La Tour Paris - Anglophone Section

Academic English and the Anglophone Section. In the College. 6th grade – last year of Cycle 3 – (4 hours per week). Our priority in our 6th‑grade classes is to take into account the heterogeneity of students by offering differentiated and stimulating pedagogy. We rely on their enthusiasm and our passion for English to help them progress and to love the language. The program themes allow them to acquire solid knowledge of the Anglo‑Saxon world (historical, geographical and cultural references) and to develop their imagination. Our objective is to advance them in the five language skills (reading and listening comprehension, written production and spoken production in continuous or interactive form). In 6th grade, particular emphasis is placed on oral production (class routines, presentations, games, songs, plays) to foster greater self‑confidence in speaking. The level targeted at the end of Cycle 3 is A1, but our students more often reach A2 or A2+. The Big Challenge competition is offered to all students at the end of sixth grade. 5th, 4th and 3rd – years of Cycle 4 – (3 hours per week). Our priority in Cycle 4 is to offer immersive and reflective pedagogy enabling openness to the world and to anglophone culture while drawing on the program themes and offering authentic documents and activities with greater linguistic complexity. Our sequences and projects take root in the geography and the cultural calendar of the anglophone world. We aim to broaden our students' horizons while making connections with the world around us. We offer students the opportunity to explore Great Britain, Ireland, Australia, the United States, India and South Africa through literary works, film excerpts and also through creative and theatrical activities. Our aim is to develop the five language skills in our courses but also beyond the classroom: we want to spark our students' curiosity, encourage them to make connections and transfer their knowledge through project‑based pedagogy, push them to develop strategies and methods to strengthen their confidence. The level targeted at the end of Cycle 4 is A2, but our students most often reach B1 or even B1+. Our Cycle 4 projects include a charity day (Red Nose Day) and a trip to Ireland in 5th grade. In the Lycée (High School). Seconde. In 2nde, the level targeted goes beyond the themes studied in Cycle 4, since in the lycée it is about describing with greater precision, arguing, and explaining an increasingly nuanced thought. In the second year, students will: receive instruction through a program organized around the theme “The Art of Living Together” which covers topics among 8 notions of Education Nationale; continue to develop the five language skills in class and beyond by sparking curiosity, creating links between knowledge from different disciplines, and developing strategies and methods; strengthen self‑confidence and critical thinking with the aim of expressing a relevant and personal thought; address any grammatical gaps so they are confident in the terminal cycle; reach level B1 or B1+/B2. Terminal Cycle: 1ère and Terminale. In the Terminal cycle, we focus on consolidation and nuance: consolidation of linguistic and communication skills, and nuance to achieve a relevant and personal thought and a structured and nuanced argument. This year, students will: receive instruction from a program developed around eight axes on the theme “Foundational Gestures and Worlds in Motion”; benefit from project‑based pedagogy that is more conducive to exchanges, documentary research and cross‑information; continue to work on the five language skills; work more in groups to deepen reflection and develop autonomy and creativity; enrich knowledge across disciplines; develop critical thinking; consolidate strategies and methods to support higher education studies; prepare for higher education by scheduling targeted revision sessions according to the timetable of their exams (Bi‑licence at Nanterre, Sésame, Accès, Avenir, etc.); reach level B2 or even B2+/C1, preparing well for the Baccalauréat and for higher education studies in France and abroad. The Anglophone Section. History of the Anglophone Section. La Tour's Anglophone Section was inaugurated in 1989 with 20 bilingual students. Today, the thriving Section has over 900 students in three distinct programs in the collège/lycée and over 200 students in the Wednesday afternoon Step Programs for primary school children. The Anglophone Section began with a single program, now called Etudes Anglophones, designed to provide a bilingual and bicultural education for students entering La Tour with a fluent level of spoken and written English. Anglais Avancé, an honors program for top students in Anglais Académique, created a second level adapted for non‑bilingual level students. Most recently, we added Anglais Renforcé in 6e and 5e to help as many La Tour students as possible make the jump into the Anglophone Section programs. Finally, our Wednesday afternoon Step Programs for primary students allow families to begin the language learning process even earlier. The Anglophone Programs for our students. Etudes Anglophones (EA). For bilingual students from 6ème through Terminale. Class hours: all official Anglais Académique hours plus two additional classes per week. Curriculum: Anglophone literature and history in English through age‑ and grade‑appropriate textbooks and materials taught in Anglophone countries taught by highly‑qualified, native‑speaker teachers. Anglais Avancé (AA). Taught by highly‑qualified, native‑speaker teachers. For students from 6ème through Terminale at the top of their Anglais Académique classes with excellent overall academic results. Class hours: one or two classes (depending on the grade level). Anglais Renforcé (AR). To give students in 6ème and 5ème that extra push and encouragement to open up and develop their skills in English in preparation for a possible entry into Anglais Avancé. Class hours: two classes. Taught by highly qualified, native‑speaker teachers. Our program's philosophy. As globalization has made the world a smaller place, our curriculum has evolved. While the program in collège concentrates primarily on the United States and Great Britain, the lycée literature and civilization courses introduce students to Anglophone countries outside of Great Britain and the United States. Since French students have little time to participate in extra‑curricular activities, our lycée Electives program enables students to choose some of their courses from subjects such as film‑making, debate, journalism, creative writing, social responsibility and