Summerland Montessori offers a unique early French program for all students. Our children receive daily instruction beginning in Kindergarten. Many of our students have gone on to the French immersion programs in high schools, successfully integrating all that they have learned from this early exposure.
At SMS, Marie-Line Collis teaches children daily French utilizing “The Accelerative Integrated Methodology” (AIM), which is an active second-language approach that aligns very well with the Montessori philosophy and allows even very young students to rapidly develop fluency skills. AIM is designed to parallel a first language learner’s natural language acquisition. In this method, all types of learners are supported as there is an emphasis on kinesthetic, auditory, and visual acquisition of the language through use of stories and drama with music and dance. As a result, in the French class, the students are active participants, engaged and proud of their accomplishments.
Children joining SMS in the upper elementary grades may start in the Grade 1/ beginner classroom to learn the foundations of the Montessori program. This supportive transition helps students build confidence, develop essential skills, and gradually integrate into the classroom environment and curriculum.
To learn more about AIM Learning click here.
