The Franklin Bilingual Program

The Franklin Program

Gymnase Jane Sturm is also a prestigious bilingual school. Students have the option of taking French only courses, German and French courses, or English and French courses. The Franklin program is the name of the Bilingual English and French program that allows students to be fluent in English as well as take all of the classes they will need to pass their huge exam at the end of their senior year. The Franklin program has many goals and standards that they follow to educate their students to the best of their abilities. The idea of learning how to speak English opens up the door to internationalism, and possible acceptance to universities in America, England, and Australia. The program promotes collaboration, interdisciplinary studies, small classes, communication, individual development, and the capacity to solve complex problems. The idea of learning a different language allows them to explore the same topics that they have been learning about before but from a different perspective. The small classes are spoken entirely in English (though there is some whispering and side conversations in French)

Students in the bilingual Franklin program alternate between French and English classes throughout their 10 hours of school a day. This program begins in sixth grade and lasts till their senior year of high school. (though currently the program is still in it’s guinea pig stage because the oldest students in the program are only in 11^th grade. The students take their full French course work , but instead of other electives the students take English classes. The 6^th and 7^th graders end up taking more hours of course work then other students, but this lessens as they go in the program so that they can still take any electives that they may want to. The English classes and the number of hours a week the students attend the class are as follows:

6^th and 7^th Grade

• ·         Language Arts and Literature- 3(hrs)
• ·         World History -2
• ·         Theatre- 3
• ·         Creative Problem Solving- 2
• ·         Applied Media Arts- 1

8^th and 9^th Grade

• ·         Language Arts and Literature- 3
• ·         World History- 2
• ·         Theatre- 2
• ·         Creative Problem Solving- 2
• ·         Themes in Career and Culture- 1

10^th Grade

• ·         Exploring Internationalism- 2
• ·         Sociology -3

11^th Grade

• ·         Exploring Internationalism II- 2
• ·         Individual Human Development (psychology)- 3
• ·         Preparation for Bachelorette Exam- 1

 (12th Grade is a work in progress, the oldest students in the program are in 11th grade.)  

*Though the students are also taking literature and world history in French the students enjoy seeing the material again, because it is easier to talk about things in English when they know the subject material and and it allows them to see the American and English viewpoints instead of just the French side of things

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The Franklin program is mostly geared towards having the students read and write instead of focusing on exposing them to brand new information. The students need to practice their English skills so that they can be proficient speakers. Travel opportunities are supported and the students truly get to express their thoughts through discussions, and writings to help fuel their English language abilities. They even read individual novels the first two  trimesters and do a book project on them, so by the time they graduate they would have read 14 novels in English!

This program is amazing and allows the students to have fun and relax because their isn't as much homework or pressure in these classes which are more discussion, than lectured based.