SPUSD Dual Immersion Program | Mandarin and Spanish Programs for Elementary School Students

Learn the benefits of participating in a dual language immersion program

SPUSD PRESS RELEASE

In the past decade, research has shown that learning a second language at a young age increases cognitive flexibility and translates into higher achievement across subject areas for students. Students who participate in dual immersion programs demonstrate grade level academic ability, well-developed language and literacy skills in two languages, and cross-cultural competence.

Recognizing these studies and community interest in programs that teach children to read, write and speak a second language, South Pasadena Unified School District (SPUSD) developed a dual language immersion program several years ago aligned to its strategic plan.

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For parents interested in learning more about the program, SPUSD created a general overview presentation that has been shared on the Dual Immersion (DI) Program webpage. After reviewing this presentation, parents may access a webinar from the link posted on the Dual Immersion Program webpage.

“The SPUSD Dual Language Immersion Program offers students a unique opportunity to become bilingual and biliterate at a young age,” said Assistant Superintendent of Instructional Services Christiane Gervais. “Our elementary dual immersion teachers and their partner teachers work collaboratively to provide grade level and standards-aligned content in both English and the target language.”

Designed for children and parents who desire a proficiency in a language other than English, the classes expand world language experiences for young learners. The Mandarin Dual Immersion Program is designed for English learners and English speaking students and follows a 50/50 instructional model in kindergarten through grade five, which means that approximately 50% of the class is taught in the target language and 50% is taught in English. This model helps students excel in both an alphabet based language (English) and a language rooted in a logographic system (Mandarin), where symbols represent words.

The Spanish classes start with a 90/10 instructional model, which means that in kindergarten approximately 90% of the class will be taught in Spanish and 10% will be taught in English. As students move up grades, the ratio of Spanish to English decreases. The Spanish language uses a similar alphabetic system to English so there is a more immediate transfer of information between languages.

In both Mandarin and Spanish Dual Immersion Programs, English and target-language dominant students are purposefully intermixed to meet various goals including developing bilingual skills, meeting or exceeding state standards, and fostering an appreciation of world languages and cultures.

Additional information, including enrollment procedures for the Spanish Dual Immersion Program at Monterey Hills Elementary and the Mandarin Dual Immersion Program at Marengo Elementary, are available on the Dual Immersion Program webpage. Parents are encouraged to review the presentation and attend the live webinar to determine their interest.