Category: France

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Making a wish for more bilingual education in schools

Dear friends,

A few weeks ago I received the Medal of Honor from the Committee of French-speaking Societies in the United States for services rendered to the French community through the Bilingual Revolution. I was also listed as one “who makes other people love France” by French business magazine Les Echos. I am deeply touched by these distinctions, but the truth is, it could not have been possible without the robust effort of parents, teachers, donors, and the unwavering support of the French Embassy and FACE Foundation.  Continue reading “Making a wish for more bilingual education in schools”

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The Medal of Appreciation of the Committee of French Speaking Societies

On December 12, in a ceremony presided over by M. Gérard Araud, Ambassador of France and M. Bertrand Lortholary, Consul General of France, Dr. Gérard Epelbaum awarded the Committee’s Medal of Appreciation to Alain Dupuis, a war veteran, and to me for my efforts in the creation of bilingual education programs in public schools – a more peaceful battle – and for my services to the French community. Continue reading “The Medal of Appreciation of the Committee of French Speaking Societies”

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[FR] Un intérêt grandissant pour l’éducation bilingue français-anglais au Texas

L’éducation bilingue se développe au Texas. Aux États-Unis, c’est l’un des États qui a ouvert le plus grand nombre de filières bilingues dans le primaire et le secondaire. Selon la Texas Education Agency, environ un sixième des 5 millions d’élèves dans les écoles publiques ou à charte du pays sont classés comme des “apprenants de l’anglais limités” (“Limited English Learners”). Bien sûr, tous les élèves peuvent s’inscrire dans une filière bilingue pour pouvoir devenir bilingue et bilettré. Continue reading “[FR] Un intérêt grandissant pour l’éducation bilingue français-anglais au Texas”

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Interest for French-English Bilingual Education Is Growing in Texas!

Bilingual education is growing in Texas which is among the leading states in the nation in the number of schools using bilingual programs at the elementary and secondary level. About a sixth of the almost 5 million students in Texas public and charter schools are classified as “limited English learners,” according to the Texas Education Agency. But any student can enroll in a dual-language program with the end goal of becoming bilingual and biliterate in two languages. Continue reading “Interest for French-English Bilingual Education Is Growing in Texas!”

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What 200 schools in 30 States and 116 cities have in common

200 schools in 30 states and 116 cities offer a French bilingual program in the United States. They serve approximately 40,000 children who each day are becoming more and more bilingual, bi-literate, and multicultural. The following directory lists schools that offer a K-12 day-time French dual language program, one-way immersion in French, and French curriculum schools. Whether public or private, these schools follow various models and pedagogical objectives. Yet, they all play a crucial role in educating children with a global mindset, and impacting both the local and global community that they serve. Continue reading “What 200 schools in 30 States and 116 cities have in common”

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[video] Conference “My Culture, Your Culture: International Education for Success in the 21st Century”

How do you identify yourself? Are you American? French? Mexican? Latino? African? Haitian? Canadian? Quebecois? As the world becomes increasingly integrated and interconnected, cultural identity has taken on new meaning and importance. The ability to understand our own culture and the cultural heritage of others is essential for our shared humanity. It is also a powerful asset in a world that is increasingly more interconnected and competitive.

On Saturday, April 12, we examined these topics at the Lycée Français de New York with leading educators, policy makers, entrepreneurs and practitioners from around the world. The conference “My Culture, Your Culture: International Education for Success in the 21st Century” explored cultural identity and diversity, and how best to prepare our students for success in the future. You can watch the video of the different panels below. Continue reading “ Conference “My Culture, Your Culture: International Education for Success in the 21st Century””

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[FR] [video] A New York, le français retourne à l’école – Radio Canada et TV5 Monde

Dans cette classe de maternelle de P.S. 110 – The Monitor School, une école primaire de Brooklyn, les enfants suivent un enseignement bilingue, avec des classes autant en français qu’en anglais. Laura Sutton, l’enseignante, leur apprend à lire et à compter en français le matin et en anglais l’après-midi. Les deux tiers de ces enfants, qui ont entre 5 et 6 ans, sont des petits Américains anglophones, les autres sont d’origine francophone. Continue reading “[FR] A New York, le français retourne à l’école – Radio Canada et TV5 Monde”

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[FR] “Etats-Unis : l’apprentissage du français, la nouvelle tendance new-yorkaise” – Reportage de France 2

Le journaliste Jacques Cardoze est venu réaliser un reportage sur les programmes bilingues de New York. Il a été diffusé lors du journal de 20H présenté par Laurent Delahousse le 21 février 2014 (durée: 00h40).
Continue reading “[FR] “Etats-Unis : l’apprentissage du français, la nouvelle tendance new-yorkaise” – Reportage de France 2″

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2014 Dual Language Teaching Scholars

The first French-English dual language program began in Brooklyn in 2007 with some very smart and committed parents, an extremely supportive principal, and an exceptional teacher. The dual language programs (DLP) are founded on an innovative pedagogy which offers students a rare and dynamic hybrid way to learn! The programs serve French-speaking and non-French speaking students in the same classroom and foster multicultural understanding and intellectual curiosity. As of September 2014, we will grow to serve over 1,300 students throughout New York City, in 10 schools from pre-K to 7th grade. But there is work to be done as there are 22,000 French speaking children in the city. Today we have more than 50 teachers but simply put, we need more.

Finding talented and qualified teachers is difficult. But it is the key to our success. Supporting teacher training and growth will have a direct impact on the expansion of the French-English dual language programs in New York.

The French Embassy and French-American Cultural Exchange have partnered with the Societe des Professeurs Francais et Francophone d’Amerique to offer an annual scholarship to future bilingual teachers. Continue reading “2014 Dual Language Teaching Scholars”

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My new year’s resolution for 2014: make bilingual education grow in more public schools, more neighborhoods, and more towns

For the last 7 years, I have helped parents and their children gain access to much needed French-English bilingual education, and together we created several bilingual programs in public schools.This work was featured in countless national and international media outlets, particularly for the work done with developing bilingual programs in public schools throughout the United States, and in New York in particular.

I have now become an advocate for bilingual education and initiated the French bilingual revolution (a very positive and pacifist one!). Why bilingual education? Because it is good education. Schools hosting bilingual programs benefit from the diversity of the population they serve and the diversity of the teaching staff, able to incorporate linguistic and cultural differences into their pedagogy. This model is also rich in cognitive advancement and beneficial to the brain’s executive control functions as illustrated by neuroscience researchers. Continue reading “My new year’s resolution for 2014: make bilingual education grow in more public schools, more neighborhoods, and more towns”