Host schools delighted to welcome language assistants at start of school year.
A total of 79 language assistants are working at schools in Switzerland and Liechtenstein in the new school year. The constant increase in demand has for the first time resulted in appointments in the cantons of Neuchâtel, Nidwalden, Thurgau and Vaud. New host schools have also come on board in cantons that were already participating before.
The advantages for the teaching staff and headteachers of the host schools are manifold. Among other things, the teaching assistants with English, German, French, Italian or Spanish as their mother tongue support classroom teaching in half classes or groups. They help to balance different levels of learning among pupils and build bridges to the living environment of young people. The targeted support of pupils is set to be even more important than before particularly after the prolonged period of homeschooling.
Owing to the COVID-19 pandemic, many schools have submitted renewal requests and retained their former foreign language assistants who have already adjusted to the new conditions under corona. The vacancies were filled with 47 newly placed foreign language assistants.
At a seminar organised by Movetia on 27 August, the new language assistants were introduced to their work. The valuable experiences and tips of previous participants were particularly impressive and helpful. Their enthusiasm for their work in Switzerland proved infectious right from the outset. There was enough time in the afternoon for language teaching workshops. Although this year’s seminar was hosted as a video seminar due to COVID-19, Movetia was nevertheless able to provide focused and practically-oriented start-up assistance.
Movetia finds positions for language assistants each year based on demand from Swiss schools. Selection and allocation take place either in cooperation with partner organisations abroad or on the basis of direct recruitments. In addition, Movetia also finds placements for language assistants from Switzerland in various other European countries. The next announcement inviting applications will be made at the end of the year.
