You are here

Pre-School (Early Childhood Education-Maternelle-Educación Infantil)

At ISA, we believe that the children are capable of absorbing enormous amounts of information. Our immersion program allows them to learn their second language the same way they learn their first, naturally. We teach through the language using French or Spanish to build skills for the future, while creating an environment that familiarizes the child with the cultures of the program countries. Following the European Curriculum, our Early Childhood Education is divided in four classes: Section A (2-3 years old), Section B (3-4 years old), Pre-Kindergarten (4-5 years old), and Kindergarten (5-6 years old).


The French Curriculum is organized in the following six domains: Mastering the Language, Writing, Social skills as a student, Physical activities, Discovery of the world, and Sensing, Feeling, Imaging, and Creating. The Spanish Curriculum is organized in the following three domains: Self knowledge and independence, Environment awareness, and Languages: Communication, Representation, and Expression.

 

Sections A & B

The first big challenge for the students entering our sections A and B is to make the transition from their home or day care to a new school environment. They have to learn how to be in a school setting. That’s why our teachers continually adapt and expand their full immersion curriculum to meet the needs and interests of the students. They follow a consistent schedule.

 

The teachers introduce school routines such as “circle time” (stories, sharing, songs, poetry, and games), “discussion time” (language development, listening, and problem-solving), and “read-aloud time” (vocabulary, pre-reading skills). They plan various projects and theme-based instruction. They recognize and respect the developmental stages of children while taking into account the individual learning rates and styles of each child.

 

Section A Sample Schedule

Section B SampleSchedule

Pre-K & Kindergarten

The Pre-Kindergarten curriculum develops the acquisition of basic skills necessary for later academic success. The program focuses on structured activities and refining socialization. It will give the foundations for reading, writing, and problem solving. The skills acquired are gross and small motor development and the ability to concentrate, to control behavior, to analyze, to communicate, and to socialize.


The Kindergarten curriculum prepares children for the Elementary school within a nurturing environment. The program focuses on promoting creativity, problem solving and social interaction through strong language, reading, writing, and math activities. The development of listening and speaking skills in French/Spanish is facilitated through auditory and visual discrimination. Reading activities are designed to teach the concepts of space such as left-right and top-bottom orientation, chronology, and auditory perception. Writing activities help children to develop control in their hand movements and learn how to design shapes used in the cursive style mandatory in the French/Spanish curriculum. In both pre-reading and pre-writing, creativity and comprehension are developed.


The Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten cover a full range of activities: whole class instruction (circle time), individualized and center-based instruction, and social activities such as music, games, dramatic play, and snack time.


Center-based instruction called “workshop” or “atelier” or “taller” encourages cooperative learning and hands-on activities. Playtime develops social and creative thinking skills. Dramatic play and unstructured play encourage children to organize themselves, solve problems, communicate with one another, explore new interests, nurture their talents, and intensify their imagination.


We introduce a formal English class in Pre-Kindergarten (3 hours/week with one hour taught by the English teacher and the French/Spanish teacher) and 1 hour of Music taught in English. We use the same model for Kindergarten.

 

Pre-K Sample Schedule

Kindergarten Sample Schedule

 

For more information about the curriculum, please visit the website of the French Ministry of Education / Le Ministère de l’Education Nationale (look in “Les In-structions Officielles”) or the Spanish Ministry of Education / El Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia (look in “El Boletín Oficial del Estado (BOE)”).