Language Immersion at Beacon Hill

Three Language Immersion Programs

Beginning in Fall 2008, Beacon Hill International School (BHIS) has offered three key programs:

• Spanish/English Dual Language Immersion
• Chinese Mandarin/English Partial Language Immersion
• English Language Immersion

Students spend half of the day learning entirely in one of our immersion languages. In the immersion classroom, teachers speak only in the immersion language, supporting the acquisition of the immersion language through the content of reading, writing, math, and science.

The school’s current federally-funded Chinese Mandarin classes, taught a half hour each day, will continue for those students enrolled prior to the international program.

English Immersion

The English Immersion program is designed to immerse students in English who speak a language other than English, Spanish, or Chinese. It is also a program for English speakers who prefer an English- based international curriculum or enter the school in grades 2 and above.

Students will be assigned to one of two English teachers and will remain in the same classroom for the full school day. Students in the Spanish and Mandarin programs will join them for part of each day to increase diversity and allow native English speaking role models throughout the day in every class.

So for your child, the daily schedule might look like this:

Time: Morning
Subject: Reading/Writing & Social Studies
Language: English
Students: English students, Mandarin students

Time: Afternoon
Subject: Math & Science
Language: English
Students: English students, Spanish students

Mandarin Immersion

A partial immersion program:

• may include both native English speakers and Chinese heritage speakers
• provides academic instruction in both languages
• develops bilingualism, biliteracy, and cross-cultural understanding

Students will have one English teacher and one Mandarin teacher who will use only the target language. They will be in a class with a mix of English and Chinese speakers.

So for your child, the daily schedule might look like this:

Time: Morning
Subject Language: Reading/Writing & Social Studies
Language: English

Time: Afternoon
Subject: Math & Science
Language: Mandarin

Spanish Immersion

A dual language immersion program:

• includes both native English and native Spanish speakers
• provides academic instruction in both languages
• develops bilingualism, biliteracy, and cross-cultural understanding
• Students will have one English teacher and one Spanish teacher who will use only the target language. They will be in a class with a mix of English and Spanish speakers.

So for your child, the daily schedule might look like this:

Time: Morning
Subject: Reading/Writing & Social Studies
Language: Spanish

Time: Afternoon
Subject: Math & Science
Language: English