Can anyone help with suggestions?

I am a beginner (ish i.e I can't hold a conversation but know enough to get food, drink, travel tickets and essentials).

I would like to learn in the company of other local ex-pats.

Other than school dropping off and collecting times, I can attend any time of the day or evening, as I am self-employed.

Intensive would be good but not essential.

Joining a social speaking group like the one I have seen being put together on another thread (for Zurichers), would be good too.

Several of us from my office are taking German classes at Klubschule Migros in Zug. It's helping but the going seems slow, it's only one night per week.
The costs are reasonable (CHF 450 approx for my beginner's class). One of my classmates has private tutoring on the side as well which seems to speed things up. They also offer an "intensive" version - all morning for several weeks.
The problem I find is that if any of the students are struggling the class slows to their pace. If anyone else has suggestions I'd like to hear about them too, the task of becoming proficient seems huge.

Learning a language in a classroom only context usually takes much longer, and once a week!! -- it should be rightfully termed 2 hrs a week, once a week is rather misleading.

You want a tip to improve your acquisition? Send me an email I'd gladly advice --- this is not a sales pitch....got nothing to sell.

Hi Felix

I learnt German at Inlingua in Zug but have also been to Migros Klubschule too. For me what worked was an intensive twice a week course for 3 months - I suppose it depends on your work situation and how often you travel with work and if you can make the classes which sometimes start at 6pm... at the end of the day the main thing is the group is small, motivated and the teacher is good.

You can usually try a lesson for free to see if the rhythm, pace and teacher suit you.

Hope this helps,
Andaleeb

Hi Felix,

Thanks for your sharing. I will be moving to Zug and would like to learn German as well. You mentioned about Inlingua in Zug; I have looked at its website but it hasn't listed any school in Zug. Do you still have the contact in any chance?

Your kind assistance is greatly appreciated.

Regards,
Meiya

I have been going twice a week to the Migro school in Zug, and once a week to Liz also in Zug. Both are as good as the teacher and other students allow - I don't think which school you choose is the issue.

The problem (I think) is that becoming profficient in classroom German is less important than having the opportunity to speak every day in German to someone who wants to speak recreational/colloquial German with you as an end in itself......konnen Sie helfen mir kind of stuff isn't much use in recreational chit-chat scenarios - all in my humble opinion naturlich!