Welcome back to our readers of the International Summer Camp Montana blog; also a warm welcome to any of you who are reading for the first time!  This week I am writing from Crans-Montana where the weather is absolutely fantastic.  It’s already warm enough that it could be June!  We are now at the stage of making our final preparations for the summer.  The noise of drilling, grass cutting, hammering and brains thinking are not too far away!

This week’s blog will focus on the part of the program that is optional and additional to all the sports on offer at ISCM – language classes.  Perhaps you thought that we were just a sports and activities camp?  Well, we also offer language classes too!

There are 3 different languages included as part of our offering – English, French and Spanish.  The language program has been a part of camp since the very beginning.  In 1961 the 3 languages that were taught were English, French and German.  Due to the increased demand for Spanish classes, Spanish replaced the German program.

The Head of our language program is Nicolas Evéquoz, someone known to many former campers and staff members from their time at International Summer Camp Montana.  Nicolas has been part of the staff for over 30 years!

There is an excellent learning environment for campers to participate in the language program.  We only employ qualified teaching staff and speakers with a mother tongue of the language being taught.  Moreover, the number of pupils in each class are kept as small as possible.  Classes are determined by a ‘placement test’ on the very first day of camp, to ensure that teachers will find the correct level for a camper.  Campers take part in five lessons per week each lasting 50 minutes.

Campers will also be pleased to learn that they are unlikely to miss any of their favourite sports during language classes!  The vast majority classes are specifically programmed to take place at the same time as ‘counsellor directed activities’ and not those taken by specialist instructors.  This may include sports such as softball, frisbee or cup stacking and often 2 or more groups combine to play these games as there are lots of campers attending their language class!

It must be noted that the language program comes as an optional ‘extra’ to the ‘standard’ program at International Summer Camp Montana.   Please contact us for more details on how to enroll your child in the language program and what options are available to you!