AFTER THIS?
You’ve learned The Method. Now you can put it to work!
Join us for a 9-week live Language Lab, where we continue the work you started in The Method. You’ll use your new learning skills with German, practice with other learners, ask questions, explore German media and culture, and have me there as your German expert and guide.
The Language Lab is exclusively for graduates of The Method.
When you’re ready for the next step, I’d love to see you there!