Bilingual education involves conducting the educational process in two different languages. Experts suggest that children can learn more during the early education period of their lives, especially the first 2000 days. Students who have a glimpse of bilingual or multilingual at the beginning are more capable of learning it afterwards in life. It has become an increasingly popular concept with the surging globalization. People are not confined to their geographical locations anymore. The world is a global village now.
Why is bilingual education required in Belgium?
Belgium is a beautiful country in the vicinity of Europe. It lies in the heart of Europe with its vibrant culture, natural beauty and a touch of history and art-making it a popular tourist attraction.
The capital of Belgium, Brussels, is the home of NATO and EU headquarters. There are several multinational companies in the country. They are a reason for attracting skilled international human resources. You must also have listened to the high-class business events there. It all makes it a place for great international attraction.
People move to Belgium and particularly Brussels to have better opportunities to raise their standard of living. The country is known for having a well-planned educational and healthcare system. The infrastructures are highly well-maintained. They offer the best quality services to residents as well as tourists and visitors. According to stats, the three most widely spoken languages in Belgium are French, Dutch and German.
Another reason that makes it an attractive place for foreigners is the stable law and order situation. It is considered one of the safest countries for foreigners.
Benefits of bilingual education
Bilingual education is considered to play a crucial role in the mental development of students. Following are its key benefits.
- According to studies, multilingual or even bilingual minds are more capable of adaptability. They are better at certain essential skills, including problem-solving and critical thinking. Such students are good at professional services such as dissertation writing service uk.
- A very interesting thing about them is that they can memorize better also. They are better at critical thinking and categorizing information based on importance or relevance.
- They are better planners.
- They can focus well and are good at multi-tasking.
- Bilingual individuals have more flexible minds. They are habitual of quickly switching between two languages. Their minds allow them to understand, translate and speak two different languages.
Best bilingual schools in Belgium
Belgium consists of a great number of international residents. To cater to the educational needs of its international as well as local population, it hosts many bilingual, multilingual and international schools.
The bilingual schools usually use English and French as a medium of instruction. Some schools have English and Dutch as the bilingual languages. It includes pre-primary, primary and secondary schools. Following are the best bilingual schools in the country.
British School of Brussels
British School of Brussels is a well-known international school offering education to students aged 1-18 years. The bilingual program is offered to students from the age of 4 till 14. This includes primary and secondary education. The program includes English and French languages. Students who do not have English as their first language can get an additional course for English. Besides French, other optional additional languages include Dutch, German and Spanish.
The school does not specify students to wear a uniform. However, they must follow a decent dress code. One thousand four hundred students in the school are managed through a class size between 15-25 students. Preschool education is only offered in the English language. However, from primary to secondary, students get to learn bilingual education.
It offers three pre-university routes to students, including A levels, BTEC vocational courses, and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. The yearly tuition fee ranges between 28,400 EUR- 36,325 EUR. This makes it one of the most expensive options for bilingual education.
Montgomery International School
Montgomery International School is another popular option for bilingual education in Belgium. It offers admissions to students aged between 4.5-18 years. The sections include preschool, Primary Year Programme (PYP), IB Middle Years Programme and IB Diploma Programme. It offers education in English and French and English only. The school follows a small class size with an averagely of 14 students in a class. The teacher to student ratio is 1:8.
The total number of students in the school is 150. It offers International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma. There is no uniform restriction but a dress code. It offers extracurricular activities also for the better development of students. Chinese and Spanish are offered as additional language courses. The yearly tuition fee ranges between 19000 EUR- 25000 EUR.
Montessori Kids
Montessori Kids is another bilingual school offering education in French and English. Located in Brussels, it offers admissions to children aged 1.5-12 years. The educational model followed in the school is based on the Montessori method. The sections include Creche, Preschool and Primary. It does not have a uniform, and kids can wear casual but decent dresses.
The school is divided into 4 sections considering the age groups. The classrooms are big and airy, allowing children to learn in a pleasant environment. It also includes a vegetable plot and a beautiful garden that make up a pleasant learning environment for kids’ mental and physical development.
Lycee Français Jean Monnet
Lycee Français Jean Monnet is a famous school offering bilingual education to students in Brussels. The students aged between 3-18 years are eligible to get admission. It has two campuses. One offers education in either English and French or French and German. The additional optional languages offered for the students include Chinese, Dutch, Italian, Spanish and German.
The school is divided into three sections: preschool, elementary, and college. It offers several curricular and extracurricular activities for students. There are also opportunities to participate in international programs such as OLFM and AND. The former is an orchestra of students, and the latter represents an inter-school French exchange program.
Wrapping up
Living in Belgium, you have multiple options to get your children bilingual education. Even if you are a local and not a foreigner, you can enjoy the benefits of a bilingual school. It is not limited to foreigners only. This way, your child will be able to learn two languages at a time and ultimately learn about two cultures. This will result in life-long learning and help him in the practical world.
