German Society for Speech Science and Speech Education

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sprechwissenschaft und Sprecherziehung e.V. (DGSS) is a German scientific and professional association for speech educators and speech scientists. Founded in 1930 as the Deutscher Ausschuss für Sprechkunde und Sprecherziehung (DAfSuS), it was renamed Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sprechkunde und Sprecherziehung in 1964 and took its current name in 1978. Its office is located in Münster. The DGSS promotes the teaching and practice of oral communication. It connects speech-science research with speech-education practice, supports the training and continuing education of speech educators, and works to develop and strengthen university degree programs in the field. The association develops methodological, didactic, and professional-policy concepts. Its subject matter covers all areas of oral communication: foundations of speech science, speech and voice training, rhetorical communication, speech therapy, and speech art. The association is divided into a Science Commission and a Professional Commission, and it also has a student association and regional associations. It offers a supplementary qualification examination leading to the title "Sprecherzieher/-in (DGSS)" at several universities, and it publishes the online journal Sprechen & Kommunikation. Members include university and college teachers as well as freelancers working in speech-science and speech-education fields. The DGSS advocates for stronger integration of speech science and speech education into teacher-training programs.

The history of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sprechwissenschaft und Sprecherziehung (DGSS) begins in 1930 and reflects nearly a century of German scientific and professional history. Its predecessor, the Deutscher Ausschuss für Sprechkunde und Sprecherziehung (DAfSuS), was founded in 1930 by Erich Drach and others as an association of all university teachers of speech education. In 1964 the association was renamed Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sprechkunde und Sprecherziehung. On the initiative of Hellmut Geißner, the scientific advisory board of the DGSS was founded in 1965. The final renaming to Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sprechwissenschaft und Sprecherziehung took place in 1978. Throughout its history, the DGSS has engaged with its social and academic environment, seeking to provide impulses that support understanding and participation in societal development. Its members today include both university and college teachers and, in particular, freelancers working in speech-science and speech-education fields of oral communication. The association has been led by a series of chairs: Paul Tack (1950–1952), Christian Winkler (1952–1959), Paul Tack again (1959–1963), Hellmut Geißner (1964–1971), Klaus Pawlowski (1971–1973), Rudolf Rösener (1973–1983), Lothar Berger (1983–1985), Elmar Bartsch (1985–1989), Dieter Allhoff (1989–1995), Freyr Roland Varwig (1995–2001), Marita Pabst-Weinschenk (2001–2009), Christa Heilmann (2009–2011), Brigitte Teuchert (2011–2017), Ortwin Lämke (2017–2021), Katrin von Laguna (2021–2023), and Augustin Ulrich Nebert (since 2023). The DGSS is structured into a Science Commission and a Professional Commission, and it also has a student association and regional associations. The Science Commission handles scientific research, professional discourse, and the study of speech science and speech education; it organizes exchanges of research results, works on foundations and methods, maintains connections to neighboring disciplines, reports to each members' meeting (at least every two years), handles matters of study and examination for speech educators, prepares events, and produces scientific publications. An editorial group composed of members of both commissions publishes the online journal Sprechen & Kommunikation. The Science Commission also awards prizes every two years for the best final theses by students of speech science and speech education. The Professional Commission manages the DGSS certificates and cares for all members not active in academia. Its tasks include developing professional-policy programs and concepts at the federal level, coordinating the work of the regional associations, improving public-relations concepts, supporting cooperation with other professional associations, participating in examination regulations and study framework plans, advising the board on professional-policy questions, and reporting to each members' meeting (at least every two years). The student association promotes the exchange of experience and information among students of speech science/speech education, between the student association and examination center directors as well as other training and study programs, and between the student association and other DGSS bodies; it also works to improve study opportunities at the individual examination centers. The DGSS offers a supplementary qualification examination before representatives of the association at various universities, leading to the title "Sprecherzieher/-in (DGSS)". Doctoral-level subject representatives with a permanent university position and appropriate resources offer courses so that students can fulfill the DGSS study and module plan. DGSS examination centers currently exist in Aachen, Münster, and Regensburg; former examination center locations include Düsseldorf, Göttingen, and Marburg. In addition, there are university bachelor's and master's degree programs in speech science and/or speech education in Halle (Saale), Jena, Marburg, Regensburg, Saarbrücken (phasing out in the winter semester 2023/2024), and Stuttgart. A particular concern of the DGSS is to integrate speech science and speech education more strongly into teacher-training studies, in order to focus greater attention on the intensive vocal and speech demands placed on teachers.

• 2023

  Augustin Ulrich Nebert becomes chair.

• 1978

  Final renaming to Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sprechwissenschaft und Sprecherziehung.

• 1965

  Scientific advisory board founded on the initiative of Hellmut Geißner.

• 1964

  Renamed Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sprechkunde und Sprecherziehung.

• 1959

  Paul Tack becomes chair again (1959–1963).

• 1952

  Christian Winkler becomes chair (1952–1959).

• 1950

  Paul Tack becomes chair (1950–1952).

• 1930

  Founded as Deutscher Ausschuss für Sprechkunde und Sprecherziehung (DAfSuS) by Erich Drach and others.

Scientific association and professional network for speech science and speech education in Germany.

• Sprecherzieher/-in (DGSS) certification

  Supplementary qualification examination offered at various universities.

• Sprechen & Kommunikation

  Online professional journal published by an editorial group of the Science and Professional Commissions.

• Biennial thesis awards

  Prizes for the best final theses by students of speech science and speech education.

1. 1DGSS e.V. homepagedgss.de
2. 2DGSS e.V. - Geschichtedgss.de
3. 3Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sprechwissenschaft und Sprecherziehung – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
4. 4Deutsche Gesellschaft für Sprechwissenschaft und Sprecherziehung – Wikidatawikidata.org