Dual Language Immersion - Programa de Doble Inmersion
Transitional Kindergarten through Sixth Grade
St. Alphonsus School is proud to be East Los Angeles' Dual Language Immersion Catholic School. In 2021-22, grades TK, K, 1st 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th are a part of the Dual Language Immersion Program. Students in these grades will spend half of the day learning in English and the other half learning in Spanish. For Fall 2023, the Spanish Immersion program will continue to sixth grade. In every year after that, the program will grow to one more grade level until it reaches 8th grade. We combine bilingual education, intimate private school setting, and holistic values-based teaching. Interest from native Spanish speaking families as well as non-native speakers of the language has been overwhelmingly positive. School moral, students self perceptions as language learners, and enrollment have all increased since implementing dual language immersion.
PROGRAMA DE DOBLE INMERSIÓN
Al hablar Ingles y Español a una edad temprana, para nuestros estudiantes es muy posible que mantengan los dos idiomas por siempre. Doble Inmersión cubre las necesidades globales del siglo 21. Usted vera los beneficios de la Doble Inmersión tanto para nativos parlantes de Ingles y Español. Somos una de las únicas Escuelas Católicas Primarias en ofrecer Doble Inmersión así como una de las pocas en ofrecerlo en el Oeste de Los Ángeles. Este programa complementara a nuestro plan educacional, el cual ofrece a nuestros estudiantes un extenso currículo de base académico así como nuestros programas de enriquecimiento como las artes, atletismo, y música.
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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)
What is Dual Language Immerson (DLI)?
Dual Language Immersion (DLI) is a model of education in which students matriculate through grades TK (or even pre-school) through grade 8 learning content in two languages, English and a Partner Language (e.g. Spanish, Mandarin). Students also experience daily prayers, Masses, celebrations, and performances in both languages. In the early grades, students explore their world guided by teachers using two languages. As they grow, students are taught academic subjects in both English and a partner language. For example, students study math in Spanish while learning history in English.
What happens in a Dual Language Immersion classroom?
Language is the vehicle for instruction in immersion classrooms. 50% of the day, the language of instruction is a partner language and the other half is English. Students speak, read, write, do math, experiments, singing, etc in the partner language. The teachers still follow the state standards and common core curriculum.
Do Dual Language Immersion students meet academic standards?
Immersion students attain the same level of competence not only in language skill but in standard subjects as well. Furthermore, Immersion students develop the critical thinking needed to exceed standards much earlier than their peers.
Will learning Spanish interfere with my child's ability to learn English?
No. Research shows that students who acquire advanced levels of proficiency in two languages often experience cognitive and linguistic advantages when compared to monolingual students. Language Immersion students perform better on tasks that require divergent thinking, pattern recognition, and problem solving, and have enhanced levels of metalinguistic awareness.
How can you, the parent, help?
Parents your support is vital and encouraged. You can begin to talk to your child today and everyday before their immersion experience and tell them what they will experience. Explain to them that they will be learning Spanish and that the teacher will speak to them only in Spanish (unless it’s a complete emergency or they are very upset and must be comforted). Let them know that they are growing their brain and that you believe in them. Encourage them to take on this challenge and remind them that it might be difficult, but they should look at the teachers’ gestures, motions, and actions. They can also always look to their classmates to make sure they are on track with the instructions given. Reading and conversing with your children, in any language, will help them develop as linguistic skill as well.
Is it too early or late for my child to be immersed in a new language?
Research actually states that learning languages around age three is actually an ideal time. At this time a child's brain is actually twice as active as an adult's, they have an increased ability to learn language. Language acquired early is a language acquired for life.
Does Dual Language Immersion work for a wide range of learners?
Immersion programs serve students of all backgrounds and levels of academic ability. Academic challenges do not preclude students from success in immersion and they achieve higher levels of proficiency in their second language.
How does Dual Language Immersion differ from standard language learning programs?
