EDUCATION
EXPLORE DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAMS AT PVSCHOOLS
P
arents want their children academically prepared with the 21st-century skill set to compete and succeed in a global marketplace. PVSchools provides students with the pathway to achieve this goal with Mandarin Immersion at Whispering Wind Academy and Spanish Immersion at Sandpiper Elementary School and Sunrise Middle School. WHY CONSIDER A DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM FOR YOUR CHILD? Younger learners have the capacity to develop near native-like pronunciation and intonation in the new language. Being bilingual enhances opportunities in government, business, law, medicine and health care, teaching, technology, the military, communications, industry, social service, and marketing.
Research shows that the best time for a child to learn a second language is from birth to 12 years old, while a child’s brain is still developing language skills. There are many long-term benefits for a child to
learn a second language, including performing better than monolingual students on tasks that involve divergent thinking, pattern recognition, and problem-solving.
Studies also suggest that children who learn a world language receive cognitive benefits that extend to learning in other subjects. Immersed students typically demonstrate higher mental flexibility on tasks, the ability to problem-solve more fluidly, and better communication skills. A SNAPSHOT OF THE DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAMS AT PVSCHOOLS From the moment students step into one of our immersion classrooms, they are fully immersed in the language and culture. Classrooms are decorated with purpose and are stocked with instructional materials to help support each child’s learning in the classroom. In kindergarten through 6th grade, students in the Mandarin and Spanish Dual Language Immersion Programs are learning to talk about themselves – their name, age, family, hobbies, and community. Students are also learning to ask and
answer questions relating to thematic units such as numbers, colors, food, school, clothing, hobbies, and occupations. They are also learning to read, write, and present their work in the language they are learning.
The school day is structured so that students spend 50 percent of the day learning subjects in English, and the other half of the instructional day learning subjects in Mandarin or Spanish. At the middle school level, a block of classes, including Science, Social Studies, and Spanish are taught completely in Spanish. Students work on conversational skill development and explore Spanish-speaking cultures and societies around the world. Learn more about PVSchools Dual Language Immersion Programs by scheduling a tour: • Mandarin at Whispering Wind Academy: 602449-7300 or www.pvschools.net/wwa • Spanish at Sandpiper Elementary School: 602449-6300 or www.pvschools.net/spes • Spanish at Sunrise Middle School: 602-449-6100 or www.pvschools.net/srms
For every child at every grade, PVSchools will help unwrap your child’s gifts. • Award-winning Fine Arts programs • Language Immersion (Spanish and Mandarin) • Preschool to 12th grade gifted services • District-wide STEM/STEAM programs • K-12 International Baccalaureate programmes • Suzuki Strings, a violin program • Career and Technical Education programs
> Discover more at pvschools.net/enroll 602.449.2000
PVSchools
thescottsdalestandard.com
THE SCOTTSDALE STANDARD • December 2019 • 11
