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Excellence Through Bilingualism

At FASRI the most important benefit of a bilingual education is how it opens a child’s mind to the world; building a deep understanding of differences and universal similarities. Bilinguals have a more informed, enlightened and empathetic view of people and cultures and this makes them better citizens of the world.

Younger children have a superior ability to learn a second language and the advantages of bilingualism are clear. Not only does speaking multiple languages help us to communicate with a wider range of people, but bilingualism, or multilingualism, confers distinct cognitive advantages to the developing brain.

How Does It Work?

Research shows that an international education fosters greater self-awareness about identity and culture, and sensitivity and respect for differences in ethnicity, race, gender, class, religion, physical ability or sexual orientation.

An International Edge

The FASRI experience is about more than the ability to say things in another language. Our school provides a unique training ground where young learners develop into intellectually agile and culturally competent thinkers. An international education allows students to transcend borders and engage with the world.

Whether their families come from Rhode Island or from another country in Europe or Africa, our students benefit as they connect each day with people from other nations and cultures. Our educators and staff come from Belgium, Estonia, France, the UK, Algeria, Ivory Coast, Senegal and the US and have worked and lived all over the world. Each member of our community contributes their own ideas, perspectives, and expectations and students gain the ability to engage and communicate with people across cultures and language. 

Our graduates are prepared to function within an interdependent global society: language is a key vehicle for this transformation. Thoughts undergo changes from language to language and from country to country and an international education not only allows students to perceive the world from multiple cultural vantage points, but it challenges them to define their ideas with greater precision. The ability to think in another language, beyond mere translation, provides a deeper understanding of the ideas that are expressed through language. By the time our students reach the Middle School, they are able to grasp complex and abstract ideas, synthesize information and form opinions in three languages.

The development of globally-minded thinkers lies at the heart of our mission. Our students will enter an increasingly internationalized environment, in their college careers and beyond, and they will be ready. They will approach thinking and problem solving collaboratively, they will seek out and apply an understanding of different perspectives to problem solving and decision making. Whether they ultimately pursue politics, diplomacy, science, work for an NGO, get a job in the arts, or enter the world of international business, they will have the ability to work and live thoughtfully and productively with people from many cultures.