ADVERTORIAL
NO GERMAN? NO PROBLEM: A New Path into the IBDP at SIS What happens when three schools work together to make an internationally recognised programme more accessible? At SIS Swiss International School, the answer is a new model for the IB Diploma Programme (IBDP) that welcomes students without prior German skills and connects learners across campuses. Our IBDP coordinators Helena Klementz, Bret Simner and Shane Peter explain the impact of offering “German ab initio”.
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
e
K
i
INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL PARENT SUMMER 2026 | 36
Powered by FlippingBook