Immersion

Language immersion, as inspired by the Canadian model used for over 80 years now, involves discovering, understanding and then progressively practising languages in a real context of use.

Every week of the schoolyear, two half-days are dedicated to lessons taught in German and two others to those taught in English. The native teachers in charge - German or English - have been trained to immersion by our care. The subjects taught by immersing according to the children’s age and school-level are the following: singing, theatre, creative and manual activities (MCA), sports, history, geography, natural sciences and mathematics.

The picture below displays the example of a weekly timetable and its language distribution.

At SAINT-EXUPERY SCHOOL, immersion language learning takes place in three distinct, complementary and evolving phases, namely:

• Early immersion (4 to 8 years)
  
  
• The average immersion (between 8 and 12 years)
  
  
• Late immersion (after 12 years)
  
  

The early immersion phase consists of discovering languages and understanding them while playing.

The middle immersion phase consists of learning the use of languages in the context of the classroom.

The late immersion phase consists of using and perfecting language skills to meet the requirements of secondary degree exams.