Friday, November 13, 2009

Immersion and Dual Language Schooling Is Catching On

Across the United States schools are offering an alternative to single language study. Immersion classrooms are springing up all over. Here are a few articles highlighting different schools in two different states.

FLAG (Foreign Language Academy of Glendale) in Glendale, CA teaches children in Spanish, Armenian, Korean, German and now Italian. This program is working and has been so successful that they were awarded a $2.4 million in federal grant monies.
Read about their interesting approach to the multi-cultural area they are in and why it’s working. (Read full article.)

County schools expand dual-language classes, ESL Assistance

“Research shows that dual language is better for the students,” said Keely Krueger, District 200’s bilingual coordinator. “I think a lot of that reason is [the Spanish-speaking students] do start learning English in kindergarten. And they have those English language models in the classroom.” (Read full article.)

This type of teaching not only benefits those for whom English is a second language, but also for those who it’s their first language and will for a lifetime.
From a personal observation, I speak both English and Spanish. As a demo girl at Sams in Central Florida I have the opportunity to talk with members in their native tongue. It makes them feel more at ease and they always appreciate the effort that I make to speak to them in their first language. As for me, I love having the knowledge of a second language. It enriches my life and has afforded me many opportunities that, if I didn’t speak Spanish, I’d never have experienced.

posted by Joy Delgado
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