How it works:
Language immersion takes place in a natural context. We strive to provide a "slice of France" by making our environment as culturally authentic as possible. To achieve this, not only do teachers come from French-speaking countries, the materials and overall atmosphere provide a full cultural immersion (to the extent possible in a coastal Maine village!) It is through play and everyday activities that the children take full advantage of their young brain's natural ease and capacity to learn language. At L'Ecole Française du Maine, French becomes the language of instruction, and interaction, in most everything we do! We learn and play- en français! Not only does research show this is the most effective approach, we see first-hand the results and are constantly amazed by the children. The earlier the children enter the immersion environment, the better, and the longer they remain in the immersion program, the more complex and lasting their language acquisition skills become.
From the Start:
In the Early Childhood classroom, the building blocks of the language are put into place. At this age, play is at the center of all activities. As Maria Montessori said: 'Play is the work of the child". That foundation builds through Kindergarten, where children continue to explore and pre-reading is introduced, and into the first grade, where the process of reading becomes a larger focus of the curriculum. The reading process is the same in English and in French, children learn that words can be broken into syllables, that letters and sounds have relationships, and then they discover how to combine and blend the sounds together to decipher and write words, and eventually full sentences. In grades 2 and 3, the students begin having daily English language Arts classes, where they transfer those skills to reading and writing in English quite easily. As the grades progress through upper elementary years, grades 4-5, more complex skills are discovered and mastered, both in French and English, and historical fiction is used to integrate US History where it does not appear in the French curriculum.
Our Multi-Age approach:
Our school is organized in multi-age classrooms, an educational model we find very appealing and effective in our French immersion school. Over the years, we have had just about every combination of grades and ages. We are fortunate to have highly qualified and experienced staff trained in the curriculum and instruction of all grades from preschool through the elementary grades. The French curriculum is in 3 cycles, with grade level goals, and the expectations at the end of each cycle, recognizing each child's individual learning path. This 3-cycle curriculum tailors very well with the multi-age approach and is employed very frequently in France and in French schools across the globe. Our teachers fully embrace this multi-age approach, as do the families. There are benefits for all ages in the multi-age environment: younger students are inspired by older classmates, students in the upper grade of the class benefit from reinforcing learning and self esteem is bolstered as they serve as role models for their younger classmates. Teachers balance the needs of each group masterfully, thanks to their experience with all grade levels. With each subsequent year, students hone in their skills and develop their independence and responsibility in preparation for the middle school years to follow.
