Good morning. I will start intensive deutsch class in migros baden (A2 level) today and abit upset because i thought i would try it out first but we got a bill last week already that i cant back out. Dont know if its just a misunderstanding or thats really how it works? I feel abit tricked, hope the class is at least good.

Hi there, I have just completed German A1 1/3 and am now onto A1 2/3, attending twice per week. It's the only one that I've been to, so I can't really compare it to another course, but I'd have to say.... it's not great. The people are nice, but it does depend on what teacher you get. Our teacher is lovely, but I suspect it's her first time teaching. Sometimes it can seem quite confusing/slow, but overall I'm learning... so that's good It depends on how much work you put in at home. If you study the homework well, then the following session makes a LOT more sense I do agree with what other people have written here thought about the massive A1 book that you don't seem to work through in any logical order, I'm not suprised to hear that in the end the course leaves you with it incomplete. We picked Migros because of the class timings.. it's the only schedule we could fit with. Good luck! x

I was considering a Swiss German course at the Klubschule, but reports on here and from others have completely put me off. Going to kick things off with a book and CD combo instead.

I've been to Migrosklubschule Oerlikon and thought it was pretty good. When the regular teacher was away, they sent us to the klubschule in Kalkbreite and that was absolute crap. If they do that to you, take a month's break and come back when the teacher is back. As far as you have a decent teacher at the one in Oerlikon, I think you'll be fine. I learnt a helluvalot. I had a blond lady, don't remember her name, could have been Jasmin. She was excellent. (12-15 per class)

I've also been to Alphasprachstudio and this was really good. The teacher was excellent (Margrit - Austrian) and the groups were small. Often under 9 people per class. One month, there were just 2 students in my class! http://www.alphasprachstudio.ch/
It costs around the same as Migros but is better IMO. I loved the location at Stadelhofen too.

The worst one I have ever been to and don't recommend at all is WBK in Dübendorf. Absolute crap. They put people who were at different levels the month before, all together in one class the following month just to save money on the teachers. How pathetic is that! Do not go there. http://www.wbk.ch/

problem with group lessons is that there's always lazy AND stupid people around who will bog down the pace of your learning.

lazy is ok if you're smart. stupid is ok if you work hard to keep up. but stupid + lazy means you'll spend the first half of every lesson going over concepts from weeks ago.

I was in Klubschule in Oerlikon. The teacher was named
Gabi, and she was really good....

The quality of the teacher is usually pretty good, but it varies
in the end...

Yes, it all depends on the teacher, I went to Rapperswil 8years ago, the teacher, Sylvia was great, we learnt alot.
I am currently in Wetzikon B2, the teacher is ok....(ish)
I wont continue, I do not feel as though I am learning anything, she is never completely prepared for the lesson, and can never give me substantial explainations, eg. homework (fill in the blanks) I didnt quite get it, her help was to read out the answers, and that was it. If I wanted the answers I would have looked at the back of the work book!

and to the OP, yes, they stick you with the bill first!

Hi,

When I lived in Geneva some years ago I studied French at advanced level in the Clubschule Migros, and I really liked it. The class was great, not to big and the teacher was brilliant, very motivating and entertaining. The level of the lessons was high enough to be interesting and low enough to be not to challenging. The syllabus was absolutely suited.

But, the experience is so individual and it depends on so many unknown factors, that IMHO you cannot generally speak about Migros Clubschule, or any other school. If you are lucky you will find a class/teacher combination that suits you and if you are unlucky then you may try some schools before you find the one that you want.

Actually, there are no bad teachers in my view, just bad students. If a student is willing to learn he or she can learn in any envrionment. You will always find students who complain, but these are usually people who want the teacher to insert the language in their head without any effort from their part. Language is about practice. And if you practice you will become a master. But if you go to classes and wait until something happens and if you avoid doing homework, then you will not learn anything.

I know a Russian girl who has no money for classes (she lives in Italy) she learned Italian in less than 3 years and her Italian is perfect and flawless. She leraned it from TV, she was constantly repeating what people said on TV, practicing, the pronunciation and trying to understand what are they taliking about.


Anyway, good luck with your studies

The reason that I didn't go is because some of the teachers are not good at explaining. And if you continue your course there, you will have the same teacher throughout.
I went to ECAP. The teachers were really good.

Hi i am at Migros Klubschule for January and find it difficult but when i raise my hand the teacher explains with patience and the rest of the class also learn. Of cause there are one or two that think its a joke and i have no idea why they are there

Hi,
I am also planning to join Migro schule since its close to my place of work. Would like to hear experiences related to learning German with them. I am planning to joing the centre in Glattzentrum in Zurich.

Can anyone provide any feedback about the textbook used with MK? I rely more on visual aids to assist in my learning and when I tried Berlitz, I found the textbook for their courses to be lacking in detail and not very conducive for self study.

i find it most helpfull, self test in back it has everything, but it needs to be you that wants to do it, perfect practice makes perfect

I will be doing the Deutsche beginners course in Migros Klubschule, Oerlikon from Feb (A1 - part2). I just got the text book, StudioD, and am working through it from the begining. So far I like it. Its easy to follow and there are lots of things to fill out for practice. I'm looking forward to the class.

I'm a little more than halfway through the Deutsch Semi-Intensiv A1 (1/3) class at Klubschule Migros (Kalkbreite). It has been really good. I agree that the most important factor is having a good teacher. My teacher's name is Janina and she's really good! In fact, just yesterday I signed up for the A1 (2/3) class as well. I also really like my class mates. Everyone's in the same boat as you and you don't feel so alone. Everyone's very helpful and the atomosphere is awesome!

I'm starting with B1 level on January 16th (Basel), in September I tried with A1 (I already knew some German, but not even on a conversational level!), but was advised to take an in-house test and here I am! A bit scared, though, as I have problems with people talking fast (or even normal sometimes). Can anyone advice what is actually the content of this level and what level of speaking should I expect? Thanks in advance!

Well comparing to Goethe Institut I attended before (which there is no in Switzerland) it is much worse.

Learning is so slow. We do few exercises but in that time we could do so much more. It is like in everything with swiss people I noticed, they tend to do everything very slow slow slow.

People that come do the tests that are not good and they show they are higher level than they are so it happens in B2 that people cant read (which I find very easy there are rules that you just have to learn in A1 ).

So most of the time I am surfing and being bored, but I assume that in other schools is not better, because I learned it is swiss style of providing services, they are just too slow, for me.

You obviously haven't been to France......

No, why is that?

It's slower...