Bilingual Schools in Singapore
CIS
Bilingual programme: Chinese-English, French-English
Annual tuition fees: $32,330-37,940
Age: Kindergarten to Grade 6 (French-English is Grades 1-2)
Highlights: 30 bilingual classes; new French-English programme, well-stocked library with more than 1,000 Chinese fiction books
As one of the first international schools in Singapore to offer a bilingual programme, CIS has both the experience and reputation for being a dual-language school. The school offers a bilingual Chinese-English programme from kindergarten through to Grade 6, with two qualified teachers per class (one native English speaker and one native Chinese speaker). In August 2018, CIS launched a French-English programme for Grades 1 and 2.
The bilingual programmes are offered at CIS’ two campuses – Lakeside and Tanjong Katong – and teaching is aligned to the IB’s PYP. For example, when studying the ‘Who we are’ inquiry unit students will learn the different body parts in Chinese, and how the brain functions in English.
Students attend classes in either English or Chinese/French on alternating days. To encourage students to become ‘bilingual, biliterate and bicultural’ the programmes focus on hands-on, immersive activities to teach not just the language but the culture as well.
The school says: “The bilingual programme at CIS combines stimulating language learning with the PYP to provide a unique opportunity for students to develop their language skills in an integrated and stimulating way.”
Read a full review here.
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