Bilingual section of elementary school

The Primary Bilingual Program (CP-CM2) was founded in 2002 with the goal of allowing bilingual/bicultural children (fluent French and English) to participate in Anglophone methodologies, pedagogies, and cultural events and practices. Students and families are also invited to attend English-language activities and events throughout the school year.

The Primary Bilingual Program is an academic program, with work equivalent to programs found in other Anglophone countries at the same grade level. (It is not a program to learn to speak English as a second language.) The Primary Bilingual Program is integrated into the regular school day and does not require additional attendance.

All lessons and materials are in English and are taught by an experienced, native English-speaking teacher. Students receive a separate report card twice a year indicating their progress in the Bilingual Program.

To be accepted into the Primary Bilingual Program, students are required:

• to already understand and speak English fluently,
• to live with at least one parent who speaks English fluently,
• to have a good all-round academic level, especially in French and Math (particularly for CM1 and CM2 students),
• to be able to read and write at grade-level in English,
• to be age-appropriately autonomous,
• to be ready and able to accept additional homework.
• Records from previous institutions indicating work done in English are required at the initial interview with the “directeur d’école”.
• Individual diagnostic testing and interviews will be required if competency in English is undetermined. Students entering CP and applying to the Primary Bilingual Program will be automatically evaluated at the beginning of the school year.

Program:

Spelling, punctuation, grammar, reading comprehension, written expression, and oral comprehension and expression are covered at all levels. In addition, Problem Solving, Metric Measurement, Area/Perimeter, and the passage of time are taught (in English) at the CM1 and CM2 level.

Total hours attended each week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) by class:
CP 2
CE1 2.5 (CE1/CE2 attend 1.5 hours together)
CE2 3 (CE1/CE2 attend 1.5 hours together)
CM1 6 (CM1/CM2 attend all 6 hours together)
CM2 6 (CM1/CM2 attend all 6 hours together)