Preschool Program
~ Cycle 1 of 5 ~
The primary objective of our Preschool Program is for children to learn to live together harmoniously. Early on, important social and behavioral skills are emphasized, helping them transition with ease from side-by-side play to one-on-one exchanges and eventually group interactions. Some of the skills taught in a patient and nurturing manner include following rules, staying seated during an activity, completing projects, tucking away one's chair, putting away toys and materials, and learning to wait one's turn. Thanks to a positive group dynamic, children learn not only with, but also from one another. This is all done entirely in French, regardless of a child's prior exposure to the language, for at this age, children are like sponges when it comes to learning a new language! With this in mind, from the very first day of classes, students are fully immersed in French. Indeed, teachers use a combination of visual and verbal indicators when speaking, thereby enabling children to understand (and, in time, speak) French naturally. Since many of our students are exposed to French at home, those for whom French is entirely "foreign" can take advantage of the group dynamic to understand their teacher's instructions based on their peers' responses. Brain development in the early years is such that children assimilate languages with ease. During those formative years, three key factors can ensure successful language acquisition: compartmentalization, consistency, and of course immersion. As long as children are able to associate their second or third language with either a specific person or place (say, mom or school), the possibility of any linguistic confusion is greatly reduced. To ensure consistent exposure to the non-dominant language in an immersion setting there is a minimum attendance requirement of two mornings per week in Pre-K2, three mornings in Pre-K3, and five full days in Pre-K4.
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Pre-K 2 (Toute Petite Section)Children enjoy painting, drawing, singing, playing, building, stories, and more ... ALL IN FRENCH! Projects and activities revolve around age-appropriate hands-on activities such as sorting, pouring, transferring, turning, flipping, threading, balancing etc. Children also engage in teacher-guided play, where they learn how to follow directions, wait for their turn, and be a group member all the while developing gross and fine motor skills, confidence, respect, and self-esteem.
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Pre-K 3 (Petite Section)
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Students follow the highly regarded Maternelle program such that they benefit not only from an immersive experience in the target language, but also from a solid academic structure. This level is comprised of three major components: 1) fine motor skills 2) visual observation, 3) oral/aural proficiency. The primary academic goal of this level is to educate the hand in anticipation of writing. Proper form (posture and gesture) are developed through writing exercises as well as painting projects and whole-body activities.
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Another key goal at this level is awakening the child's curiosity (ie. interest in learning and, with time, love of learning) by guiding them in their sense of observation. Even with our students who speak French at home, we greatly emphasize proper pronunciation of sounds, syllables, and words to help eliminate the lag between oral and aural comprehension naturally common at this age. The main objectives of La Petite Section are to ensure children ...
- learn to follow rules
- develop their fine motor skills
- recognize shapes, colors, spatial relationships, numbers, and letters
- separate words into syllables
- sharpen their sense of observation
- exercise their memory through French songs and nursery rhymes
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Pre-K 4 (Moyenne Section)This level introduces children to the joys of writing and the beginnings of reading. From tracing and forming letters to recognizing and naming them, students in time learn to associate vowels with consonants. The resulting syllables, if only comprised of two letters, open up a whole new world of possibilities to children. While not all consonants are covered at this level, the B.A.BA principle is fully assimilated.
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That being the overwhelmingly major focus of this level, parallel activities aim to sharpen the eye, hone the ear, and develop age-appropriate vocabulary. The primary objectives of the Pre-K 4 level are to ensure that children in Moyenne Section ...
• are fully prepared to embark on the journey of reading and writing
• discover the universe of numbers, values, and quantities
• develop a sense of and appreciation for logic
• acquire budding critical thinking skills
• exercise their memory through poetry recitations
Beginning in Pre-K4, instruction is provided in English as well as French to prepare students for reading in both languages. Still, all core subjects in the elementary grades (with the exception of English Language Arts) are taught in French. To promote complete bilingualism and to bridge any possible language gap, the French and English teachers work together to ensure all of the vocabulary covered in each subject (Math, Science, Social Studies, Art History) is seamlessly assimilated in English as well.
• are fully prepared to embark on the journey of reading and writing
• discover the universe of numbers, values, and quantities
• develop a sense of and appreciation for logic
• acquire budding critical thinking skills
• exercise their memory through poetry recitations
Beginning in Pre-K4, instruction is provided in English as well as French to prepare students for reading in both languages. Still, all core subjects in the elementary grades (with the exception of English Language Arts) are taught in French. To promote complete bilingualism and to bridge any possible language gap, the French and English teachers work together to ensure all of the vocabulary covered in each subject (Math, Science, Social Studies, Art History) is seamlessly assimilated in English as well.