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German Program

Lower school children working on laptops, one girl helps another
Learning and doing
Early Childhood boy in the the classroom working on an activity
Balancing play and challenge
Lower School child looks towards the board, whilst the teacher explains
A safe space to explore

We understand the importance of students learning the language of our host country to help them feel at home in Switzerland and part of the local community.

Our Lower School German program combines language acquisition classes with authentic learning experiences in school and in the wider community.

Overview

Early Childhood children experience German on a daily basis.
 

For children in Grades 1-5 we offer German in two tracks:
 

  • Fluent Speaker Track - for children of families of native speakers and children who have developed their German sufficiently to progress to the Fluent Speaker Track.
     
  • Foreign Language Track - Novice/Developing. For children who are not native speakers and are developing their German language acquisition.  Within the Foreign Language Track we also have a Proficiency Level which is an accelerated strand for German in each grade, for children with existing German language acquisition and offers the potential for progression to the Fluent Speaker Track. 

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Key Points

German teacher working with student on German grammar
  • Fluent speaker learning resources follow those used in Swiss schools.
     
  • Foreign Language Track follows the Common European Languages Framework (A1 to B1).
     
  • Flexibility for students to progress from Novice/Developing to Proficiency up to Fluent Speaker track.
     
  • All German teachers are native speakers.
     
  • Integration with local community to offer authentic language experiences in the wider community.

 




 

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Early Childhood and Grades 1-5

Early Childhood

Children in Pre-School to Kindergarten experience German on a daily basis through daily German lessons and exposure to German in authentic situations and through music.  
 

Summary
 

  • 4 German lessons a week
  • exposure to German in authentic situations through music, movement and play
  • exposure to authentic German experiences through co-curricular activities 

Grades 1-5

Children in Grades 1-5 experience German on a daily basic through formal lessons and authentic language acquisition experiences and co-curricular activities offered in German. 
 

Summary
 

  • 4 German lessons a week (novice, proficiency and fluent speakers)
  • potential for external recognition of German acquisition in Grade 5
  • co-curricular activities in German

Program Overview

Lower School German Program Infographic