Paradise Valley Unified School District issued the following announcement on Jan. 24.
Dual language immersion programs are becoming more popular in the United States. So if you want your child to be able to speak two languages, Sandpiper Elementary School’s Spanish Dual Language Immersion Program can help make that happen!
Sandpiper Elementary School's Spanish Dual Language Immersion Program is designed to help children become bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural. In pre-kindergarten through sixth grade, students learn academic content in English and Spanish and develop cross-cultural skills.
"It's important to know that a dual language immersion program is a long-term commitment for both students and parents to fully see the academic and fluency results of students," says Jessie Kinney-Alcazar, principal at Sandpiper Elementary School. "Sandpiper's program provides students with the opportunity to develop Spanish fluency skills and learn academic content in an immersive environment taught by native Spanish speaking teachers and staff."
About the School Day
Students using flashcards in a classroom at Sandpiper Elementary SchoolStudents spend half of their day learning in English and the other half learning in Spanish. One group of students spend their mornings learning in Spanish, while another group of students learns lessons in English. Students switch teachers and receive instruction in two different languages throughout the day.
Benefits of a Dual Language Immersion Program
Research attests to the development of academic achievement and language fluency by students who attend language immersion programs. Studies have also demonstrated that students achieve higher levels of language proficiency in the immersion program, develop greater cognitive flexibility, increased attention control, better memory, and superior problem-solving skills.
Students develop full oral, reading, and writing proficiency in two languages.
Students not only achieve at levels similar to or higher than those of their peers enrolled in other programs on standardized tests of Reading and Math in English, but they can also read and write at grade level in another language.
Students in a dual-language program develop very positive attitudes about students of other language and cultural backgrounds and positive attitudes about themselves as learners.
How Parents Can Help Their Child
There are several ways for parents to support their child's academic endeavors in a dual language immersion program.
Ask your child to teach you Spanish.
Invite and form groups within the school community and organize activities that develop friendships among students and parents.
Encourage your child to take risks in speaking and writing the second language.
Celebrate your child's accomplishments.
-Attend parent education workshops on dual language immersion programs.
-Support your child's language and literacy development in two languages, as well as their emerging cross-cultural appreciation. This can be accomplished by introducing your child to books and movies in both languages, attending cultural festivals, and providing opportunities for authentic language exchanges.
-Provide opportunities for students to read both in English and Spanish.
Original source can be found here.
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