The international section in high school is attracting more and more families looking for a solid bilingual pathway for their teenager. This curriculum, recognized by the French National Education system, combines French programs with reinforced teaching in a foreign language. It leads to the French International Baccalaureate (BFI), appreciated for access to higher education in France as well as abroad. Are you wondering about the subject? Our bilingual high school in Paris sheds light in this article on how it works, its advantages and the conditions to calmly prepare your child for it.
Key Takeaways
Curriculum, examination, admission, pathway: here at a glance are the main pieces of information to remember about the international section in high school.
- The international section in high school is a curriculum recognized by the French National Education system that combines the French program with reinforced teaching in a foreign language.
- It differs from European sections by a greater number of hours in the language and by the teaching of certain subjects in the section language (DNL – non-linguistic discipline).
- Students can prepare for the French International Baccalaureate (BFI), which succeeded the former International Baccalaureate Option (OIB).
- Admission is based on a school record, a language test and sometimes an interview intended to verify the candidate’s level.
- A continuous bilingual pathway, begun from nursery school or middle school, greatly facilitates access and success in this type of curriculum.
International Section in High School: definition and official framework
The international section in high school refers to an official pedagogical device. It allows high school students to follow reinforced schooling in a foreign language, while preparing for their baccalaureate. The Ministry of National Education precisely sets its framework: number of hours, programs and methods for recruiting students.
This curriculum nevertheless differs from other international pathways. On one hand, European or Oriental Language sections (SELO) offer reinforced language teaching, but with fewer hours. On the other hand, international high schools also educate foreign students within sections specific to their mother tongue. This diversity can be confusing for families.
In the continuity of a bilingual pathway begun from nursery school, the international section often constitutes a logical next step. This is notably the case for students from our bilingual school in Paris 16th. Accustomed from the earliest age to teaching in two languages, they approach high school with a clear advantage.
How is the international section in High School organized?
The international section in high school is based on a precise pedagogical organization, defined by ministerial decree. This framework provides that students follow the same teaching as their classmates, while benefiting from additional hours in the section language.
The number of hours and subjects taught
The core of the device rests on reinforced teaching in the section language, broken down into several subjects. This framework guarantees both linguistic mastery and cultural immersion for students.
Concretely, this represents at least 4 hours per week of reinforced teaching in the chosen language. These hours are organized around two to three disciplines:
- Literature and knowledge of the section language, taught by a native or specialized teacher.
- A non-linguistic discipline (DNL) such as history-geography, mathematics or sciences, taught in the section language.
- Sometimes an additional subject, depending on the establishment, in order to reinforce cultural immersion.
Qualified teachers and adapted assessment
The demanding nature of this curriculum also rests on the quality of supervision and on specific assessment modalities, which complement the baccalaureate framework.
Teachers are generally certified professors in their subject and native speakers of the language taught. Assessment, for its part, remains that of the French baccalaureate, enriched with additional tests specific to the international section.
Choice of language and time of entry
Joining an international section requires anticipating both the choice of curriculum and that of the section language. These two decisions benefit from being thought through in advance to avoid a difficult transition.
The section language itself can change between middle school and high school, provided one prepares for it seriously. This change remains entirely possible, but it requires an already solid level in the new target language. Indeed, establishments evaluate candidates independently of their previous pathway. It is therefore better to prepare for the admission test several months in advance, in order to approach this transition calmly.
École Galilée’s advice: the international section is chosen from 10th grade onwards. A change of mind during high school remains possible, but implies catching up on a significant volume of language and non-linguistic discipline (DNL) classes. It is therefore better to think about this choice in advance, in connection with your teenager’s higher education project.
The benefits of the international section for teenagers
Joining an international section in high school does not only provide a linguistic background. This demanding curriculum also builds academic and human skills that accompany the student well beyond the baccalaureate.
Academic advantages for higher education
On the academic level, the international section gives teenagers a particularly solid linguistic and cultural foundation, which proves precious from the very start of higher education.
Indeed, teenagers in the international section develop a very high linguistic level and a solid cultural openness. These achievements serve them throughout their academic and personal pathway. Moreover, according to L’Express Éducation, these students stand out for their autonomy and oral ease, which are precious in higher education.
The French International Baccalaureate furthermore opens the doors of the best universities, in France as well as abroad. This diploma indeed benefits from appreciable recognition beyond French borders: it allows access to many Anglo-Saxon, European and international universities. It thus demonstrates a strong linguistic and cultural mastery, highly valued by admissions juries in higher education courses outside France.
Lasting personal enrichment
Beyond academic results, this bilingual pathway also transforms the way teenagers approach others and the world around them.
On a personal level, the international section helps teenagers gain self-confidence. They thus learn to express themselves in front of an audience and to work as a team with classmates from varied backgrounds. This maturity acquired in high school constitutes a lasting asset for their student and professional future.
How to prepare for entry into the international section from middle school?
Entry into the international section cannot be improvised. Between admission criteria, the linguistic progression to be built over the long term and financial aspects, several parameters deserve to be anticipated by families.
Admission criteria
Admission to the international section in high school rests on three criteria: a solid school record, a language test and, sometimes, an interview. The latter, when planned, aims to evaluate the candidate’s oral ease. At the end of this process, the level retained corresponds to bilingualism or a very good B2/C1, depending on the language and the establishment.
The importance of a continuous bilingual pathway
Successfully passing the admission test requires already having an advanced language level. For this reason, preparation benefits from being spread over time, well before entering high school.
This preparation indeed begins well before 10th grade. A continuous bilingual pathway, begun from nursery school, allows one to have a precious linguistic and cultural foundation. Thus, children accustomed to both languages on a daily basis then approach the entry test with greater serenity.
This is precisely the type of pathway we offer at École Galilée. It begins from our bilingual nursery school in Paris, continues within our bilingual middle school in Paris, and the opening of a 10th grade class now makes it possible to extend it through to high school, with continuous individualized support.
The cost
Beyond the pedagogical project, choosing the ideal high school also involves the question of budget, which varies greatly from one establishment to another.
The fees for an international section in a private high school vary widely depending on the establishment, its location and its status as an independent or state-contracted school. For information purposes, it is advisable to directly request a quote from the school concerned.
Is your teenager considering joining an international section in high school? At École Galilée, we support high school students in a bilingual, multicultural and supportive framework, designed to develop both their linguistic mastery and their autonomy. Contact us to discover our establishment and discuss your child’s academic project with our team.
Source:
L’Express Éducation, Suivre une section internationale au lycée : un vrai plus: https://lexpress-education.com/articles/suivre-une-section-internationale-au-lycee-un-vrai-plus/