How well do the Swiss speak English? Not as well as most of their counterparts in other European countries according to a study released Wednesday by EF Education First. The 4th edition of the EF English Proficiency Index ranked the English skills of 750,000 non-native speakers around the world. Switzerland placed 18th out of 63 […]
Learn to shout louder, or learn the lingo.
There are various schools of thought on how to learn French (or indeed any other language). Assuming that you do not believe that restaurant French is enough to get by in Suisse Romande, then you may be faced with deciding whether you, your partner, or colleagues should embark on a language course. This is often […]
The curious have adventures: Cultural youth exchange programmes
Youth exchange programmes offer a rare opportunity for a person, generally in their late teens, to travel, study and live in a foreign country for an extended period of time. They live as a member of a family and learn through immersion about their host country’s culture. As importantly, they act as ambassadors for their […]
Swiss language row continues
A recent poll shows a majority of Switzerland’s politicians want cantons to be required to teach a second Swiss language at primary school, reported swissinfo. Two thirds of the 246 politicians surveyed said national cohesion could be threatened. The canton’s of Thurgau and Nidwalden recently changed the rules to delay French until secondary school and […]
Assessment – to grade or not to grade?
Further to recent reforms in the English National curriculum, parents may want to ask about new systems of assessment. There are fundamentally two different schools of measuring a child’s progress and Great Britain may be about to make a leap from one to another. To grade or not to grade, this has been the question […]
Special educational needs in Switzerland? Help is at hand across the Geneva region
For parents who have just discovered their child has learning differences or special educational needs, the key first step to coping successfully with the situation is to gather information. Knowledge empowers parents and prevents frustration. As soon as a problem is suspected, parents should arrange an assessment with a doctor, specialist or psychologist. The next […]
Douglas Kennedy interviewed at GEMS in Switzerland
Douglas Kennedy is the bestselling author of 14 books, three of which have been adapted to film. Last week Robyn Goss interviewed him at GEMS World Academy, where he was speaking at the inauguration of the Discovery World Library and World Language Learning Centre prior to attending the Morges Book Festival. RG: Your books are […]
Managing workplace burnout
The phenomenon of professional exhaustion, or burnout, has given rise to a number of coaching and counselling services in Switzerland seeking to educate employees and managers how to recognize symptoms and to jointly take preventive measures. Job burnout is defined as chronic stress that affects both physical and mental health. In extreme cases, it can […]
Geneva University submarine exploration
Geneva University and its partners have completed a two-week expedition – Terra Submersa – to explore Greece’s underwater past and the prehistoric landscapes in the Gulf of Nauplio. Operating from the MS Tûranor Planet Solar, the world’s largest solar catamaran, archeologists mapped the sea floor and uncovered Paleolithic and Neolithic remains dating back 36,000 years.
Back to school: Are your children excited or dreading it?
Summer is almost over and heading back to school is – for some – an exciting period to catch up with friends or get back into a familiar routine. For others, it will be a time of anxiety because they know that the bullying will start again. Shocking as it may sound, between 10% and […]
