Primary section: From CP to CM2
Louis Clément Primary School hosts the anglophone section, 400 meters from MLK middle school and LFA high school campus. Small classes provide an environment where students can participate actively and where teachers can give individual attention.
The entrance test is primarily based on oral expression and listening comprehension, and checks a student’s abilities in English.
The primary section offers English-French bilingual education from CP to CM2 (UK years 2–6 / USA grades 1–5) and prepares students for entry into Collège Martin Luther King.
The Anglophone Curriculum at Louis Clément
Anglophones are mixed in with the French children for their regular lessons. For English lessons only, they leave their French peers and join their English teacher in the dedicated English classroom. Anglophone children have 3 hours of English per week, divided between History and English. Their exercise books are colour-coded to help them remember which one to bring to each lesson. This is good practice for secondary school.
History
The children work in English, and cover the same curriculum as their French peers. CM1 covers Clovis to the Middle Ages, continuing in CM2 with Middle Ages through to World War I.
Reading and Writing (literature)
The class studies an age-appropriate novel which must be brought to the lesson every week. There are comprehension exercises, quizzes and associated activities. Poetry, mythology and other forms of literature are studied in the latter half of the school year.
English Book Reviews
Pupils read an English language book of their choice during each school break. Specific guidance is given concerning the format of each book review. When they return to school, the children are asked in turn to talk to the class about the book they have read.
Grammar, Vocabulary & Spelling Skills
Nouns, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, verbs, prepositions, homonyms, apostrophe, prefixes, suffixes, sentence types and manipulations. Vocabulary extension through Wordly Wise and regular learning of spellings as recommended under the British National Curriculum.
Anglophone Library
The children use the library at every opportunity; it is a magnet that draws them as soon as there is a little spare time. Books such as Wimpy Kid, Harry Potter, Lemony Snicket and Jacqueline Wilson books are very popular. The library also has a subscription to Discovery Box magazine which is circulated amongst the children.
Supporting your Child beyond the Classroom
Parents can support their child’s bilingual education in daily life, and with homework and reading.
Daily Life
Primary school children are still young, and there is a lot to cope with when they enter the Anglophone Section. It’s useful, especially at the beginning of the year, to supervise them as they pack their school bag. It is essential to have the correct exercise and text books. By CM2 it should be a lot easier for them, but your guidance and support is precious every step of the way.
It sounds obvious, but keep speaking to them in English… even if they consistently reply in French and even if they would prefer you not to. It is still going in. One day they will recognize the invaluable gift you have given them. Hold on to this thought!
Of course, if you have gotten into other habits, these are difficult to change, but not impossible. Your determination and commitment are essential here. Exposure to the English language outside the home is a huge help to giving the kids a real context for their language, other than just something they speak with Mum or Dad. Make the most of social events organized by PSAB – better still, get involved as a family. Actively support your child’s friendship with other children in the section. Encourage regular contact with anglophone friends or relatives by phone, letter and email. It’s so easy today to keep in touch and send a quick message with a photo… Hopefully you can spend part of your holiday in an Anglophone country.
At home, encourage film watching in English rather than French. Switching on the subtitles in English can have real added value, especially when watching a film for the first time or if the pace is so fast and actors mumble. It can also be useful in terms of visualising words, so spelling etc. can be improved. You can also access BBC radio on internet and make this part of your daily life. BBC has a great kids’ learning website with games that are fun to do, as well as an interesting history website.
With Homework
Younger kids, and even those in CM1 and CM2, need guidance and support to do their homework well. Your help can be invaluable and strengthen the learning process. Go through their homework diaries with them, as well as any exercise instructions in text books and check they understand what they need to do. It will soon become clear if they can be left to continue on their own. Sometimes they may need further clarification to grasp the “point” of an exercise – why it has been given and what the teacher wants them to focus on. Getting them to explain the task back to you in their own words will give you a good idea of their understanding.
Encourage the use of dictionaries and the internet for homework as applicable, but if homework is dragging on, don’t feel guilty about just spelling something out for them! Research homework should be done in English and not translated from a French site.
History
Reading through class notes together as they go along will greatly help to absorb the content and vocabulary in a gradual process rather than cramming just before a class test. Getting them to tell you about what they have learned can be interesting and fun for all concerned.
Literature
If you have the time to read the class reader with your child (or separately) you will better understand the work covered and be able to talk with your child about what has been read. You can help explore some of the larger themes touched upon in the book, such as friendship, loneliness etc. When answering comprehension questions, they should refer back to the book for detail and vocabulary rather than relying purely on memory. Answer in full sentences and remind them to check punctuation.
Language
Children may need help learning spelling words. Make sure they understand the meaning of the words in question. If you know which words pose a problem for your child, you can spot check at breakfast, in the car, out shopping – give them every chance to master those tricky ones! When they have to write sentences showing the meaning of the words, they often need help to come up with a sentence that really does show this. It’s a learning process – don’t hesitate to point them in the right direction. Give them examples and help them develop their own.
With Reading
Children need the habit of always having ‘a book on the go’ and not just the book they are reading in class. Obviously, they need to practise their reading skills in French too, but they should at least alternate between French and English books for pleasure reading.
Reading in English can be arduous at first. Try taking turns reading either a paragraph or a page each. The benefits of this are enormous. Not only does fluency and understanding improve, but also it helps to create a special bond and loving moment. By the age of CM1 the traditional ‘bedtime story’ has all but disappeared as they now know how to read themselves but by adopting the habit of reading to each other, this special moment at the end of the day is reinstated. The benefits are also for you as a parent. It forces you to take time out of your busy day and slow down making for a more relaxed evening and greater stamina to undertake other evening tasks!
- What about a family reading slot at the weekend where the whole family reads their own book all in the same room? What a very bonding experience!
- Children’s poetry is very popular in some families – take turns to read aloud your favourites with all the voices and gestures!
- Surround them with books and encourage them to use their school library regularly.
- A subscription to a magazine on a topic that interests them also makes a great present.
School hours Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri 8.30am (gates open 8.20am & 11.30am)
1.30pm-4.20pm (gates open 1 .20pm & 4.20pm)
No school on Wednesdays.
Canteen
This is an optional, means-adjusted paying service provided by the Town Hall. You must register at the Town Hall for your child to attend. Lunchboxes are not allowed in France.
Garderie / Before and after school supervision
This is a paying service provided by the Town Hall and you need to register. Depending what time your child’s bus arrives in the morning, you may need to enrol him/her for the morning garderie. This applies Mon, Tues, Thurs & Fri. Morning Garderie : from 7.30am. Evening Garderie: until 6.45pm. As there are no lessons on Wednesdays, the Town Hall proposes a Wednesday kids’ club « centre de loisirs ». Please contact them directly for full details and rates.
Ecole Primaire Louis Clément
Rue de la Minière, 78530 Buc
+33 (0)1 39 56 18 13