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   English Immersion Program

« Each language is a window opened up to another world, another landscape, another kind of human values". »

Georges Steiner, French philosopher

(Version française)

 Our project for Douvrain : 

 Developing an English Immersion Program. 

An English immersion program is being organized at the Communal School of Douvrain. This program begin in kinder garden (at 5 years old), and year after year, will gradually phase into the primary grades.

 What are the reasons for carrying forward with this experience ? 

Today, learning foreign languages is a necessity for everyone, especially for our youth who will eventually be working in the European Community.

The traditional method of language learning does not give very satisfying results. Therefore, we envision another way : immersion. Learning a foreign language is the easiest and occurs most rapidly during the first 8 years of an individual's life. The results are also more longstanding. At this age, the intellectual flexibility and the phonetic organs allow the child the ability to learn and speak any language.

 What does immersion consist of ? 

The immersion method consists of an organization of games and activities as well as the teaching of ail the curriculum subjects in the chosen foreign language (English). The method also consists of plunging the learners into a « language bath » with a native speaking teacher.

This « language bath » implies certain principles :

• Contact with the language must be quantitatively important (at Douvrain: 13 periods per week).

• The target language must be the vehicle of communication between the teacher and the students and as soon as possible amongst the learners themselves.

• The curriculum subjects must be taught in the target language.

• Games and other activities must also be organized in the target language.

 What is the rôle of the native language in the immersion program ? 

Solidifying the learning capacities and their development in the native language (French) must take place in school since this responsibility cannot be left alone to the parents.

 Objectives of the Immersion Program 
(teaching English to French speakers)

Educational objectives

• By the end of the 6^th year in primary school, the students will acquire a competency in English as similar as possible to English speaking children of the same age.

• In their other core subjects (French, math,...), the immersion students will be up to par with non-immersion students.

Democratic objectives

• To invite everyone to participate in this type of foreign language learning which, up until now, was only available to families who could afford to send their children abroad or to private schools.

• To put at the disposition of our region dozens of graduated bilingual secondary students ( and why not tri or quatrilingual ?), as early as 2009. To achieve this, contacts will be made with the secondary schools in Saint-Ghislain (especially the Charles Plisnier High School).

If you would like your child to benefit from this experience, you can already begin to reserve your registration for the next school year by clicking here. Please note that the students who are previously registered at one of our four schools have priority.

If you would like to teach English immersion at our school and you have the proper qualifications, you can submit your resume here.