The Ecole internationale bilingue d'Angers, English "main course"

Nathalie Paulin est la directrice de la nouvelle Ecole internationale bilingue d'Angers qui ouvrira ses portes Quai des Carmes le 2 septembre. Dans un petit bureau aménagé au sein de l'immeuble du restaurant Le Favre d'Anne où les étagères accueillant nappes et serviettes de table sont toujours en place, Mme Paulin dévoile le "menu" de son école qui vivra bientôt sa première rentrée des classes. 

Angers Daily News.- How the Ecole internationale bilingue was set up?

Nathalie Paulin.- My mother established the Ecole internationale bilingue 32 years ago in Nice. In her childhood, she had had to follow her family abroad. So, she was educated in Italy, then in Usa. Back to France, she became teacher but, after a while in French public schools, she realized that she was not pleased with the way chidren were taught. Then she decided to launch a new school based on individual teaching because children do not have the same expectations at the same time. She was convinced of the ability of young children (until seven year old) to learn a foreign language and of the usefulness of English as an asset for professional career.

Adn.- What are the specifics of the teaching methods of the Ecole internationale bilingue for the primary level?

NP.- First, we work in classes which do not exceed 12 to 15 pupils. This is why we are not part of the Education nationale because in that case we should have to constitute classes with 30 persons. We have to pay the teachers by ourselves but were are free from Education nationale regulations. Secondly, the teachers are native from French and English speaking countries. The French teachers are due to speak only in French and the English or American teachers are due to speak to pupils only in their mother tongue : English. And third, the timetable is equally shared between French, on the morning with math, French language, history and English with English language, sciences, geography, on the afternoon. 

Adn. And how does the lear-ning process start?

NP. - With the under-standing of English first. Our method is based upon the vision of objects and on games. The pupils have to take interest and even to have fun learning English. Then, in a second time, they start to speak. As we go along, the children have examinations with an assessment centre based in Cambridge. 

Adn. - Why did you choose Angers to open a bilingual primary school and what are the first results?

NP. - Because there is a real quality of life here. We could have choosen Nantes in pure economic standpoint but we were looking for a place propitious both for the school and for the pupils. Moreover, Angers is quite involved in the learning of foreign languages with the English Library in Angers and the Confucius Institute. We have been very well helped by town hall which has been pleased with our project. Because we opened our office only 10 days ago, we did very few promotion of the school. But the hearsay worked and we have already registered pupils. Some are French. Others have foreign nationalities.

Adn. - Why did you choose the Favre d'Anne location for your school?

NP.- For months, we were looking for a place as large as 400 m2, in down town and fitted with an open-air space... Fortuitously, I met Pascal Favre d'Anne, the owner of the restaurant, who had already said that he wanted to have a break for the discovery of Asian cuisine. So he offered me to consider the location and we concluded. We have works to do before the return from summer holidays (September 2nd) both for indoor and outdoor activities of the pupils. So we are here for good.