Language Learning at Institut Montana Zugerberg’s Summer Sessions

At the beginning of the camp, students take a placement test to ensure they are put in the correct level alongside their peers. This process and the language department for the summer sessions in general is run by Siobhan Gleeson, who, during our academic school year, is our Head of Learning Support Centre.

“We ensure that our students are placed in small class sizes so that no one is overlooked. With a smaller class, learning can be more intensive, and the teacher can better identify the needs of the student much faster,” shares Gleeson. “This helps us improve on students’ weaknesses and enhance their strengths. The language courses we offer in the summer differ from the ones in the academic year in that, while we use certain language guidelines, we also can take advantage of making it more of a bespoke learning experience for the student. If we see that we can challenge a student more in the classroom, we do so. It is a more of a lateral way of teaching and learning in the end.” 

Because of the small class sizes, students gain a more individualised and personalised approach than compared to other schools and when you add boarding to the mix, there is a deeper understanding and knowing of the student. “Having breakfast in the morning with our students before class begins is a great way to know the students better and for them to get to know their teachers better,” says Gleeson. “It then makes class time much more comfortable because we share meals, and this creates a more communal feeling – which then of course always makes it hard to say goodbye once the summer camp ends. But as Winne the Pooh says, ‘How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard.’”