Designing Dual Language Programs

1
Designing Dual Language Programs

• Pennsylvania Department of Education
• Videoconference on District Models
• April 15, 2005
• Harrisburg, PA

2
Agenda

• Overview of Process
• Curriculum/Instruction
• Language Distribution
• Funding/Staffing
• Parent Orientation/Publicity
• Recommendations-Q and A

3
Overview/History

• Meeting with Supt.
• District committee
• School Visitations
• School Board Presentations
• Parent Involvement

4
Committee Tasks

• Membership representative of all stakeholders
• (parent, professional staff, support staff, YCEA,
  
• school board member, principal)
• Meet biweekly
• Site visits
• Research-two articles each
• Develop board presentation
• Present to School Board

5
Site Visits
6
Research

• Highlights of research shared at meetings
• Resources professional journals and books,
  articles on Internet, recommended readings from
  site visits

7
Funding/Staffing

• No additional staffing cost-use existing staff
• Use Title III funds for 3 instructional aides (1
  each classroom)
• Materials paid out of Title III-Saxon Math,
  Harcourt Reading, McGraw Hill Science, 100 Book
  Challenge

8
Research on Spanish Immersion Programs

• Educational Benefits
• Cognitive Benefits
• Socio-cultural Benefits
• Economic Benefits
• Longitudinal Research studies

9
Program Models of Interest

• One-Way Immersion
• Total Immersion-
• Partial Immersion-
• Advantages and disadvantages of each

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Two-Way Immersion

• Serve majority and minority language groups in
  same classroom (50 each)
• Additive bilingual/bicultural model
• promotes cross-cultural cooperation
• 90/10 models
• 50/50 models

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Language Distribution Chart 90/10Two-Way Model
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Daily Schedule-

• Literacy/Kid Writing/100 Book Challenge
• Reading Probes
• Saxon Math and Centers-Parallel Curricula
• Spanish as a Second Language, Songs, Visuals,
  Manipulatives
• English as a Second language (30 min) Into
  English
• Specials in English

13
Recommendations

• Plan and implement a Spanish Two-Way Immersion
  Program, English skills developed at later
  grades, add a grade yearly, start small
• Recruit students from School District of
• City of York

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Recommendations

• Conduct on-going formative and summative
  evaluation to measure program effectiveness
• Support the program with an aide and appropriate
  materials in Spanish

15
Recommendations

• Continue to hold meetings for parents, guardians,
  and community members to educate and address
  concerns
• Parent orientation, sample lesson
• Publicity-Brochure, newspaper, radio and TV
  coverage
• Use a lottery system to select students for
  program participation

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Recommendations

• Selection Process
• One lottery held at each school
• Names in a hat based on requests for that
  school
• Each class balanced for language, gender,
  ethnic background.
• Class size (24 students) and composition of 12
  native English speakers, 12 native Spanish
  speakers
• Interested students tested at Kindergarten
  registration for native language, parents
  native language, and normal language
  development in native language
• Allow building transfers to program at closest
  school
• Parents provide own transportation

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Recommendations

• Limit class size to 25, with no new students
  joining the class after Kindergarten except for
  LEP students, expect attrition
• Staff development for teacher who is elementary
  certified and a native Spanish speaker,
  preferably with experience
• Students participate in all district assessment
  programs, PSSA grade 3, 5

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Recommendations

• Throughout experience, students receive art,
  music, fitness, library and other related
  instruction in English
• Expected parental participation and involvement
  establish parent network
• Parents sign six year commitment form
• Intensive staff development for new teachers

19
Bilingual Instructional Assistant
20
Bilingual Elementary Certified Teacher
21
Print Rich Environment
22
Hands On Cooperative Learning
23
Nurturing Classroom Environment
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Two-Way Spanish Immersion Program

• Questions? Come visit!
• Thank you for your attention!
• Sharon OMalley, Ed. D.
• Supervisor of Special Programs
• School District of the City of York
• 717-849-1419
• smo_at_ycs.k12.pa.us