Shaping global leaders: Inside Austin International School’s trilingual curriculum
“Being multilingual is so important to work with technology, and to work remotely and cross culturally,” director of advancement and communication Nikl Burke said.
With a curriculum that integrates language acquisition and cultural understanding, AIS ensures its students are ready to become leaders, innovators and global citizens.
Building a multilingual foundation
Accredited by the French Ministry of Education, the school maintains high educational standards. It emphasizes early language development through activities like cursive writing starting at age 3.
“In the younger years, there are Spanish, English and French teachers in the classrooms. They teach the same thing,” Burke said. “If the students are learning about shapes, they learn about it in all three languages.”
As students progress, French becomes the primary language for subjects like history and geometry. Spanish is integrated into science, technology, engineering and mathematics, innovation, and physical education. AIS is also preparing to offer an English track through its International Baccalaureate accreditation.
“The students who come in that don’t have a French background will fit in. They won’t have to become fluent, but they will partake in and be exposed to the French and Spanish curriculum,” Burke said.
This inclusive approach equips students from varying language backgrounds for global learning experiences and career opportunities.
Bringing language to life through international exchange programs
Language immersion at AIS extends beyond the classroom with international exchange programs. Fourth and fifth graders travel to France for up to two weeks, while eighth graders participate in a similar program in Spain, fostering cross-cultural friendships.
“We had 13 students here from Spain for an exchange program. By the end of it, there was a party in the auditorium, and the kids were saying, ‘We’re moving here. We love Austin. We love AIS. We want to live here,’” Burke said.
These trips, combined with virtual exchanges and pen pal connections, give AIS students the opportunity to build cross-cultural relationships that last a lifetime.
A curriculum built on standards and student success
AIS’s curriculum emphasizes high standards and personalized learning. Instead of standardized tests like State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, the school uses Measures of Academic Progress testing, which adapts to each student’s responses and tracks their academic growth over time.
“The MAP test is about learning about the individual child. It’s incredible. It adjusts to how the student is answering questions. It shows how their score fluctuates throughout their time at AIS. We can see their growth potential,” Burke said.
A global community
AIS is home to a diverse community, with families from over 60 nationalities and more than 24 languages spoken at home. This multiculturalism is celebrated through events like International Week.
“We do an international week each year,” Burke said. “Each grade picks a different country to study and the students visit each other’s classrooms to learn about it. At the end of the week, the families come in. There’s big songs, there’s food, there’s dance. They share all the traditions of that country as well as their economics and their civil rights issues and movements.”
Some families travel from as far as Dripping Springs to their North Austin location, commuting up to three hours daily. To better support these families, the school is exploring the possibility of centralizing transportation options, such as establishing pick-up locations in Cedar Park and Central Austin.
Current offerings and future aspirations
AIS is now offering three scholarships for new or existing rising sixth graders. Each scholarship will cover 25% of tuition, aimed at welcoming more families to the community. Additionally, the school plans to expand its academic offerings by introducing a high school IB program.
“We want to grow our program,” Burke said. “To create a whole global student, the IB program needs to go all the way through high school.”
AIS is committed to inclusivity and accessibility for students at all language levels.
“People think they have to know French or Spanish to come to our school. That is not the case. We are welcoming to all language levels,” Burke said.
With its trilingual curriculum, community and ambitious plans, AIS is building a bridge to a future where its students are prepared to thrive, lead, innovate and connect in an evolving global society.
To learn more about AIS, attend their open house on Jan. 25 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m.
The above story was produced by Multi Platform Journalist Sydney Heller with Community Impact’s Storytelling team with information solely provided by the local business as part of their “sponsored content” purchase through our advertising team.
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