Abc plurilingualism france

Dr Didier Combeau, France

Bilingualism

an experiment

in the French Education System

Lycée français de Delhi

Didier Combeau, France

Bilingualism in the French System: an experiment

The French System

• A very centralized system : curriculum and methods defined by the central government

• A strong linguistic identity : « Le français est la langue de la République »



The French System•Few bilingual schools

Ecole Active BilingueEcole AlsacienneLycée international de Saint-Germain-en-LayeSections internationales du Lycée de SèvresEcoles Diwan (Breton)…

• Classes bi-langues and sections européennes or orientales

• In most cases, international teaching added to a regular French curriculum



The Lycée français de Delhi•A K-12 school in a global network

Agence pour l’Enseignement fraçais à l’étranger (AEFE)480 accredited schools in 130 countries

•A strong political impulse to develop bilingualism in this network within the national curriculum

for « strategic » reasonsto meet the demand of the families

•A lot of autonomy left to the schools to implement bilingualism



The Lycée français de Delhi• 450 students from 3 to 18 (K-12)…

Children of the expatriate community (privileged background, very high academic expectations)3 to 4 years in the school as an average

•…coming from French or from foreign schools…

•…leaving for French or for foreign schools

• Limited choice of schools for the expatriate community, in particular for the French-speaking community.



The road map• Integrating students

non French-speakersnon English-speakers

• Make the students able to further their studies either in the French system or in an English-speaking system

linguisticallyin terms of content (French system)



Our choices• Start with kindergarten and elementary school

• All classes bilingual

• The French part taken in charge by a French teacher, the English part by a native speaker of English

• 50% of the time for each language

equal status for each languagebetter coordination between the « French » and « English » teacherseasier to organize



Pedagogical engineering• Rhythm

all possibilities left opened (one day for each language / half a day, etc.)

• Places

One classroom per class for 1st yearsOne classroom per language for older students

• Adjusting the curriculum to each language

each subject studied in both languagesfundamental notions studied in one language systematically reactivated in the othertime devoted to the study of the French language equivalent to time spent in the regular French system



Challenges• Overcome the resistance of teachers and of some parents

• Hiring and training of teachers

C1 or C2 requirement in English for the French teacher master’s degree

training of “English” teachers to teach the French curriculum

• Pedagogical resources

taylor-made teaching materials

• Lack of evaluation tools

questionnaire sent to former parentsresults of students in 1st ear of secondary school

• Development of bilingualism in secondary school



Returns from former parents

•former students are amongst the best in their schools

• enhanced linguistic capabilities

• bilingualism induced flexibility in their thinking and in their adaptation capabilities

• parents resent the lack of bilingual schools in France



Challenges• Overcome the resistance of teachers and of some parents

• Hiring and training of teachers

C1 or C2 requirement in English for the French teachertraining of “English” teachers to teach the French curriculum

• Pedagogical resources

taylor-made teaching materials

• Lack of evaluation tools

questionnaire sent to former parentsresults of students in 1st ear of secondary school

• Development of bilingualism in secondary school

Abc plurilingualism france

Documents

Transcript of Abc plurilingualism france