Escuela Bilingüe Internacional (EBI) is an independent co-educational day school in the East Bay of the San Francisco Bay Area. EBI offers a Spanish-English dual language program, extending from pre-K through first grade, with plans to extend through 8th grade as the current students grow. Students at EBI will become fully literate in Spanish and English, and will develop conversational skills in a third language.
EBI is committed to maintaining high standards for all its students, in all areas of education. We believe that when learning is stimulating, fun and developmentally appropriate, children gain the motivation to become self-directed, life-long learners.
Curriculum
EBI follows the International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme (PYP) for Pre-Primary, Kindergarten and Elementary and will follow IBO's Middle Years Programme (MYP) for 7th and 8th Grade. Developed by the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), these are internationally-respected pedagogical programs.
Students graduating 8th Grade from EBI will be prepared to enter any Spanish or English high school in the world and to attain the International Baccalaureate Degree that is highly regarded by universities on an international basis.
Finally, EBI believes that aesthetic ability and appreciation are essential elements of a well-rounded education, and therefore will make music and the visual and performing arts central aspects of the curriculum.
Benefits of a Bilingual Education
EBI will prepare future generations for leadership in a world where being bilingual is no longer a luxury, but rather a prerequisite for success. As countless studies on bilingualism and bilingual education demonstrate, children's cognitive development is greatly enhanced by the acquisition of more than one language. Research has shown that bilingual students benefit from enhanced cognitive brain functions, cognitive flexibility, problem solving skills, academic achievement, and creativity. As students from Asia, Africa, South America and Europe have known for decades, bilingualism is a readily attainable and fundamentally invaluable skill.
Learning a second language at an early age:
- Positively affects intellectual growth.
- Enriches and enhances a child's mental development.
- Leaves students with more flexibility in thinking, greater sensitivity to language, and a better ear for listening.
- Improves a child's understanding of his or her native language.
- Gives a child the ability to communicate with people s/he would otherwise not have the chance to know.
- Opens the door to other cultures and helps a child understand and appreciate people from other countries.
- Gives a student a head start in language requirements for college.
- Increases job opportunities in many careers where knowing another language is a real asset.
- Center for Applied Linguistics
"Given the astonishingly positive research data on the benefits of an immersion education, one wonders why there aren't more parents demanding this option in their own school districts."
- University of Minnesota
After School and Adult Classes