• French
  • English
  • Thai

Parity schedule classes

From September, 2019, parity schedule class mechanism will only be proposed to CM2 pupils.

The aim of bilingual education is to enable pupils to acquire language and cultural skills and also to develop knowledge and know-how in any area of education.
There are 2 teachers, and they work according the principle of one teacher/one language.
Education distribution is made between the 2 teachers.
As far as the English part is concerned, LFIB is willing to hire qualified staff, having a teaching degree issued in an English-speaking country or an English teacher degree issued by French National Education Ministry.
As far as the French part is concerned, teachers are graduated ones.
At CM2 level, programs are scheduled in accordance with parity: 50% English, 50% French.

At Elementary level, the timetable per language is:
• 12h00 of French language training French and English speaking
• 2h30 English language study
• 9h30 English speaking training (EMILE)
• 1h mandatory Thai language for everyone, or 4h Thai language if enhanced Thai option.

Timetables are set for two weeks. Here is one example:

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
WEEK A French English French English French
WEEK B English French English French English
In pairs teaching applicable timetable

Each bilingual class is attributed an in pairs teaching schedule.
For one hour a week, both teachers are in the classroom together and jointly lead activities linked to their class project. The two languages are simultaneously used in the classroom.

Training programs

Parity schedule classes define themselves as a French program training, performed half in French and half in English languages.
The French program is fully taught, and the language part, taught in English is modeled on the British National Curriculum.
Parity schedule classes are submitted, like other ones, to the regular visits of the Inspector of National Education, based in Bangkok, and they comply with AEFE’s guidance.
Thai language training is organized on the model of classical pathway.

Bridges

The harmonization of progressions and the use of the same training tools in French allow the creation of bridges from a classical channel class to a parity schedule class and opposite.
Pupils who are issued from French classes may join a parity schedule class till the month of January of the on-going school year, according to the available places. This pathway change may be proposed to the pupils who have the required level in French and English languages, checked by an evaluation test in spoken and written English and submitted to the advice of the ‘Cycle Council’ (Conseil de Cycle)

Parity schedule classes access procedure

As a reminder, starting from September, 2019 parity schedule classes will be open to CM2 pupils only.
When a place is available:
• We look at the waiting list. All the pupils attending the LFIB are systematically registered on the waiting list according to his registration date.
• Together with the teacher, we evaluate pupils’ fluency in French language, as well as their skills in terms of autonomy.
• A spoken and written test is made to evaluate the fluency level in English. Only the pupils certifying an ‘advanced’ or ‘upper intermediate’ level of fluency can join a parity schedule class.
• A mandatory exchange with families allow us to learn about the family project tied to the pupils’ joining a parity schedule class, and to ensure children will receive the necessary support. Because of its rapid pace, this program is requiring a full involvement from children and their families.

PLEASE, NOTE THAT:

1. Several weeks are necessary to the teachers, to precisely evaluate the French language fluency level of pupils, in the case they are new at LFIB. Joining a parity schedule class may occur several weeks after the school start. English evaluation tests will take place till December, except for the pupils coming from a parity schedule device agreed to the AEFE, who will join the parity schedule class upon their arrival, according the available places.

2. Pupils who do not pass the joining English test, keep their rank in the waiting list and may be tested again.