The key aspect of Dual Immersion is that students do not just learn a language but learn to think in that language. While in the second language classroom, the students receive a higher level of exposure to the language. The learning takes place in a different cultural environment, so everyday learning takes place as if the student was in another country. Thus, the student’s language becomes not just functional but second nature.
How long until my child is fluent in a second language?
Every child learns differently whether they are learning in English or Spanish. The amount of time it takes for a student to be fully fluent will depend on the student’s learning patterns, behavior and environment. Our teachers will work with every student to insure that they are learning at their unique optimum level.
Will my child speak exactly like native speakers of the second language?
Although the second language will be spoken extensively in school, it is necessary for Immersion student’s to interact with native speakers outside of the classroom if they want to achieve native-like competence including fixing grammatical errors, increased vocabulary and idioms.
Can my child enter your Dual Language Program after Kindergarten?
Students desiring to enter after Kindergarten must have oral language proficiency in their second language, outstanding grade level academic skills in their native language. Most importantly, the applying family must have a high motivation and support for entering a dual language immersion program.
Dual Language Immersion (DLI) is a model of education in which students matriculate through grades TK (or even pre-school) through grade 8 learning content in two languages, English and a Partner Language (e.g. Spanish, Mandarin). Students also experience daily prayers, Masses, celebrations, and performances in both languages. In the early grades, students explore their world guided by teachers using two languages. As they grow, students are taught academic subjects in both English and a partner language. For example, students study math in Spanish while learning history in English.
What happens in a Dual Language Immersion classroom?
Language is the vehicle for instruction in immersion classrooms. 50% of the day, the language of instruction is a partner language and the other half is English. Students speak, read, write, do math, experiments, singing, etc in the partner language. The teachers still follow the state standards and common core curriculum.
Do Dual Language Immersion students meet academic standards?
Immersion students attain the same level of competence not only in language skill but in standard subjects as well. Furthermore, Immersion students develop the critical thinking needed to exceed standards much earlier than their peers.
Will learning Spanish interfere with my child's ability to learn English?
No. Research shows that students who acquire advanced levels of proficiency in two languages often experience cognitive and linguistic advantages when compared to monolingual students. Language Immersion students perform better on tasks that require divergent thinking, pattern recognition, and problem solving, and have enhanced levels of metalinguistic awareness.
How can you, the parent, help?
Parents your support is vital and encouraged. You can begin to talk to your child today and everyday before their immersion experience and tell them what they will experience. Explain to them that they will be learning Spanish and that the teacher will speak to them only in Spanish (unless it’s a complete emergency or they are very upset and must be comforted). Let them know that they are growing their brain and that you believe in them. Encourage them to take on this challenge and remind them that it might be difficult, but they should look at the teachers’ gestures, motions, and actions. They can also always look to their classmates to make sure they are on track with the instructions given. Reading and conversing with your children, in any language, will help them develop as linguistic skill as well.
Is it too early or late for my child to be immersed in a new language?
Research actually states that learning languages around age three is actually an ideal time. At this time a child's brain is actually twice as active as an adult's, they have an increased ability to learn language. Language acquired early is a language acquired for life.
Does Dual Language Immersion work for a wide range of learners?
Immersion programs serve students of all backgrounds and levels of academic ability. Academic challenges do not preclude students from success in immersion and they achieve higher levels of proficiency in their second language.
How does Dual Language Immersion differ from standard language learning programs?
The key aspect of Dual Immersion is that students do not just learn a language but learn to think in that language. While in the second language classroom, the students receive a higher level of exposure to the language. The learning takes place in a different cultural environment, so everyday learning takes place as if the student was in another country. Thus, the student’s language becomes not just functional but second nature.
How long until my child is fluent in a second language?
Every child learns differently whether they are learning in English or Spanish. The amount of time it takes for a student to be fully fluent will depend on the student’s learning patterns, behavior and environment. Our teachers will work with every student to insure that they are learning at their unique optimum level.
Will my child speak exactly like native speakers of the second language?
