Since PISA, the concept of competence has gained importance in German language instruction. The definitions vary, as the example of reading competence illustrates. Horst Bartnitzky highlights the simplifications in PISA, IGLU, and the comparative assessments, advocating for a dynamic concept of competence that activates and further develops the existing skills of children from the very beginning. For all areas of German instruction, Horst Bartnitzky presents competence-oriented German teaching with many examples - from the start of school to the end of elementary education, from stimulating learning environments to diagnosis and assessment.