Spanish Immersion Mendon-Upton Regional School District

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Spanish Immersion Mendon-Upton Regional School
District
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What is Immersion?

• Immersion education in the United States is a
  dual-language program model that offers students
  an enriched education by teaching academic
  content through the medium of a second language

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What is Immersion (continued)?

• Students develop a proficiency in the second
  language by hearing and using it to learn other
  school subjects, rather than by studying the
  second language itself.
• Children use language as a tool for understanding
  and communicating meaning. Language is a medium
  of communication, not an object of study.

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The preceding quotes are borrowed from

• Dr. Tara Fortune, CARLA
• Center for Advanced Research on Language
  Acquisition, University of Minnesota
• Immersion Program Consultant, and world renown
  Immersion Education Expert

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Immersion Program Goal

• For students to become proficient in the second
  language, and to develop cultural awareness while
  reaching a high level of academic achievement
• CAL Center for Applied Linguistics, Washington,
  DC

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Instruction in English v. Instruction in
Spanish What and When

• In Grades 6 and 7, social studies and science
  classes will be instructed in Spanish.
• This change takes effect on the first day of Term
  2, or October 30, 2006.

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Kindergarten Grade 2

• Regular classroom teachers instruct using Spanish
  language ONLY.
• 100 Immersion excludes the specials (art, PE,
  music, technology, and library).

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Grade 3

• Regular classroom teachers instruct using Spanish
  language only approximately 80 of the regular
  classroom time.
• English Language Arts instruction in English
  language begins at this level.

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Grade 4

• Students receive instruction through the use of
  the Spanish language 60 of the regular classroom
  time. Subject areas included in that time are
  math, science, and Spanish Language Arts.
• Students receive instruction through the use of
  the English language 40 of the regular classroom
  time. Subject areas included in that time are
  English Language Arts and social studies.
• The percentage allocation reflects a cumulative
  of all instruction, and not a per diem
  designation.

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Grade 5

• Students receive instruction through the use of
  the Spanish language 50 of the regular classroom
  time. Subject areas include Mathematics and
  Spanish Language Arts.
• Students receive instruction through the use of
  the English language 50 of the regular classroom
  time. Subject areas include science, social
  studies, and English Language Arts.
• The percentage allocation reflects a cumulative
  of all instruction, and not a per diem
  designation.

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Grade 6

• Students receive instruction through the use of
  the Spanish language 40 of the regular classroom
  time. Subject areas include science and social
  studies.
• Students receive instruction through the use of
  the English language 60 of the regular classroom
  time. Subject areas include mathematics,
  electives, and English Language Arts.

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Grade 7

• Students receive instruction through the use of
  the Spanish language 40 of the regular classroom
  time. Subject areas include science and
  geography.
• Students receive instruction through the use of
  the English language 60 of the regular classroom
  time. Subject areas include mathematics,
  electives, and English Language Arts.

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Grade 8

• Immersion students enroll in one Spanish language
  class, which takes place in the course of the
  regularly scheduled block periods.
• The department, in cooperation with the
  administration, is in the process of researching
  exchange programs.

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Point of Comparison

• Millis Public Schools Spanish Immersion Program
• Grades 1 2 100 Spanish language instruction
• Grades 3 4 50 50 split
• Grades 5 50 of core subjects and Spanish
  Language Arts in Spanish
• Grades 6 8 Spanish Language Arts and one
  Unified Arts ONLY in Spanish
• Changes made in response to MCAS testing
  requirements