Program Structure

Students in our dual language programs receive 50% of their instruction in English and 50% in Spanish or Mandarin and are taught by qualified bilingual teachers. The program includes students who are native speakers of English, Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese, Taishanese) and many other languages. Students learn reading and writing in both languages (with an emphasis on English), math and science in Spanish or Mandarin, and social studies in English.

Goals

• Become bilingual and biliterate, developing high levels of proficiency in two languages.
• Perform at or above grade level in academic areas in both languages.
• Demonstrate positive cross-cultural attitudes and behaviors.

Benefits

• Being bilingual is good for the brain.
• Students in a dual language program have higher academic achievement.
• Bilingual people have greater economic opportunities than people who don’t speak two languages.
• Students in a dual language program learn about and respect other cultures and languages.
• Students benefit from a dual language program most when enrolled for 6 years or more.

Why Spanish and Mandarin?

• After English, Spanish and Chinese are the most frequently spoken languages by students and families in our community.
• There are more resources and teachers available for these languages.
• There are many future job opportunities for Spanish and Mandarin speakers in our community.

What if we don’t speak the language at home?

• Connect with classroom teachers, they are a great resource for ideas and support at home
• Continue to read, sing and talk to your student in your home language
• Encourage your student to share with you what they are learning: singing songs, new words, etc
• Trust the process, learning a new language takes time