NDL Bilingual Early Years Programme – Opening a new chapter in learning
🇫🇷🇬🇧 Preparing every NDL student to thrive in a globalised world by nurturing curiosity, confidence and academic excellence from the earliest years.
The Bilingual Early Years programme is based on natural immersion in both French and English, drawing on British and French educational frameworks.
Children are supported daily by two full-time teachers, one French-speaking and one English-speaking.
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Why a bilingual programme at NDL?
Bilingualism is far more than a linguistic skill: it is a cognitive, cultural and social strength. Research shows that bilingual children develop greater mental flexibility, stronger problem-solving skills, and enhanced attention and adaptability.
Research shows that:
- bilingual children develop greater mental flexibility,
- stronger problem-solving skills,
- and enhanced attention and adaptability.
At Notre-Dame du Lac, we believe that mastering two languages opens the door to two worlds:
the culture and the future.
👉 Our ambition: to educate confident, open-minded students who are able to move naturally and fluently between two languages.
Programme Overview
A Living and Natural Bilingual Approach
Early Years: 100%
Simultaneous Immersion
- Immersion in both English and French.
- Daily vocabulary embedded in routines (getting dressed, weather, instructions).
- Strong emphasis on stories, songs and body language.
Objective: to enable children to naturally acquire the foundations of both languages.
Benefits for Students
By the end of the programme, students develop:
🌟 A natural and intuitive understanding of both languages
🌟 Enhanced cognitive flexibility
🌟 Stronger problem-solving skills
🌟 Deep cultural awareness
🌟 High confidence in oral expression
🌟 Solid and transferable academic skills
They become bilingual, curious, and ready to engage with the world around them.A Rich Environment Designed for Learning
We are gradually transforming NDL’s learning spaces to support bilingual learning through exploration and movement.
- Engaging reading areas
- Cultural immersion spaces
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Calm and quiet zones
- Visual learning supports (language-consistent displays)
- Daily group reading to enrich vocabulary
✔ 100% immersion in Early Years
✔ 50/50 language balance in Kindergarten
✔ 2 adults per class (2 teachers per class) + (4 assistants in Early Years)
✔ 8 classes involved in the programme (12e, 13e, 14e)
✔ Redesigned learning spaces
✔ Implementation aligned with international TWI recommendationsOur Educational Vision
The NDL Bilingual Programme offers progressive immersion in French and English, enabling each child to:
✔ Think, play and learn in two languages,
✔ Understand associated cultural nuances,
✔ Develop an open and multicultural identity.
This vision fully aligns with the school’s international development and best practices in bilingual education (Dual Language Immersion) .
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Our Approach:
Immersion & Excellence
One teacher
One Language
Each teacher communicates exclusively in their own language (without translation), reinforcing natural comprehension and authentic language acquisition.
Immersion
- 100% immersion in both English and French
- A balanced distribution of learning time between English and French.
Learning
Environment
- 100% bilingual classrooms
- Distinct routines, displays and materials for each language
- “Learning walls”, “reading corners” and “calm corners”, recommended by educational research to stimulate learning.
Learning
Through Action
- Stories, nursery rhymes, role play, projects and hands-on activities.
- Daily natural interactions with native speakers.
- Respect for children’s “silent period” when they need time before expressing themselves.
The Foundations of an International Pathway
The Early Years programme gently prepares children for the next stages of schooling by providing strong foundations, linguistic and cultural openness, and the confidence needed to grow and learn in a calm and supportive environment.
A Dedicated and Expert
Teaching Team
Michel Evans
Head of English Department
Jacqui Sisto
Coordinator of Bilingual Program
Judith Bell
Pre-School Director
Nicolas
Nové-Josserand
General Director