Switzerland

Mollie, Mike, Carah, Annaise

What do we know about Switzerland?
Switzerland Fast Facts
● Landlocked Country : bordered by Austria, Liechtenstein, France,Italy,
and Germany
● Capital: Bern
● Languages: German,French,Italian,and Romansh
● Currency:swiss franc (CHF)
 Culture
● Population: 8.5 Million
● 23% of population consists of foreigners
● Culture is heavily influenced by
neighboring countries
● Most food dishes consist of potatoes and
cheese
● Chip and wood carving is a popular craft
● One of the richest nations in the world
● Divorces and remarriages are common
● Country is mainly Christian, but has no
official religion
Canton Culture
● 26 cantons
● Cantons are similar to states here
in the US
● Culture differences between
cantons
● Traditional clothing varies
depending on social status/
location
Education

● Diverse
● One of the most advanced in the world
● Authority over educational systems are given
mainly to the cantons
● Most schools are free, citizens pay high taxes
● Homeschooling is uncommon and illegal in
places
● Special needs students have a right to
education and support to specialists
Educational System

1. Pre-School 4. Vocational education/Baccalaureate/

○ Not required Upper secondary specialized school.
2. Kindergarten/Primary Education 5. Tertiary Education
○ Kindergarten not required
○ Primary grades start at age 6 ○ University
○ Lasts 6 years ○ Fachhochschule or Höhere
Fachschule
3. Secondary Education
○ Lower secondary
○ Upper secondary
Forest Kindergartens

● Students age 4-7

● Found in German cantons
● Completely outdoor
● Teachers assist rather than lead
How to help ELL students from Switzerland

● Temporary pairings with students

● Hand motions
● Visuals
● Modeling
● Make sure they are aware of school/cultural rules and standards
Learning Styles Addressed
● Visual ● Verbal
○ Included visuals and videos in lesson ○ Communicated in a verbal manner and
○ Students created a venn diagram to assess allowed for students to verbally share their
learning thoughts
● Auditory ● Independent
○ The lesson included a more lecture style of ○ Many of the activities were done
teaching independently , allowing students to work on
● Conceptual their own
○ Students were taught using examples, but not
real-life applications of what was taught
Sources
● https://thefactfile.org/switzerland-facts/
● https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/the-culture-of-switzerland.html
● https://www.expatica.com/ch/education/children-education/education-in-switzerland-100021/
● https://borgenproject.org/education-in-switzerland/
● https://studyinginswitzerland.com/switzerland-education/
● https://slate.com/human-interest/2013/12/forest-kindergarten-watch-kids-in-switzerland-go-to-sch
ool-outside-in-schools-out.html
● http://parents.eduguide.sg/forest-kindergarten/#:~:text=Today%20there%20are%20around
%20fifteen%20forest%20kindergartens%20in,in%20Germany%2C%20where%20there%20are
%20400%20such%20schools.