French Classes for Kids in Ho Chi Minh City: FLE and FLSCO

Your child doesn't speak French yet?

At French International School Boule & Billes, children learn in French, from First Year (kindergarten) to Grade 5, following the French national curriculum. The school holds AEFE accreditation (Agency for French Education Abroad): your child can continue their schooling in France or at any French school in the world without losing a year. 100% of our pupils continue their studies in the French or international system after Grade 5.

Because lessons are in French, the school offers two tracks, led by a specialist teacher, so that a child who arrives speaking no French, or only a little, can find their place in class:

• FLE (French as a Foreign Language), to learn French and communicate;
• FLSCO (French as a Language of Schooling), to learn in French and succeed at school.

Both share one goal: your child's success at school and their flourishing.

Which track is right for your child?

• Your child has been to a Vietnamese or international school and doesn't speak French yet: FLE track, then FLSCO.
• One parent is French, but French is not yet your child's strongest language: FLE track, then FLSCO.
• Your child has already attended a French school and has the basics (level A2): FLSCO track.

How your child's track is chosen

1. When school starts in September, the teaching team gives the French national assessments.
2. Pupils who need it take a placement test with the FLE/FLSCO teacher, which measures their level and their needs.
3. The school puts together tailored groups based on the children's needs.

Throughout the year, the FLE/FLSCO teacher and your child's class teacher review their progress together and adjust the support they receive.

Levels from A0 to B1

Levels are measured with the CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages), the official framework that describes progress in a language:

• A0: discovering French;
• A1.1: first words and first sentences;
• A1: communicating simply;
• A2: communicating in everyday life;
• B1: expressing themselves independently.

The FLE track: learning French to communicate

For children who are discovering French or just starting to learn it. Your child leaves their class for group French sessions with the FLE teacher, then rejoins it for the rest of their lessons.

Semester 1: building the foundations

Intensive support to acquire the basics that everything else depends on. The goals:

• reach level A2 for a child starting from level A1;
• reach level A1+ for a child starting from scratch (A0);
• gradually become more independent, in conversation as well as in classwork;
• build the vocabulary, grammar and sentence-building foundations needed for the rest of the track.

Semester 2: moving toward independence

With the foundations secure, your child works toward level A2+, then toward B1 if they have already reached A2. Depending on their progress, several next steps are possible: moving on to the FLSCO track, fewer hours of French support, or gradually leaving French support altogether.

The FLSCO track: French for learning and succeeding at school

For children who have reached level A2: they have acquired and understood the main structures of the language. The focus is less on learning French than on refining it, and on using it in every subject. The FLSCO teacher works with your child in their own classroom, alongside the school teacher, to help them understand what is taught in math, science or grammar.

Semester 1: from A2 toward B1, consolidating and becoming independent

The goals:

• speak more fluently;
• make progress in writing;
• learn to self-correct;
• enrich and sharpen their vocabulary;
• better organize what they say and what they write;
• become independent in classwork in French.

Semester 2: consolidating B1 and preparing for the DELF

The independence gained in the first semester frees up time for the skills that level B1 requires. The goal: for your child to be able to take the DELF B1 (Diplôme d'études en langue française), an official French-language diploma that is internationally recognized and valid for life, then continue toward B2 in middle school. Level B1 is a benchmark in many French-language study paths. The exam is optional, and its fees are paid by the family.

Who supports your child

The FLE/FLSCO teacher

Maï-Ly Nguyen holds a master's degree in teaching French as a foreign and second language. She has taught a wide range of learners, including migrant teenagers with the Red Cross in Toulon, France, and students in public middle and high schools in Spain. She is also a DELF grader and examiner for the Ho Chi Minh City exam center.

Her teaching draws on cross-cultural experience and multilingualism: the languages and cultures each child brings from home are valued. Children learn through a variety of materials (textbooks, DELF preparation, videos, real-life documents) and through hands-on projects that give them a taste for challenges and teach them to speak in front of an audience.

Her role: helping your child find their place in class, working each week with their class teacher, designing sessions that meet both the CEFR and the French national curriculum, tracking their progress and reporting back to parents.

Your child's class teacher

The school teacher in charge of your child's class remains responsible for them in every subject. They adapt activities so that your child works on the same skills as their classmates, while the FLE/FLSCO teacher guides them toward independence.

Your role as a parent

When you enroll your child, you are told which track is proposed for them and you sign a letter of commitment: to encourage your child as they learn French, to follow the teaching team's advice, and to follow the program set for them throughout the school year.

Frequently asked questions

My child doesn't speak any French. Can they still enroll?

Yes. The school welcomes every nationality and every language background. The FLE track starts at level A0, for a child who is discovering French: in the first semester, the goal is to reach level A1+.

How long will it take before my child can follow lessons in French?

It depends on where they start. The track is built over the school year: a first semester to lay the foundations, a second to become more independent. A child who progresses quickly can reduce their French hours, or leave French support altogether, during the year.

We don't speak French at home. How can we help our child?

You can ask for a one-on-one meeting with the FLE/FLSCO teacher: she will go over your child's progress with you and how to encourage them at home. The school then keeps you regularly informed.

Can my child practice French outside class?

Yes, with the FLE after school activity: fun activities (books, videos, songs, drama) suited to their level.

How much do the French classes cost?

The price depends on your child's track and class level. It is shown per week on the Tuition Fees page.