Our bilingual section is expanding

Bilingual education is at the heart of learning at IIL. Our English and French sections work together on a daily basis so that our students can make the most of this international environment. As for our bilingual section, we are proud to announce that it is expanding and will soon extend to the entire primary school section.

Interview with Mr Jean-François Lopez, Director of the French Primary Section and Amelie Rochais, Language Coordinator in the English Primary Section, who collaborate on the Bilingual Section. 

Why does the International Institute of Lancy promote bilingualism?

The world is more bilingual than monolingual. Around 60% of people use two or more languages in their daily lives. By cultivating plurilingualism, we prepare our students to become citizens of the world.

Being bilingual has several advantages. Research has shown that a bilingual child develops many other abilities. It has been observed that they perform better in mathematics due to their cognitive flexibility and lack of inhibition making the task easier.

Speaking two languages has many social and psychological advantages. Being more open-minded, bilingual children tend to interact more easily with others and integrate easily regardless of the socio-cultural context.

How does IIL help students become bilingual?

Ill has put in place the sequential alternation of languages. This means that  academic content is taught in both languages alternatively to achieve the same objective. This is by no means a translation.

Outside the classroom, pupils take part in various bilingual projects: through activities common to the French and English sections, the children develop their social and communication skills.

Can you tell us more about the bilingual section?

The bilingual section has many new and exciting projects. The academic content is defined for each level based on a blending between the official curricula of the French ”Education Nationale” and the UK National Curriculum. We are developing a tailor-made and ambitious programme. This will enable our pupils, at the end of their primary schooling in the bilingual sector, to choose between the English or French secondary section.