Twenty-three Form 4 students from Girls' Junior Lyceum, Blata l-Bajda and the Boys' Secondary Ħandaq, which both form part of St Ignatius College, last month spent a week in Switzerland as part of a cultural exchange with students at Lindberg Schule Winterthur to develop better English communication skills.
The project kicked off in October with the Maltese students being paired off with their Swiss counterparts according to their common interests and corresponding with each other via e-mails, and chatting via MSN and Skype. Powerpoint presentations and DVDs produced by the students about their respective schools and countries were also exchanged.
During their stay at Winterthur the students attended classes at the Swiss school. Lindberg Schule has a small population of students and teachers, so the relationship between the two is a very informal one. It is co-educational and students are not expected to wear a uniform. Ear-rings and piercings are allowed, within limits. The Swiss students clean their classrooms on a roster basis, so they tend to litter less, as they have to tidy up after.
They students also took part in a visit to a Technopark to conduct a hands-on Physics experiment, as well as educational excursions to places of cultural interest. The historical aspect of Winterthur, Zurich and Lucerne, for instance, were exploited by means of treasure hunts in which students, divided into groups of five, required map-reading skills to find the historical landmark indicated on the map before answering multiple-choice questions on their worksheets.
Another interesting aspect from a teachers' perspective is that Swiss teachers do not teach one subject, but an average of four. Since academic results are based on formative assessment, the teachers are not under constant pressure of oncoming exams and tests. The pedagogy implemented is a learner-centred approach which enables students to be independent learners.
Next month, it will be the local schools' turn to host the Swiss students and show off Malta's cultural heritage. Living this opportunity has been an enriching experience not only for the participating students but also for the teachers co-ordinating the project.
Similar exchanges should definitely be continued in the light of future developments in education in Malta. It is evident that such educational experiences in a foreign school are highly motivating as they enhance Maltese students' knowledge, skills and attitudes towards life.