What are sections européennes and what can we learn from them?
'Sections européennes' were first established in French schools in 1992. The aim was to put a greater emphasis on foreign languages in the curriculum, in light of globalisation and an increasingly integrated Europe.
By 2004 more than 160,000 students were involved, in over 3,000 schools in France. The French government aims to increase the current total by a further 20% by 2010.
How do sections européennes work?
Students in schools with a section européenne have additional language lessons, and learn part of at least one other curriculum subject in the foreign language. The most common language offered is English, followed by German, Spanish and Italian. There are also 'sections de langues orientales' for Japanese and Chinese.
Classes normally start in 'troisième' (year 10 equivalent, the final year in a college) with students in 'sections sections européennes receiving two additional language lessons per week. This is extended to three extra lessons per week when these students move to a lycée the following year. Here, they can also learn other subjects in the language. Subjects often taught in this way include history and geography (taught as a single subject in France) as well as mathematics and science. There are 'sections européennes' in general, professional and technical lycées.
Teachers and content
The 'content' teachers (professeurs de disciplines non linguistiques) are expected to have a high standard of foreign language skills, but in most cases have not been trained as language teachers.
The content subject is assessed mainly through an oral exam, with 20% of the mark based on work in class. The panel consists of one foreign language teacher and one teacher of a content subject.
Students are awarded a special 'section européenne' certificate alongside their baccalauréat, provided they gain a mark of 10 out of 20 for the subject taught through the foreign language.
Learning through languages
Learning subjects in a foreign language is now growing in popularity in England. It is referred to in a variety of ways, including bilingual or immersion teaching, as well as the official term CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning).
Visiting a 'section européenne' can enable teachers in partnership schools to reflect on how they might bring elements of CLIL into the curriculum at their own schools.
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