In an ever more interconnected world, multilingualism is a valued asset. For many parents, finding the right bilingual school for their children has become an utmost priority. This article aims to guide and help parents through the process of identifying the best school for their child.

The growing interest in bilingual schools is linked to the developing globalisation of economic and social relationships. Mastering more than one language is a significant educational goal. A bilingual or multilingual person can communicate with others orally, as well as read and write with native-like mastery of punctuation, grammar, and structure. While vocabulary evolves throughout our lives, a bilingual individual has sufficient vocabulary to seamlessly immerse in a language.

There are several valuable advantages to bilingualism. Being bilingual opens doors and grants a multitude of professional opportunities in the international market. Bilingual people tend to integrate socially more easily. Bilingualism fosters open-mindedness about other ways of working and living. In an ever more globalised and interconnected world, companies value employees who can engage with a variety of national markets. Exposure to more than one language broadens awareness and facilitates integration in different communities. Scientific studies (Peal and Lambert in 1962, Bialystok and Martin in 2004, Blaye and Poulin-Dubois in 2010) underscore the many benefits of bilingualism. It boosts cognitive abilities, strengthens multi-tasking skills, and facilitates the learning of new languages. This explains why parents seek bilingual schools, as they rightfully expect such establishments to give their children the tools they need to grow and succeed in an international world.

Preferably, international schools should offer a curriculum that incorporates the best of a variety of national curricula. The teaching team should contain a diversity of nationalities and native speakers. The management team should reflect the international DNA of their school through its vision and experience. International schools should welcome a cosmopolitan student base. Immersion in a rich intercultural and multilingual environment helps students develop a more open-minded and mature outlook on the world, as well as strengthen their language skills.

Bilingual international schools should incorporate the aspects of bilingualism and internationalism mentioned above. They should provide balanced time and resources between the two languages of instruction and encourage their students to interact with each other outside of classes in both. A thought-out, tangible EAL/FAL (English/French as an additional language) support should be given to those who struggle with one of the languages, to help them engage with their peers and follow classes in that language quickly. Academic staff should be able to communicate freely in the two languages of the school. Teachers should teach in their mother tongue and have experience in teaching students in a language that is not native to them. As a result, students should attain oral and written proficiency in the two languages within two years.

Finally, international schools grant their students various national and/or international certifications. This point is essential because they open access to higher education systems. In order to enter (or reenter) the educational system of their choice, a student may need a specific diploma from an accredited school. Common certifications include the International Baccalaureate (international), A-levels (UK), Baccalauréat (France), High School Diploma (US), and Abitur (Germany). A French-English bilingual school should deliver at least the International Baccalaureate in both languages to allow its students to pursue studies in France and in the English-speaking world. A good choice would offer the A-Levels in English and the International Baccalaureate in French.

In summary, when choosing a bilingual school for their children, we advise parents to consider whether the school:

• • Offers balanced teaching in the two languages?

• • Favours an international curriculum rather than a specific national one? Such a curriculum will help children develop an open mindset and be more comfortable with different educational systems and approaches.

• • Has a tangible and tailored integration process for entering new students?

• • Provides accredited certification for the programs taught?

• • Has a program covering all levels and needed subjects through high school/secondary education?

• • Offers an international and truly bilingual environment for its students with international extracurricular activities available?
    
    

Schools which meet all these criteria are rare. Yet that does not invalidate those that do not tick all the boxes above. These elements are guidance points to help parents identify the bilingual school that answers the individual needs for the success of their child.

Emmanuel Fayad, CEO and co-owner-founder of Open Sky International schools group