The French Curriculum
Pre-k and k: Cycle 1
Preschool
In the French educational system, “l’école maternelle” includes both preschool and Kindergarten. Children are placed in the section which best corresponds to their developmental age; typically, age three in PreK-3 year old (petite section de maternelle), four in PreK-4 year old (moyenne section de maternelle), and five in Kindergarten.
For Kindergarten, children must turn five by December 31 of the year enrolled.
All of our preschool and Kindergarten classrooms have full-time bilingual teacher’s assistants to give each child ample individual attention and gentle support as they learn a new language.
Starting in PreK 4 year-old, English is taught a total of 3 hours per week.
Preschool Philosophy
Our Preschool offers children full immersion in French. Our children not only learn to understand and speak French, they also learn about different cultures and traditions as they are immersed in a multicultural environment.
Our Preschool’s goal is to balance the development of knowledge while taking into consideration the children’s experiences and interests. Our ultimate aim is to help each child develop a sense of autonomy/independence, and support their growth of knowledge and skills necessary for school readiness.
Our Preschool revolves around children being intrinsically curious, active learners through play and tasks, and their desire to overcome difficulties and succeed. Our teachers encourage the development of the whole child by responding to their individual needs. They provide a safe environment for children to explore different types of relationships, to learn and discover the world through play, to wonder and investigate ideas and possibilities, to create and produce projects, to practice and rehearse rich and diverse situations by helping children develop their own identity and a multicultural awareness.
The National French Curriculum guidelines and our Academic Long Range Plan (“Projet d’école”) guarantee the continuity between our preschool, primary and middle school curricula.
Kindergarten
Children learn phonemic awareness, reading readiness and beginning mathematical concepts. With a short period each day devoted to individual concentration in an academic activity, students begin to acquire self-discipline and study habits. Music, art, gardening and creative movement are an integral part of the program. The children are encouraged to express themselves as much as possible in French. English is taught a total of 4 hours per week. Each Kindergarten classroom has a full-time bilingual teacher’s assistant.
SKILL SETS
Access the skill sets assessed in the report card by the French teacher
Access the skills sets assessed by the English teacher
english
EFAM welcomes students from France and other countries. Students receive up to 9 hours of English instruction per week. The goal of this instruction is to facilitate their integration into the local system, create an environment conducive to learning English, and promote the transmission of American cultural heritage.
PreK-4 up to 3 h/week
Kindergarten 4 h/week
Elementary: Cycle 2 & 3
PRESENTATION
In addition to the regular curriculum, students can participate in complementary educational activities proposed by their teachers. These activities are carried out in small groups to help students experiencing difficulties, to develop student independence, or to carry out activities planned as part of the school project.
The common core of knowledge and skills outlines what every student should know and master by the end of compulsory education. (read more)
SKILLS
List of skills assessed in the report card by the French teacher and their translation into English:
Cycle 2: CYCLE 2: 1st, 2nd and 3rd Grade
Cycle 3: 4th and 5th Grade
List of skills assessed by the English teacher and their translation into French:
Cycle 3: 3rd - 4th - 5th Grade
First and Second Grade (Cycle 2)
Reading is stressed in the first and second grade; at the end of Grade 2, students should be able to read in French and English. Mathematics, dictation, composition, and cursive writing are taught in French, along with art and music. Five hours per week are spent working in English in First Grade and Six hours in Second Grade. Mathematics, science, physical education and fine arts are taught in French. Music is taught by a specialist. Exposure to French culture and civilization is also part of the daily activities.
English is taught by American certified teachers 6 hours per week in First grade (Language Arts) and 7 hours per week in Second grade (Language Arts, Maths, Science and Social Studies).
Third through Fifth Grade (Cycle 3)
Poetry, short stories and novels are a part of a wide-based and comprehensive approach to the teaching of language arts in both French and English. Reading comprehension skills are studied and refined as the students progress through these grades. Students practice their linguistic skills through creative writing and research reports. Social Studies is taught in English, and there is an ongoing study of history and geography in French. Math is taught in both languages. The French and English math curricula are coordinated in all grades. Learning the basic facts and processes is stressed in grade three, and is reinforced in grades four and five. The study of fractions, decimals and percentages becomes increasingly challenging as the students progress from grade three to five. Physical education and music are taught by specialists.
English is taught by American certified teachers 7 hours per week in Third grade, 8 hours per week in Fourth grade and 9 hours per week in Fifth grade (Language Arts, Maths, Science and Social Studies).
the use of digital technology
EFAM contributes to the project of an information and communication society for all. The School initiates actions to develop digital resources for education and to generalize their use. It trains students to master these digital tools and prepares future citizens to live in a society whose technological environment is constantly evolving.
MUSIC
In grades 1 through 5, the music instructor teaches music history, notation of beats, phrase length, melody and rhythmic patterns, singing meter patterns, playing by ear, music notation, tempo, dynamics and music appreciation, choir.
physical education
Physical Education (PE) aims to develop motor skills and encourage participation in physical, sporting, and artistic activities. It contributes to education and health by enabling students to become more aware of their bodies. It also contributes to safety education through controlled risk-taking.
In grades 1 through 5, P.E. is taught by a specialist. The program’s objectives are to develop skills through individual exercise and team sports.
READING SKILLS
Students must master the French language: this is the top priority, as it determines their access to all areas of knowledge. By the end of compulsory schooling, students must be able to understand all types of writing and compose texts that meet the requirements of social and academic contexts.
SCIENCE EDUCATION
From elementary school through high school, students take compulsory science classes. They have the opportunity to participate in competitions or educational activities to broaden their scientific and technological knowledge.
ARTISTIC AND CULTURAL EDUCATION
Artistic and cultural education is essential to cultural democratization and equal opportunities. Each student's artistic and cultural education journey is built from elementary school through high school.
The School places great importance on cinema and audiovisual media within the broader context of visual literacy education. The primary cultural practice of young people is that of the visual: cinema, photography, television, video games, the Internet, etc. For more than 20 years, the School has provided theoretical and practical education in this area.
EDUCATION FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
Education for sustainable development (ESD) helps students understand the complexity of the world in its scientific, ethical, and civic dimensions. It is a cross-curricular subject that is included in school curricula.
SKILL SETS
Access the skill sets assessed in the report card by the French teacher
Access the skills sets assessed by the English teacher
english
Cycle 2
1st Grade 5 h/week
2nd Grade 6 h/week
3rd Grade 7 h/week
Cycle 3
4th Grade 8 h/week
5th Grade 9 h/week
esl (English second language)
Non-English speakers will receive beginner's English instruction up to 2 hours per week. Parents are encouraged to pursue afterschool activities in English such as sports, movies, dance, music...
OUTSIDE OF SCHOOL
FIELD TRIPS
Three field trips per year and per grade are organized by the school. They implement the curriculum by encouraging direct contact with the natural or cultural environment, with people at work or with original works of art (Zoo, fruit or vegetable picking, symphony orchestra, ceramic workshop, marine biology site...
