CNED & THE ALUMNI PROGRAM

Ecole Jean-Jacques Rousseau offers an alumni program for all students, grade 7 and up, to continue their French education. EJJR accepts students from other French programs as well.

The EJJR alumni program offers three options for its students to continue their French education: CNED Program, Middle School Program, and DEFL Preparation.

Classes for CNED and Middle School Program MSP are three and four hours a week to ensure completion of the program, each school year. There is an annual enrollment contract for CNED and MSP programs.

Preparation for the DELF/DALF tests is tailored to the students’ needs and the date of the test. Enrollment is monthly. 

CNED Program

  1. What is CNED (National Center for Distance Learning)?: CNED is a well-established program validated by the French Ministry of Education to provide a French educational standard for students living overseas. This organization provides an end-of-year report certifying that the child has completed the CNED program which then allows pupils to return to a French school at the appropriate level.
  2.  For who?: CNED classes are primarily designed for students wishing to maintain a level of French academic skills with the objective to return and reintegrate into the French Educational System. These classes are also appropriate for US students who have left US French schools and wish to continue with a rigorous academic work in French.
  3.  What to expect?: The CNED curriculum is heavily oriented toward academic success in France. Students are exposed to a variety of literature and academic subjects similar to the French curriculum. Students work independently, in groups or 1:1 with a teacher. Depending on the grade/level of the French student, classes are tailored based on the student’s needs.
  4.  How it works?: Classes include the support of a French teacher to help students successfully enroll into the CNED program and successfully complete and submit their required homework throughout the year.
  5. How to enroll: For the school year 2020-2021, steps to begin enrollment will be published in January 2020. Please note that a non-refundable $250 registration deposit is required to begin the enrollment process.
  6.  What is the cost?: $3,000 per year – 10 months of instruction, from September to June. 4 hours a week. Two to Three installment payments. CNED materiel is purchased by the student through CNED registration.

The Middle School Program

  1. What is the EJJR Middle School Program (MSP): EJJR Middle School alumni transferring to an US public or private school can continue their French education by taking daily classes at EJJR, without following CNED program. They will continue on the French Ministry of Education curriculum of their fall entering grade. This program will allow the students to complete the French Language Arts grade level program by meeting with their teacher 3 hours a week. Students with a gap more than 3-6 months may not be eligible for this program and subject to testing for eligibility. The end of year French Diagnostic Evaluation will determine the students’ passage to next Middle School Grade French level for the following school year.
  2.  Who is eligible? : All students graduating entering Grade 7 of a French program.
  3.  How does it work?: Students meet with their French teacher twice a week to cover the French Ministry of Education Language Arts Program. Usually, class is held within a small group of 3-4 students, depending on the grade level.
  4. What to expect?: The program grows into the high school French language Arts program. Students should expect some homework: mainly composition and reading at home.
  5. How to enroll?: Deadline for enrollment is March 1st to allow all the textbooks/notebooks to be ordered for the students for the following school year level. Students can request an application by emailing the school at admin@austinfrenchforkids.org.
  6.  What is the cost?: $2,500 per year – 10 months of instruction from September to June. Three installment payments (September, December and March). French Textbooks and notebooks are included. Students must provide their own school supplies. School and program are closed in July and August. Students have the option to join the summer camps in France in July. See details under summer camps.

DELF Preparation & Tests

Ecole Jean-Jacques Rousseau has accredited DELF teachers and trainers by the CIEP (Centre International d’Études Pédagogiques), an organism that is recognized both in France and abroad for its skills with regard to expert evaluation, training, assessment, and management of international projects. Our teachers are accredited as examiners and trainers for all DELF levels (A1 to C2).

  1.  What is the DELF Test?: The DELF tests (Diplome d’Etudes en Langue Française – French Language Study Diploma) are diplomas awarded by the French Ministry of Education to prove the French-language skills of non-French candidates. There are six independent diplomas, which correspond, respectively, to the six levels of the Council of Europe’ s Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFRL). These certifications are internationally recognized, and have 4 levels, from A1 (beginner level) to C2 (native speaker level). DELF is equivalent to a French language diploma and it is valid for life.
  2.  Who is eligible?: Proficient French speakers can start at whatever level they qualify for, however advanced the level might be. Younger French learners are offered similar, but separate, tests: DELF, Version Junior, and DELF Scolaire.
  3.  What are the DELF/DALF levels?: DELF is based on the CEFR Levels – a global reference or measure to determine proficiency level in French language. The 4 DELF exams are DELF A1, A2, B1, B2 and DALF C1 and C2.
  4.  What is the cost?: The preparation of the DELF test is two hours a week – $160 per month, tailored to the student’s needs, and the chosen date of the exam. The cost of the test varies per center, between $100 and $200. Dallas Alliance Française publishes their rates for the exam during the spring semester.
  5.  What is the pass mark for the DELF exam? The total pass mark required is 50%. For each skill (test paper), the minimum pass mark is 5/25, failing which the diploma will not be awarded to the student.
  6.  Where can we take the DELF exam? The DELF exam can be taken in most countries of the world. It cannot be taken online; it has to be taken under strict examination conditions at an accredited test center. The closest exam center in the Austin area is Dallas Alliance Française.
  7. What skills are tested in the DELF exam? The DELF exam tests all 4 language skills:
    • Reading – Comprehension écrite
    • Listening – Comprehension orale
    • Writing – Production écrite
    • Speaking – Production orale