ISD Launches New French Program for Parents

Surveys show that if you were to ask most expat families about their biggest concerns when moving abroad, similar results would appear: missing family, making new friends, adapting to new cultures, and language barriers.

While innovations in technology make it easier to connect with loved ones, and learning new cultures can feel like a positive experience more than a challenge, the obstacle of language is not one that can be easily overcome.

While Senegal recognizes more than a dozen spoken languages, here in the capital of Dakar, Wolof and French are the most widely spoken, with French being the official language used in government, education, media, and formal communication—just the venues where most expats find themselves on a day-to-day basis.

For this reason, the International School of Dakar (ISD) and the Institut Français de Dakar have partnered to offer a program geared toward ISD parents and staff, providing high-quality French language courses to help them confidently navigate everyday life and interactions in Dakar and Senegal.

Building Bridges Through Language Learning

This initiative is designed to make French more accessible to families at ISD, with engaging classes available at beginner (A1), elementary (A2), and intermediate (B1) levels, directly aligned with the Institut’s internationally recognized curriculum. Small-group sessions are held twice a week for 2 hours, providing personalized attention and meaningful progress. Each 40-hour course block is offered at a competitive rate, and after 120 hours of study, participants will also earn an official certificate of completion from the Institut Français.

This new program underscores ISD’s strong commitment to French and multilingualism on campus. By creating opportunities for parents to learn and grow alongside their children, we aim to strengthen ties within our diverse, international community while celebrating the role of French in global citizenship.

Strengthening Multilingualism at ISD

This new program brings French Institute language classes to the ISD campus, making them much more accessible for parents and staff and allowing formal lessons, testing, and opportunities for parents to earn official language certificates.

At ISD's Elementary School, French classes are offered from PreK (3 years old) through Grade 5 and are level-based. In Secondary School, students can learn French as an Additional Language and as a Home Language, with over 20% of our students taking a bilingual IB Diploma in French and English.

ISD is excited to embark on this journey with the Institut Français de Dakar, and we look forward to seeing many of our families take part.

To learn more about the French classes for parents at ISD, contact the ISD Global Citizenship Coordinator, Cecê Ovelar, at ceceo@faculty.isd.sn.