MGM international

Information for guest students

Our support concept

We aim to treat our visiting students with tolerance and respect and support them as individuals in adjusting to our culture. Our guest students are sent by many different exchange organisations from a wide range of different countries, including particularly close cooperation with the Rotary Club Monschau-Nordeifel (see there).

In order to facilitate our visitors’ arrival in a new culture, students are supported when choosing their subjects, in organizing their timetables, and in making social contacts. On their first day at school they are welcomed by our guest student tutor and introduced to their student mentors who accompany them during their first days. All problems that might arise are dealt with together on a weekly basis.

 

Knowledge of German

A basic knowledge of German is very important when starting the exchange programme. We advise our students to start an intensive language course as soon as they have decided to take part in the programme, thus enabling them to deal with our school system and everyday life in Germany. Even if students only have a little knowledge of German, is it is essential that they are absolutely willing to improve their skills in order to be able to talk in German with their guest families and their classmates and teachers, thus enabling them to have a successful exchange experience.

Having arrived, the students are assisted in finding a suitable German class which, if necessary, might even take place during school hours.

 

Our school system

Experience shows that German students are rather more advanced regarding curricular substance than those of the same age in most other countries. Therefore our guest students are usually classified as grade EF (Einführungsstufe), which is the introductory grade to Secondary Level (3 years).

As early as possible, we clarify in a personal meeting which requirements of their home school the students have to meet and how this can be achieved.

Difficulties might arise if a guest student skips a year and needs to pass certain classes in Germany. Typically, students initially have difficulties in following the lessons in subjects such as German, Philosophy or History due to their language skills. Although this is easier in Maths or Natural Sciences, students might lack the prerequisites regarding the content and thus fail class. Therefore we recommend planning the year abroad as a gap year or after students have finished school.

 

Subjects

We usually offer the following subjects in the EF, of which up to a maximum of 11 subjects can be chosen by our guest students, provided that the regulations for the subject selection are followed:

• German, English, Latin, French, Spanish,
• Maths, Physics, Biology, Chemistry, Computer Science,
• Religious Education (Catholic, Protestant), Philosophy, Psychology, History, Geography, Social Sciences,
• Physical Education, Arts, Music.

 

Performance assessment

As mentioned above, we advise our guest students to spend the year in Germany as a gap year, so that they need not necessarily have to pass their classes.

Our students are in some subjects assessed by writing tests (Klausuren) and by receiving oral marks. In the rest of their subjects, assessment is based on oral participation (SoMi-Noten) only. Each of the two terms of the school year is divided up into two quarters. Class tests take place throughout the school year, once or twice per term depending on the subject. Grades for oral participation are given at the end of each quarter.

Guest students get the chance to write class tests in selected subjects like Maths or Computer Science should they wish, but are generally marked for their overall participation.

Performance assessment of our guest students follows different criteria than with our German students: It is based on general participation and on the individual progress in the language as well as with the material.

 

Duties

During the high-school year, compliance with compulsory school attendance rules is necessary for our guest students. Furthermore, we expect students to be motivated to learn our language and speak only German, except for necessary exceptions. We want our guest students to encounter our culture with curiosity, a lot of tolerance and respect, and to bring an open mind for what is new.