Immersion Education Blaine County School District Information for New Families
There are many ways that schools can teach language to students. Some of the most common delivery models include: ◦ Foreign or World Language ◦ English as a Second Language ◦ Bilingual Education 2
Immersion Education Hemingway Elementary Dual Immersion is a distinctive form of immersion education in which equal numbers of native English speakers and native Spanish speakers are taught both languages and content. Both groups of students serve in the role of language model and language learner at different times. At each grade level the structure of the program varies, but all provide at least 50% of instruction in the partner language beginning in Kindergarten.
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Academic Achievement Bilingualism / Biliteracy Cultural Competence Tara Fortune http://minnesota.uli.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2012/04/DL-I-ed-RCM-meeting_14Oct13.pdf 4
Cognitive Benefits
Bilinguals outperform monolinguals in the areas of divergent
Academic Benefits
English-speaking students can achieve high levels of functiona English-learners develop higher levels of proficiency in English as
Attitudinal Benefits
English-speaking students see value in bilingualism for better
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Two-Way BE
Reading Proficiency (NCE)
70 60
Late-Exit BE + Content ESL
50 40
Early-Exit BE + Content ESL
30
Early-Exit BE + Trad. ESL
20
ESL thru Academic Content
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ESL Pullout-Trad.
0 K 2
4
6 Grade
8 12
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Native English Speakers Thomas & Collier, 2000
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How well do DI students perform academically in BCSD?
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What does Dual Immersion look like in BCSD?
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Instructional Time and Course Distribution by Language Grade Level
K-5
English
Spanish
Alturas Elementary- 50:50 model Around half of the total instruction time in the core subjects is presented in English and half is presented in Spanish. All “specials” (music, gym, art, etc.) are conducted in English. Hemingway Elementary- 80:20 model 80% of the instruction in Kindergarten occurs in Spanish. 20% of the classroom time plus “specials” takes place in English. The percentages will shift each grade level until they reach 50:50. English Language Arts Mathematics
6-8
Science Technology
Spanish as a World Language Bilingual Humanities
Arts Physical Education
9-12
English Language Arts Mathematics Science Electives
Spanish as a World Language Humanities courses 25
Kindergarten 1st grade 2nd grade 3rd grade 4th grade 5th grade
SPANISH 80% 70% 60% 50% 50% 50%
ENGLISH 20% 30% 40% 50% 50% 50%
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Many research studies have shown that focusing more on the minority language (Spanish) in the early years allows for higher levels of proficiency in the minority language (Spanish) without compromising academic achievement or proficiency in the majority language (English) Collier & Thomas, 2003; Lindholm-Leary & Howard, 2008; Calderon & Minaya-Rowe, 2003; Reyes, 2001). 14
SPANISH-80% ● Pre-literacy and literacy skills ● Oral language development ● Mathematics ● Social Studies ● Science ● Health
ENGLISH-20% ● Pre-literacy skills through music, poetry, literature, reading buddies, etc. ● Oral language development ● Metalinguistics-making connections between the two languages ● Science ● Health ● ALL “specials” classes (Physical Education/ Technology/ Music/Art/Computers/Library)
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Literacy transfer is greatest between similar languages, such as English and Spanish: Research indicates that as much as 97% of Spanish reading transfers to English reading (Thonis, 1981). Learning to decode text is easier in Spanish. You only learn to read once!!!
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What Transfers ● Print awareness ● Phonological awareness ● Knowledge of soundsymbol correspondence ● Morphological awareness ● Orthographic awareness and cognates ● Background and conceptual knowledge ● Comprehension strategies
What Doesn’t Transfer ● Grammatical and orthographic features ● Vocabulary, morphological features ● Phonological characteristics ● Story structure, discourse organization, rhetorical devices ● Cultural schema
● Habits and attitudes toward reading/writing ● Higher-order thinking and metacognitive strategies and skills
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Use your MOST proficient language! Read to your child every day in English OR Spanish (at least 20 minutes) Listen to your child read and tell stories (even if you don’t speak the language) Talk with your child! (at home, on outings, at the grocery store, etc.) Link home activities and reading materials to themes taught at school (e.g. fractions while baking cookies, etc.) D.Tedick, Univ. of MN
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Discuss advantages of knowing more than one language and (for ELs) why it’s important to maintain Spanish Ask about and encourage your child’s use of language in the classroom Seek out and attend language and cultural activities in the community Make interesting reading materials available at home and celebrate reading targets Support friendship-making among linguistically and culturally diverse students and families 20 D.Tedick, Univ. of MN
â—? DI is a great opportunity that provides cognitive and academic enrichment for students. â—? Early language learning provides many longlasting benefits that the students will carry with them well after graduation. â—? Remember, your child will be learning content and processing information in TWO languages! Research shows that students in wellimplemented DI programs are on par with or surpass their non-immersion peers by 5th or 6th grade. 21
● If you feel your child is struggling more than the average student, the teachers and school will work with you on improvement strategies and support services. ● DI is a challenge and requires a commitment on the part of the student and parents. ● Parental involvement in the student’s education is a great indicator of student success—especially in DI. ● If you have further questions, please make sure to speak to an administrator or teacher in the program before registration. ● Classroom visits are welcomed and encouraged!
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Please take home a Dual Immersion Letter of Intent and review it carefully. If you decide to enter your child in the DI lottery, please fill out this form and bring it with you to registration on Wednesday, April 1st. Thanks for taking the time to come this evening and learn more about Dual Immersion for your child.
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