FAQ
Why choose the International Sections of Sèvres and Chaville?
There are lots of good answers to this question. Below are answers from the teachers, the students and the parents.
=> The point of view of the administration and teachers can be found on the page "Our values" >>
- My childen speak fluent English or German at home because I am a native English or German speaker. Why should I send them to the SIS or its equivalent? It will require an additional effort!
It will take more effort. But you need to keep in mind that using a language orally for everyday needs only requires a rather limited vocabulary (400 - 500 words). Similarly, when speaking we tend to use simpler grammatical structures: fewer tenses, simpler sentences, etc. Children in an academic setting have more opportunity to develop their vocabulary and their written language, to learn the structure of complex sentences and the subtleties of the language. In the French school system the students generally speak French fluently, and yet French language is taught for a minimum of 9 years. On the other hand, completely Francophone children who have attended school in a foreign system usually require intensive French courses upon their return to France in order to catch up. This is why, if a child has the good fortune to speak a foreign language fluently at home with his/her mother or father, it is an advantage to be able to study this language at school as well.
At SIS, whether it be in the Wednesday morning or integrated primary, then in the collège and lycée, students have the opportunity to consolidate and develop the two languages they have spoken from birth or picked up during an expatriate experience. Yes, it takes more effort, but the result is true bilingualism - being able to write and speak two languages at the same level of competence.
=> Here’s what the students have to say:
Often, choosing to go to the Sections Internationales for secondary school means going to a different school than friends from primary. It’s not easy, BUT...
- I came to Sèvres and I didn’t know anybody. I made a friend the very first day. Alex
- If you have friends from primary school who go to another collège, you stay in touch with them anyways. Savanna
- You make friends quickly and there will probably be primary school friends with you too. Guillaume
- When I took the entrance tests I made a friend, so on the first day of school I already knew someone. And then the other kids were really friendly too. Good luck to everyone on the entrance test! Milena
- It’s true that you have to go to a different school than your friends from primary, but you can see them on the week-end, and in the SIS you make lots of new friends. And you hook up with your pals from the SIS Wednesday morning classes. Guillaume
- You see your friends during recess or in the school cafeteria and with a bit of luck you might even be in the same class! And if not, you can keep in touch on the week-end! Helena Samia
- I speak English/German fluently, but I really don’t want to be separated from my primary school friends!
- You have no idea what you’ll be missing. Augustin
- English will be really useful later on, so you might as well take advantage of this. Guillaume
- Why is it so great to be an "inter"?
- School trip to Cologne
- You work better on your English and you go on school trips abroad. The SIS teachers are nice. The English lessons are interesting and the classes are small, fifteen students on average. The teachers have more time to give us and it’s easier to talk to them. Guillaume
- SIS classes are great. You make real progress in English. Elie
=> Some answers from a few parents:
- My child is bilingual but since he wants to stay with his friends from primary school, he’s not at all interested in the SIS. What should I do?
- This was the attitude my son had before accepting to go to Sèvres. We made a deal, that he would try one year and if he REALLY didn’t like it he could change. It took a few months but now he loves it. I have spoken to many mothers whose bilingual children have chosen to go to the local Collège and their children are bored in the English classes. Many are seeking other solutions or change schools in 5ème. Everyone finds the solution that’s right for them, but if bilingulism is important in the family, Sèvres is well worth the effort. I’m so happy he’s not bored and going backwards but is happy, stimulated and having fun in a positive learning environment at Sèvres. Pat and son Léo, 6ème
- I ask him now, “If we found a better school with more to offer closer to home, would you change to avoid the train ride?” His answer is categorically no. He is growing up and enjoys his newfound responsibility. And to be honest, mom and dad are that much prouder of the son whose ability we questioned only 9 months ago. Papa de Blaise, 6ème
- So why is being an "inter" so great?
- The multi-cultural exchange is extraordinary and a very positive experience. Maman d’Augustin, 6ème
- The "inter" classes are a real plus for the children because they put them in direct permanent contact not only with a language, but also with a culture and a country. This opens their minds to another world; they become more European than French. Maman de Léa, 6ème
- My son Léo loves the International Sections for several reasons: In the same school he’s French and Anglophone with kids just like him. He has English 4 days a week and loves the teachers and the subjects. His "different" side is valued and praised. His written English is improving due to all the writing and reading. He’s using what he learned in English for the French classes and vice versa, it’s all complementary. And to boot, it’s fun! Pat and son Léo, 6ème
Dernière modification le 17-05-11 par
