Lycée des Pontonniers, Strasbourg
- The purpose of International Sections is for children to be educated in two languages, with the International Section’s language not being a “second language”. Children receive both educations: that of France* and that of the International Section they belong to, usually taught by those two countries’ teachers.
- Because children should start to learn languages as young as possible, many International Sections have early years’ classes (maternelle).
- Learning a foreign language is best done within an appropriate cultural context. So International Sections base their teaching on the pedagogic programmes, cultural activities and traditions of their country
- The best results in terms of teaching another language and culture are obtained by using native teachers from that country or speaking its mother tongue. Therefore, schools with International Sections usually only recruit French teachers to teach the French programme, and teachers from the country of the Section, speaking its mother tongue, for the Section’s programme.
- Simultaneously following the school syllabus for both France and the country of the Section, in their respective languages, enables young people to work with, and in, both languages and cultures. This leads to greater open-mindedness and facilitates the learning of other languages.
*This programme can be replicated in other countries.