When thinking about the advantages of being bilingual, enhanced performance in math and science does not often come to mind. Typically, people see the advantages of bilingualism in terms of communication skills, better opportunities in our global community, and the ability to learn other languages more easily. However, the benefits of bilingualism extend far beyond these areas, influencing skills that are crucial in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education.
Lee-Anne Weber
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Do you remember your first day at school? What feelings rise up in you when you think back to it? Many people still remember this moment years later, because it is a big step for every child. A step on the way to growing up. As parents, it is important to make this day and the transition from kindergarten to primary school as smooth as possible for your child. In our Tandem IMS kindergarten, children are trained in their social and academic skills at a young age so that after those two years they are ready for the challenges of the first grade of primary school. Self-awareness, confidence in their own abilities as well as a good academic foundation for reading and writing in both English and German are part of our curriculum.
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As the students at Tandem IMS' Primary School shuffle in from their break, there is a buzz of energy that moves with them. They are still chatting about their lives, what has happened during their outdoor break time and what their plans are for the weekend. Listening closer to their words, they are flipping seamlessly between different languages as they speak to different friends or as various friends join in the conversation. Once they enter the classroom, the buzz dies down as they then get ready for the next lesson.
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Are you aware of the difference in the curriculum between a Swiss and English Kindergarten? When one thinks of the word «Kindergarten», different images come to mind for people in different parts of the world. For those coming from a Swiss background, Kindergarten is a very social time. Teachers create experiences over the course of two years to develop and strengthen each child’s personal, social, and emotional development. They work hard to ensure that each child in their care is confident and secure in themselves and their abilities both socially and physically. By the end of Kindergarten, the children are aware of the social dynamics within their peer group and their place within it.
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