Austin International School

Austin International School

Written by Katherine Kennedy Friday, 07 September 2007

School teaches global education at a local level.

American families differ from French families in deciding what age is appropriate to begin an educational program, said Eric Thuau, executive director for Austin International School. He said that French families believe 3 years old is the appropriate age, while Americans believe closer to 5 years old.

“Children are ready to learn at 3, not just begin day care. It is the best age to learn and start fully comprehending,” Thuau said. “If a child doesn’t learn a foreign language early, it becomes much more difficult and harder to switch over. The best gift you can give to kids is for them to be prepared and trained to adjust to differences.”

AIS opened in April 2001 under the name Lycée Française d’Austin, in response to a growing demand for studies approved and accredited by the French Ministry of National Education. Thuau also said that the interest in French-American education is strong with almost 40 French schools in the United States (mainly in big cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles and New York) and three in Texas.

“We receive calls from everywhere from parents who won’t relocate unless their child can be enrolled here,” Thuau said. “It helps to develop companies in the Austin area because high-qualified engineers’ first concern is their child’s education. They want to know their child will receive the best education before they move here.”

The curriculum at AIS is taught in three languages: French, English and Spanish. It is based on French curriculum with American components including American history, geography and literature.

“We don’t only teach the language; we teach using the language,” Thuau said. “We encourage them to open their mind to different cultures. In our school, the students are made up of 24 nationalities and speak 16 languages, and the staff is of 10 nationalities.”

The goal of the program is to prepare students to pass the International Baccalaureate and the French Baccalaureate, which Thuau said is a great achievement.

“Students benefit from the high academic level of education when they are immersed in a multicultural environment,” Thuau said. “Also, they learn to speak fluently in the languages and strengthen their personality by opening their minds and their capacity to adjust in any environment.”

AIS is a non-profit association that raises money to ensure no shortfalls in its budget and to limit the annual increase in tuition.

“Our community is so supportive of our school. I have managed international schools in Africa and Turkey, and I have never seen this support before,” Thuau said.

Thuau’s reasons to give your child a multilingual education:

• A multilingual child has increased understanding, appreciation and tolerance for differences in people from other countries and cultures.
• A multilingual child has a head start in language requirements in college.
• Americans fluent in other languages enhance our economic competitiveness abroad, improve global communication and maintain our political security interest.

Austin International School, 12001 Oak Knoll Drive, Austin TX 78759, 331-7806, www.AustinInternationalSchool.org

0 Comments