Last summer, our French Summer School program has been a fantastic mix of language learning, cultural immersion, and real-world practice! All of these learning opportunities have been happening in the backdrop of our breathtaking setting of the Swiss Alps. From scavenger hunts to crêpes, our students have been discovering that learning French can be just as much about fun and exploration as it is about grammar and vocabulary!

One highlight of our program was a scenic walk to Nid d’Aigle, where students took part in a scavenger hunt to identify native flora and fauna. The aim was to improve their vocabulary while encouraging a further appreciation for the Swiss landscape. It was a perfect mix of outdoor learning and environmental awareness!

In class, students tackled French adjectives with a creative activity. To consolidate their work on physical characteristics and personality traits, they designed Wanted! posters describing various staff members without naming them. At the presentation, others had to guess who the descriptions referred to. This not only reinforced vocabulary but also encouraged observation and use of creative language to solve a puzzle.

What’s more motivating than fresh Swiss pastries? Faculty took the classes down into the village, where they had to order crêpes and treats entirely in French. Every single student rose to the challenge, confidently placing their orders and even engaging in small talk, quite a difficult skill! It was a moment that showed just how far they’d come and how rewarding language learning can be when it’s put into practice.

To consolidate lessons on likes, dislikes, hobbies, and sports, alongside previous topics like family and self-introduction, students created detailed fact files about themselves. These profiles became a wonderful showcase of all they had learned, demonstrating how they could now communicate fluently about multiple aspects of their lives.

For our more experienced French speakers, the focus has been on immersion. Alongside the beginner group, they visited La Farandole café, where they ordered food, spoke with the owners, and even made crêpes. Back in class, students dived into advanced grammar topics like verb tenses and interrogative pronouns. To put their skills into action, students interviewed French-speaking staff and created “Who Am I?” posters. These will be revealed at the showcase, where viewers will guess who the mystery staff member is based on the descriptions in French.

In a final collaborative project, we mixed classes and gave students a real-world task: plan the next SIS trip. They had to choose the destination, create an itinerary, budget the journey, and decide on transportation, all in French! Watching students work together, debate options, and creatively pitch their ideas in a foreign language was a fantastic end to the program.

From vocabulary nature walks to conversations in cafés, this summer’s French course has been about language improvement and immersion! Well done (or très bien!) to all our students for immersing themselves in every challenge with enthusiasm, creativity, we are so proud of how far they came, and look forward to seeing them hopefully next year using their French skills! 
 

(Please note that specific activities may be different in Summer 2026)