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Passport Class Program

General Description


Bilingualism is a life-long gift you can offer to your child. Study after study has shown that
young children, aged three and above, have a high neural plasticity or flexible brain wiring.
They are naturally open and able to learn in another language.
 
The French American School of Rhode Island (FASRI)’s “Passport Class” Signature Program
provides a window of opportunity to students in lower elementary school to get
a fully immersive bilingual education usually reserved at the entry point of ages 3 to 5.  
The Passport students benefit from accelerated intensive French Language Track with
a certified and specialized teacher in order to join regular classes as quickly as possible.

The intellectual challenge proves to be an exhilarating and transformative journey that nourishes
not only their academics but also their character development. The academic development of
students in learning in two languages is the same for any child, regardless of the language
spoken at home and the culture of origin of their parents. Children with no francophone
backgrounds have the exact same potential to succeed in our program as do those with some
exposure to French.

In order to successfully benefit from the FASRI Passport Class Program for International
Students, strong foundations in the English language are recommended. Any native
speakers of other languages are very welcome in the program. Students will continue to
study in English all subject areas of the American curriculum while acquiring French as a
robustly assimilated second language in three or two years.


Framework of the Passport Class Program - Grades 1 to 3


Passport Students benefit from specific French Language Acquisition Classes.
 
Grades 1 to 3
 

 

45-minute periods of instruction / week

 

Year 1

 

 

Year 2

 

Year 3

 

Passport Class (French Language Acquisition)

6 to 7 periods

(from regular French)

3 to 4 periods

(from regular French)

To be determined depending on the student’ s needs

 

Passport Support classes during regular classes taught in French

2 periods

(during math classes)

To be determined depending on the student’ s needs

To be determined depending on the student’ s needs

 

 

Teaching Approach – Passport Classes


Students attend the French Language Acquisition Class (Passport Class) in order to build
from scratch strong foundations in French in the four language competencies: oral
comprehension, oral expression, written comprehension and written expression.
Competencies develop at a different pace from learner to learner: individualized instruction,
project-based instruction, active learning strategies and formative assessments are keys
to support the learning journey.

Progress is closely monitored within the Learner Profile Evaluation process of the Common
International Framework of Reference for Languages.

The learning experience in the French Language Acquisition Class aims at learning how to
speak, read and write French, with a primary goal of reaching a level of comfort in French.
This comfort level gives learners confidence to attend the regular math, science, social studies, 
physical education, and Art classes taught in French as quickly as possible.
Within two years, Passport students can attend regular classes in their age group class
with little extra support or none.

Taught by a specifically certified teacher (FLE Teacher), the Passport Class is designed to
the specifics of non-fluent speakers learning style. Materials and content are also carefully
chosen in relation to the regular subject area classes, giving students all the additional
vocabulary tools for math, science and social studies classes.
 

Journey toward French Proficiency


FASRI offers the opportunity to take the Diploma in French Studies (DELF) in 2nd, 5th and 8th
grades. The Diploma in French Studies certifies French-language abilities.

With a B2 level, international students can demonstrate competitive-edge language skills for
college in the USA as well as access Higher Education in France.

Each learner has a different learning journey, depending on character traits, contexts and other
specificities. With the support of the Passport Program in the framework of FASRI dual-lingual
program, students who started at FASRI in the Passport Program could be expected by the end
of 8th grade to be working in French between A2 and B1 levels.
 

Level group

Level group name

Level

Level name

Description

A

Basic user

A1

Breakthrough or beginner

●      Can understand and use familiar everyday expressions and very basic phrases aimed at the satisfaction of needs of a concrete type.

●      Can introduce themselves and others and can ask and answer questions about personal details such as where he/she lives, people they know and things they have.

●      Can interact in a simple way provided the other person talks slowly and clearly and is prepared to help.

A2

Waystage or elementary

●      Can understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment).

●      Can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters.

●      Can describe in simple terms aspects of their background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.

B

Independent user

B1

Threshold or intermediate

●      Can understand the main points of clear standard input on familiar matters regularly encountered in work, school, leisure, etc.

●      Can deal with most situations likely to arise while travelling in an area where the language is spoken.

●      Can produce simple connected text on topics that are familiar or of personal interest.

●      Can describe experiences and events, dreams, hopes and ambitions and briefly give reasons and explanations for opinions and plans.

B2

Vantage or upper intermediate

●      Can understand the main ideas of complex text on both concrete and abstract topics, including technical discussions in their field of specialization.

●      Can interact with a degree of fluency and spontaneity that makes regular interaction with native speakers quite possible without strain for either party.

●      Can produce clear, detailed text on a wide range of subjects and explain a viewpoint on a topical issue giving the advantages and disadvantages of various options.

C

Proficient user

C1

Effective operational proficiency or advanced

●      Can understand a wide range of demanding, longer clauses, and recognize implicit meaning.

●      Can express ideas fluently and spontaneously without much obvious searching for expressions.

●      Can use language flexibly and effectively for social, academic and professional purposes.

●      Can produce clear, well-structured, detailed text on complex subjects, showing controlled use of organizational patterns, connectors and cohesive devices.

C2

Mastery or proficiency

●      Can understand with ease virtually everything heard or read.

●      Can summarize information from different spoken and written sources, reconstructing arguments and accounts in a coherent presentation.

●      Can express themselves spontaneously, very fluently and precisely, differentiating finer shades of meaning even in the most complex situations.