A student arrives in Switzerland with little or no German – until now, the IB Diploma Programme at SIS was often out of reach. What has changed?
Bret: Until now, all SIS students needed to take either German Language and Literature or German B. Students previously had to study German either as a first language or at an intermediate foreign-language level. With the addition of the “German ab initio” course, students can now enrol in the IBDP at SIS without any prior knowledge of German.
Why is this development such good news for internationally mobile families?
Helena: This development makes access to the IBDP at our SIS schools more flexible and inclusive. International families often relocate at short notice, and students may arrive in Switzerland without prior knowledge of German. By offering German ab initio, the school enables these students to begin learning the language from the start while still accessing the full IBDP. At the same time, it helps students integrate into their new environment by developing useful language skills for everyday life in Switzerland. Overall, the course strengthens the school’s ability to meet the needs of internationally mobile families.
How do you open the door to students with no prior knowledge of German while staying true to SIS’s bilingual identity?
Bret: In education, we often talk about the concept of a low floor and a high ceiling. This means providing a low threshold for participation while offering endless opportunities for growth and achievement. As a bilingual school, we have always strived to help our students become global citizens with a strong sense of their origins. By introducing German ab initio, we can now extend our bilingual programme to students who join our school later in their educational journey. This allows more students to benefit from our bilingual approach, and enables us to share our vision with a broader community.