marketing. La Tour's increasingly diversified student body has also led to the creation of a dynamic guidance program. Our New Student Mentoring program helps students from around the world adapt to life at La Tour and our Higher Education Advisers provides aid to students who wish to apply to universities around the world after they leave La Tour. If the curriculum has evolved over the years, our fundamental mission has never faltered: to provide an academically rigorous and supportive environment which enables students to achieve academic excellence in English and experience an Anglo‑Saxon learning environment. Our aim is to help students broaden their horizons by developing an awareness of the world around them and the confidence to meet their full potential and find their place in an ever‑changing world. Head of Anglophone Section: Benjamin Slade. Coordinator of “Anglais Avancé” and “Anglais Renforcé”: Emily Gerbeau. Coordinator of Step Programs: Kelly Chollet. Higher Education Advisers: Emily Velut. Anglophone Section Administrative Assistants: Liza Maronese and Colombe Renaudier. Admissions and Entrance Exams. A - Section Admission. 1. Études Anglophones. Students educated in France in a bilingual environment at home or in school; Students returning from the Anglophone Section of a French lycée abroad; Students returning from a bilingual school; Students having followed CNED courses while studying in an Anglophone or international school. Études Anglophones candidates must be capable of following the Education Nationale curriculum that prepares the French Baccalauréat in addition to having an excellent or bilingual‑level of English. 2. Anglais Avancé. Students at the top of their Anglais Académique classes in collège; Students having lived abroad or in a bilingual family and who have good oral and comprehension skills but lack training in reading and writing; Motivated students having developed strong English skills through summer programs / international experiences and diligence; Students working up to Études Anglophones by perfecting their skills. Anglais Avancé candidates must not only have excellent English comprehension and expression skills but must also have solid overall academic results in order to take on two more classes a week with Anglophone Section teachers in an all‑English‑speaking environment as a complement to their Anglais Académique program. B - Anglophone Section Entrance Exams. 1. Entrance Exams take place: Mid‑March for incoming 6èmes; Early July for incoming 5èmes to Terminales (and some 6èmes); Late August for those unable to attend other sessions. 2. Études Anglophones (EA) Exam: A two‑hour exam including dictation, grammar, reading comprehension, writing sample, and interview designed to determine whether candidates have the necessary English skills to spend all their English classes with Anglophone Section teachers working on grade‑appropriate Anglophone literature and history. Students who successfully pass this exam are invited into EA. Students who demonstrate good English skills, but do not meet the level requirements of EA may be invited to attend AA classes. 3. Anglais Avancé (AA) Exam: A ninety‑minute exam including dictation (for 6AA), reading comprehension, writing sample and interview designed to determine whether candidates (who continue in Anglais Académique with Education Nationale teachers) have the necessary skills to perfect their English through two classes with Anglophone Section teachers. They must be top students in their Anglais Académique classes. New students and families who are uncertain of which test to take should contact the Anglophone Section office before registering. C - Anglophone Section Admissions Procedures. 1. Candidates to La Tour. New candidates to La Tour must first be accepted to La Tour before applying to the Anglophone Section. Applications to La Tour begin early-October for incoming 6th to Terminale. Students accepted to La Tour may request to test for Études Anglophones (EA) or Anglais Avancé (AA). 2. La Tour students. Admission to Anglais Avancé. Requirements: excellent results in English and very good results in other academic subjects; 6AA: Invitations are extended after the 1st mini‑conseil de classe for entry in December. There is no entrance exam. Students may also be interviewed in the spring for the following school year. 5AA – 2AA: Invitations are extended after the 3rd trimester conseils de classe for entry in September of the following year. 3. Promotion of AA to EA. Each year a few particularly strong AA students from 5ème to 3ème are selected by the AA teachers to enter the EA program. Students are invited in the spring after the 3rd trimester conseil de classe for the following school year. Selection is based on students' results in AA throughout the year, particularly the results on the series of mock entrance exams given during the year and the students' motivation in addition to strong overall results in other academic subjects. Admission into Études Anglophones for students not in Anglais Avancé is quite exceptional and necessitates an interview with the Director and a complete entrance exam. PTA (Parent Teacher Association). The Board. The PTA Board is comprised of parents of Anglophone Section students who hold the positions of President, Vice‑President, Treasurer and Secretary in addition to the Head of the Anglophone Section. Anglophone Section parents and teachers are de facto members of the PTA. The Meetings. PTA meetings are held regularly throughout the school year and are open to all members. We encourage parents to attend our convivial and productive meetings and activities. Minutes are sent out following the meetings. The PTA is a particularly interesting way for new parents to participate in their children's Anglophone Section experience. Our Mission is: to reinforce our families' diverse Anglophone cultural experiences through holiday celebrations and gatherings; to facilitate the transition of new families into the Anglophone Section and La Tour; to provide information about the events and developments in the Anglophone Section through a newsletter and PTA meeting minutes; to improve the practical aspects of the educational experience by purchasing second copies of textbooks to be available at school and audiovisual equipment; to contribute financial assistance for trips and various extracurricular activities; to keep abreast of the ways the PTA can contribute through volunteer work, fundraising or financial assistance to enable the teachers and the students to continue the many extracurricular activities and events that make the Anglophone Section so unique.