Preschool level in the French system is called Cycle 1 or “cycle des apprentissages premiers’ ‘ which combines the two, three, four and five years old and Kindergarten program. Depending on the school year, grade levels may be combined differently. Following the guidelines of the French Ministry of Education, our students are 100% immersed in French all day, Monday through Friday, in the toddlers, Pre-K3, Pre-K4 and Kindergarten program (also called ‘maternelle‘). This full French immersion is essential for our students to build strong language, cultural and academic skills preparing for a rigorous French elementary program.
The curriculum combines the renowned and rigorous French preschool program, and beautiful Montessori and non-traditional Montessori material available on the shelves, covering practical life, reading and writing materials, as a consolidation of the competencies learnt in class.
From the very first day of school, the French teacher addresses the children in French. Children quickly learn the meanings of common words and phrases, as they begin to use these familiar terms themselves very quickly. Knowing that listening comprehension develops more quickly than speaking ability, children will adapt very easily to the French atmosphere of the classrooms. By the end of the first year most children readily understand the French they hear every day and they begin to speak and communicate well with their teachers. By kindergarten, with the addition of reading skills, most students become fluent.
In Kindergarten, each subject and every activity are linked to the others. Rather than arithmetic, science and language being treated separately, the curriculum focuses on general concepts, and the five French domains: develop the first tools for logical and critical thinking, create and express oneself through physical or artistic activities, develop language skills in all its dimensions, and explore the world. Using the Montessori material and activities, the curriculum helps create an enriched environment where freedom, responsibility, social, and intellectual development spontaneously flourishes.Calm and serene colors will be evident in the classroom and everything is designed with the toddler in mind. The preschool classroom will meet the children’s needs for calmness, beauty, security, order and learning. In a “Prepared Environment”, the child can easily focus on the shelves that are prepared with activities designed to meet the child’s interests and budding competencies. These activities encompass vocabulary building; sensory stimulations with sound, touch, smell and sight and practice with eye/hand coordination.
The student’s days will be filled with love and encouragement. At circle time the students will learn not only to sing songs but they also learn to sign some of the French Alphabet and Phonetic Sign Language. Story time, art activities, cooking and outside play are usually a part of a preschool life. The children participate in table cleaning along with learning to sweep and wipe spills. Social skills are emphasized daily as is verbalizing their wants, needs, likes and dislikes. Great attention is given to helping the children identify their feelings and express them appropriately.
We know that your students greatly benefit from the loving, encouraging environment that is prepared for their needs and absorbent mind. Preschool classrooms are filling quickly and we give priority to our students and their siblings, so contact the school as early as December or January to see if we are a good fit for your child, and to reserve a spot for your child.
French School of Austin 