Seamless Curriculum
Austin International School is recognized for its strong and broad-based academic curriculum, its progressive math program and its high-quality, international education. Students are not only immersed in French, English and Spanish, they are also educated in all subject areas using these languages. The program encourages intellectual curiosity, as well as critical and analytical thinking. In addition, students focus on other essential life skills such as socialization, independence, organization and responsibility. Austin International School uses a seamless curriculum for all grade levels from pre-kindergarten through fifth grade which incorporates the strengths of both the French and American systems of education. This ensures that students will be able to make a smooth transition into the American or French education systems or anywhere in the world after fifth grade. Small class sizes enable a supportive learning environment and much individualization of the program.
Teachers
Austin International School’s teachers are highly motivated, enthusiastic and very dedicated. The teachers come from seven countries around the world, bringing to the classroom a wealth of experiences and talents. The faculty is composed of 16 unique and inspiring teachers with a passion for teaching, all of whom are native speakers of the language they teach.
French Program
Austin International School is accredited by The French Ministry of Education for all grades. Austin International School also has the support of the Mission Laïque Française, a non-profit organization promoting French language and culture. Students take French standardized tests in second grade and fifth grade. Report cards are issued and parent/teacher conferences take place each trimester. Parents are also able to see their child’s teachers for an individual appointment at any time throughout the school year.
Languages
Students receive 60 percent of their instruction in French in all grades from pre-kindergarten to fifth grade and the remaining 40 percent is divided between English and Spanish. Teaching through immersion allows the students to be immersed in the language itself, the subject matter that is being taught and the culture surrounding the languages. This enables the students to become proficient/fluent in each language as well as master the content of each subject taught across the curriculum. Most children have the capacity to learn two or more languages and children who learn more than one language before adolescence will acquire those languages with more ease and “nativelike” ability than they would trying to study those languages as adults. Proficient bilinguals outperform monolinguals on language and academic achievement tests as well as have overall enhanced school performance and superior problem solving skills. Bilingualism provides greater economic opportunities as well as increased personal and cultural opportunities.
Accreditation
Austin International School is accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) for Pre-school and Kindergarten and the French Ministry of Education for pre-school through fifth grade.
