Something to share with your students before the break.
Keeping your English going over summer
Six weeks is long enough to make real progress in a language, or to lose some of the ground you have already gained. A little deliberate practice goes a long way.
If you have an exam coming up in autumn, summer is part of your preparation, not a pause from it. Structured support is available through Swiss Exams Academy, details further down in this guide.
If you are not sitting an exam, the suggestions below will help you keep your level strong and come back to September ready to pick up where you left off.
Keeping English alive over summer — practical suggestions for students
Language learning does not have to feel like work. The most effective summer habits are ones students actually enjoy, and the ones that work best involve regular, low-pressure exposure to the language.
Watch and listen in English. Switching the language on streaming platforms, YouTube, or podcasts is one of the most accessible ways to maintain passive exposure. For students preparing for exams, documentaries, news programmes, and interview formats are particularly useful; the register and vocabulary align closely with reading and listening exam tasks.
Read something they choose. Assigned reading rarely sustains interest over a holiday. Encourage students to pick something they would genuinely read, whether that is an English-language novel, a news site, a blog, or even subtitles on a favourite show. The goal is consistent contact with written English, not a specific text.
Use the language, not just consume it. Passive exposure alone is not enough to maintain speaking and writing skills. Students who can find opportunities to use English actively — even through journalling, commenting online, or messaging with friends in English will return to school in a noticeably different position to those who only watched and listened.
Language learning apps for structure. For students who do better with routine, language learning apps or Cambridge's own practice platforms offer daily, low-commitment practice that keeps the language present without requiring a significant time investment.
For students who need more: Swiss Exams Academy
Informal habits are enough for students who are maintaining a level. But for students with an exam on the horizon, or for those who have fallen behind and need to make meaningful progress before September, something more structured is worth recommending.
Swiss Exams Academy is an online preparation programme for Cambridge Linguaskill Business and General. Two formats are available, both including the exam:
- Full Online Sprint Course & Exam (CHF 820): 15 hours of live instruction over 8 weeks, including mock tests and all study materials.
- Online Sprint Theory Course & Exam (CHF 540): A focused 6-week theory course covering exam strategies and preparation.
Sessions run every Tuesday from 17:30, live online — scheduled outside school and working hours.
For KV students in particular: with the KV reform, language competence is now assessed within the Handlungskompetenzbereiche (HKBs), and a separate English grade is no longer issued as part of the EFZ. For apprentices finishing their training, this means entering the job market without an independent English certificate — unless they take one separately. The Swiss Exams Academy programme for Cambridge Linguaskill Business and General is specifically structured for this group, with evening sessions designed around working and school timetables.
The next cohort runs September / October / November 2026. Registration closes 9 August 2026.
For institutional enquiries about Swiss Exams Academy or group registrations, contact the Swiss Exams team.