October 19, 2009

For more than 10 years, The International School of Charlottesville has been dedicated to providing language immersion education. The children are taught French and Spanish, and once they pass through school doors, they turn off the English.

"So being immersed in a foreign language for them is something that's natural. English was just as foreign for them a year ago," said Director of Admissions, Anne Burroughs.

With the changing cultural landscape of the United States and the rise in global business, Burroughs says it will become a necessity for children to learn another language.

"It's easy to feel that the world looks like Charlottesville, but it really doesn't. For the children to be able to understand other cultures and be curious about them is important," said Burroughs.

Observing a class at The International School of Charlottesville, you can hear the children easily picking up on the pronunciation and accents, capitalizing on their young age. The teachers are native speakers and bring their own culture to the classroom. In the pre-kindergarten program, students learn both French and Spanish for a year. Following that year of study, the child's parents select a track to continue on.

Aside from learning new languages, Burroughs says students pick up on things not necessarily taught. One International School alum was able to use his language skills to assimilate a fellow first-grade student in the classroom.

Instilling a thirst for something new, accepting differences, and preparing a younger generation for this ever-changing world are just some of the goals of The International School of Charlottesville. The program has grown from five children at its inception in 1998 to 80 students today.

For more information on the education immersion program at the International School of Charlottesville, you can call 434-989-7064.