Knowledge of Dutch society

Why KNM?

Upon arrival in a new country, everything is different. Not only the language, but a lot of new information comes up for the persons integrating. The section Knowledge of Dutch Society (KNM) helps with this. KNM deals with, among other things, how we treat each other in the Netherlands, norms and values, Dutch history, the educational system, housing and health care. And that is of course quite useful when you are still getting to know the Netherlands. That is why KNM has been a fixed part of the integration program for many years. But how can you prepare students properly for this exam component?

For whom is KNM?

On January 1, 2021, the new Integration Act came into effect. Since then, integration can be done through three routes: the B1 route, the Z route and the education route. To complete the B1 route and the Education route, students must pass the national exam KNM in addition to the four language skills. KNM is also a part of the Z-route, but citizens who follow this route do not have to take a national exam, but have a final interview. Family migrants have already passed the Integration Abroad Act (Wib) test at language level A1 (reading, speaking and KNM).

KNM in the NT2 class

KNM is increasingly integrated into NT2 lessons. Previously, trainees mainly prepared for KNM independently or there were separate KNM courses. That KNM is now often offered within the NT2 lessons is quite a switch for some NT2 teachers and many teachers find it difficult to deal with KNM in class.

Moreover, the KNM material is not always very functional. Its main purpose is to practice for the exam. A frequently heard comment is that the material being practiced does not fit well with the daily reality of the trainees, making it difficult to apply the knowledge they gain.

Own interpretation and experiences

That things can be different and that KNM material can also be functional is demonstrated by the new module in LINK and LINK+: the KNM trainer. This allows students to prepare for the KNM exam in a functional way. The KNM-trainer contains assignments that teach students how to use the information. Moreover, there is deliberately left room for the trainee's own interpretation and experiences.

Differences between the Netherlands and the Dutch are also taken into account, which makes the course content more attuned to reality. Prior to each block, there are questions and a group assignment that help students to look ahead and make the link to what they already know about a certain topic. In this way, prior knowledge is activated and students can better place the new information.

Fixed structure

The KNM trainer is divided into themes and subthemes that correspond to the nationally established learning outcomes. These themes do not have to be gone through in a linear fashion. This leaves room for the choice of a theme to fit the needs and environment of the trainee. Or you can choose a theme that ties in with your language method. Under each subtheme you will find assignments and resources according to a fixed didactic structure:

• The words: this is the repetition of a the basic A2 words that learners need to understand the information from the subtheme.
• The knowledge: here all the information based on the final attainment levels is offered in one or more sources; often a reading text (also recorded), video (with transcript) or slideshow.
• The assignments: these are designed to process the information from the source. Students do this independently and they can immediately review the assignments themselves. There are different exercise types: multiple choice questions, matching exercises and drag and drop exercises.
• Working together: these assignments are done together in class to process and apply the knowledge from the subtheme. Here there is extra room for their own perspective, opinions and experiences. There are different types of assignments, such as online search assignments, discussion questions and a processing assignment.
• Reflecting and checking: students are given an overview of what they need to know for the exam and indicate in this section whether they have this knowledge or not yet. This allows you as a teacher to determine whether certain parts may need repetition or clarification.
  
  

Activate, ingrain and process

Prior to each theme, it is important to activate prior knowledge. For this purpose, the authors devised the group assignment. The role of the teacher is important in this. You are going to ask what your group knows and does not know about the topic and what they think about it. The teacher's guide provides the necessary tools for this.

After the topic is introduced in class, students make the remaining assignments independently and outside of class. This is possible because all knowledge can be read as well as listened to, and the material is offered in an accessible and attractive way. The material is enriched with many authentic videos, slideshows and infographics. The learning outcomes are then ingrained through lots of practice and a practice test for each outcome. In the concluding assignments, students work together in class. These assignments ensure that the knowledge is processed.

The real KNM exam

And then it's time for the real exam. After each topic, students have already been able to practice with a practice exam. This allows students to check whether they have mastered the material sufficiently, but it also ensures that they become familiar with the method of the real KNM exam. All questions are formulated in the same way as much as possible, contain audio and are always multiple choice questions. Need more practice exams? In the webshop we sell handy exam trainers and practice exams. The official practice exams can be found on the website of College for Tests and Exams.

Extra speed?

Want to speed up and practice extra with KNM? A handy tip is the website www.netinnederland.nl. Here you will find all kinds of videos on a variety of topics that tie in with the KNM themes, such as Living & Working and Politics & Society. In short videos and photo reports accompanying understandable text, different topics and questions are presented in accessible language.