Although the second language will be spoken extensively in school, it is necessary for Immersion student’s to interact with native speakers outside of the classroom if they want to achieve native-like competence including fixing grammatical errors, increased vocabulary and idioms.
Can my child enter your Dual Language Program after Kindergarten?
Students desiring to enter after Kindergarten must have oral language proficiency in their second language, outstanding grade level academic skills in their native language. Most importantly, the applying family must have a high motivation and support for entering a dual language immersion program.
DUAL LANGUAGE IMMERSION RESEARCH
"Two new studies demonstrate that multilingual exposure improves not only children’s cognitive skills but also their social abilities."
- http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/13/opinion/sunday/the-superior-social-skills-of-bilinguals.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share
"Dual language learning has been found to be the only method of second language acquisition to facilitate the full closure of the achievement gap between English learners and English speakers in primary and secondary education."
- http://www.thomasandcollier.com/assets/jncl-nclis-white-paper-on-dual-language-education.pdf
"Students in schools following this model are achieving high levels of academic proficiency in reading and mathematics"
- https://www.utb.edu/vpaa/coe/Documents/CI%20Yvonne%20Freeman%20Documents/YFreeman20Dual_2005.pdf
"Students who participate in these programs gain grade level academic ability, well-developed language and literacy skills in two languages, and cross-cultural competence."
- http://www.cal.org/twi/toolkit/PI/Basics_Eng.pdf
"People who regularly use two languages tend to perform better on executive function tasks and maintain better cognitive functioning with age."
-http://www.takepart.com/article/2011/06/06/5-reasons-love-dual-language-immersion-programs
"Multilingualism has been shown to have many social, psychological and lifestyle advantages. Moreover, researchers are finding a swathe of health benefits from speaking more than one language, including faster stroke recovery and delayed onset of dementia."
-http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160811-the-amazing-benefits-of-being-bilingual?ocid=ww.social.link.email
- http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/13/opinion/sunday/the-superior-social-skills-of-bilinguals.html?smprod=nytcore-iphone&smid=nytcore-iphone-share
"Dual language learning has been found to be the only method of second language acquisition to facilitate the full closure of the achievement gap between English learners and English speakers in primary and secondary education."
- http://www.thomasandcollier.com/assets/jncl-nclis-white-paper-on-dual-language-education.pdf
"Students in schools following this model are achieving high levels of academic proficiency in reading and mathematics"
- https://www.utb.edu/vpaa/coe/Documents/CI%20Yvonne%20Freeman%20Documents/YFreeman20Dual_2005.pdf
"Students who participate in these programs gain grade level academic ability, well-developed language and literacy skills in two languages, and cross-cultural competence."
- http://www.cal.org/twi/toolkit/PI/Basics_Eng.pdf
"People who regularly use two languages tend to perform better on executive function tasks and maintain better cognitive functioning with age."
-http://www.takepart.com/article/2011/06/06/5-reasons-love-dual-language-immersion-programs
"Multilingualism has been shown to have many social, psychological and lifestyle advantages. Moreover, researchers are finding a swathe of health benefits from speaking more than one language, including faster stroke recovery and delayed onset of dementia."
-http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20160811-the-amazing-benefits-of-being-bilingual?ocid=ww.social.link.email
SAMPLE DAILY SCHEDULE
8:00 - 8:10
8:00 - 9:30 9:30 - 9:50 9:50 - 11:30 11:30 - 12:10 12:10 - 1:30 1:30 – 2:45 2:45 – 3:00 3:00 - 3:15 |
Assembly, Prayer and Announcements
First Block Classes begin: Spanish Language Arts Recess Second Block (Spanish Science, Math) Lunch Third Block (English Language Arts) Fourth Block (English Social Studies, Religion) Prep for Dismissal Dismissal |
PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT
- Parents can support their child’s language development whether or not they are bilingual/biliterate
- Dual language schooling is a long-term commitment
- The development of bilingualism at a young age has lifelong social and career advantages
- The development of biliteracy has lifelong social, academic, and career advantages
- Experiencing the Catholic faith in two languages has lifelong advantages