For two years, the Zacharie-Lafage school in Cahors has adopted an innovative system to facilitate the learning of English. An early immersion which renews the teaching and seduces.
“The white ones, you stay on the ground. The orange ones, I need a captain.” The sports session that the little CPs at the Zacharie-Lafage school take part in is a challenge. A classic ball game between two teams, but which takes place in English. For two years, the school in the city center of Cahors has been part of the Emile system, meaning, in the language of national education, the teaching of a subject integrated with a foreign language.
“Going through the motions makes it easier to assimilate the vocabulary”
Concretely, children in CP but also CE1 benefit from 1 hour 30 minutes per week of additional English practice compared to their peers. Not a classic textbook course, but learning another subject, sport and music in this case, in the language of Shakespeare. It is Anne Margaix, teacher of a CM1-CM2 class, who volunteered and takes charge of the smaller classes during this particular time.
Having traveled extensively in England, his profile corresponded perfectly to the Emile system. “At the beginning, the children told me “I don’t understand anything”she smiled. But after a few weeks, the apprehension of listening disappears.” Going through the body, joining the gesture, facilitates the assimilation of the vocabulary. “Catch the ball”, “Listen to me”: the instructions are simple, but the words impress young ears. English becomes familiar.
An element of the school’s identity
Anne Margaix immediately joined. “It’s very stimulating for me too,” she confides. “And for the students it’s a great added value,” adds director Patrick Cujus. “It contributes to the identity of our school.” Each year, Emile gains ground, with new CPs integrating the system. In five years, all classes at Zacharie-Lafage will benefit.
However, the system still remains timid in Lot schools. Jean-Moulin in Pradines was a precursor a few years ago; Figeac schools are working on the use of Spanish. “Our desire is to harmonize the development of the system between the eight departments of the academy. The idea is to strengthen the network, particularly in the rural departments”, explains Karim Benmiloud, rector of the Toulouse academy, visiting educational establishments on Thursday May 7, accompanied in particular of the prefect Marilyne Poulain and the mayor of Cahors Vivien Coste.
Make the connection with middle and high school
Sophie Sarraute, departmental director of National Education, is convinced: languages must become a marker of attractiveness and identity of the territory. The “Choose Lot” project supports this dynamic, by identifying the “dormant resources” of our essential teachers. “We support them, through training and by promoting immersion in the language.”
It is also about ensuring continuity with middle and high school. In Cahors, Gambetta and Clément-Marot offer European English sections (and also Spanish at high school). That’s good, these are the sector establishments of Zacharie-Lafage. The link is made.
Languages, music and memory
The visit of the rector of the academy to Cahors on Thursday had three themes as a common theme: language learning, music and memory work. After seeing the Zacaharie-Lafage schoolchildren playing sports and singing in English, Karim Benmiloud went to the Clément-Marot high school. English and Spanish Euro sections, Bachibac, choir and orchestra concert, and student fresco on the Second World War: the city center high school ticks all the boxes. The visit then extended to Oradour-sur-Glane, where the rector joined fifty college students from Castelnau-Montratier on the ruins of the martyr village.
