The European School Karlsruhe offers three main language sections from Nursery through Primary to Secondary culminating in graduation with the European Baccalaureate:

• German Section
• English Section
• French Section

A key aim of the Kindergarten is to strengthen your child’s native language and to build a solid foundation for successful learning throughout his/her academic career. We define a language as being “native” when it is known by the child from birth, is the dominant language and the language in which the child ‘feels at home’. The parents of bilingual children can select the language department in which their child will be enroled. Children will remain in the same language section when they transfer to primary.

With the right language choice, you give your child the opportunity to build solid friendships with other children and to acquire language skills needed for positive future schooling.

In addition, the tuition in the mother tongue is offered in nearly all European languages.

The Special Role of Language

Spoken and written language is, in our society, the dominant medium in which we communicate, share our ideas and values and resolve differences. The first word that a child speaks, the first image it paints are important milestones on the way. Access to books and works of art, to media, encounters with other languages, all enrich linguistic skills and help promote children’s understanding of different cultures and how we can co-exist.

We provide many opportunities for children to communicate and interact with their peers and adults. The children are encouraged to follow conversations, express their opinions and to listen to others. All of which contributes to the development of critical thinking.

‘European Hours’

Each week the Kindergarten children are given the opportunity to play in mixed language groups. ‘European Hours’ takes place one afternoon per week. During this time the children visit one of the Kindergarten classes where they will sing songs and play games associated with that particular language section. Through songs and games the children will be exposed to simple phrases, vocabulary and numbers 1-10 in English, German and French.