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Language Immersion vs Classical


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Our school system is a choice system. In January you fill out a choice form that allows you to choose your top 5 school choices in the district. This includes charters and magnet schools

 

Dd is in a public half day preschool program. She does well there and generally loves school (especially math, art, and science). My husband and I both had classical educations and really loved it. We've been set on a classical charter for a few years now. It's the sister school DHs alma marter.

 

However. We have several Spanish immersion programs. They're true immersion and the students day in K is primarily in Spanish. They learn to read and write in Spanish before moving into English. The goal is to have them reading and writing on grade level in both languages by 3rd grade. I know a second language is a great choice and fantastic for them developmentally, but it would mean giving up the classical model.

 

The immersion schools tend to be less diverse than the other schools including the classical charter. They also tend to attract a more affluent crowd than other schools.

 

I'm not worried about Dd academically. She's half way through OPGTR and will be reading well by the time K starts. She is somewhat prone to anxiety and I'm not sure how she'd react to the teacher not speaking the same language.

 

Is immersion really all that it's cracked up to be? They are harder to get into for us, but she still stands a chance.

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If you are going to be afterschooling no matter what, I would go for the immersion school. You could work on those educational goals that don't get met during the summer. A second language is truly a gift. Could you do it without the immersion school? As an aside, if the school has a dual language immersion program, how is it that it is not more diverse? Wouldn't half of the program kids be from Spanish speaking backgrounds? At least that's how it should be. Unless you mean that the school is majority Hispanic and thus not as diverse as others in the area with more diverse demographics.

Edited by Mabelen
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If you are going to be afterschooling no matter what, I would go for the immersion school. You could work on those educational goals that don't get met during the summer. A second language is truly a gift. Could you do it without the immersion school? As an aside, if the school has a dual language immersion program, how is it that it is not more diverse? Wouldn't half of the program kids be from Spanish speaking backgrounds? At least that's how it should be. Unless you mean that the school is majority Hispanic and thus not as diverse as others in the area with more diverse demographics.

m

 

It is not dual immersion, it's full immersion in whatever the target language is. So English speaking kids may do a full immersion in Spanish or mandarin. We'd do Spanish. Dd would have all of her primary subjects in 100% Spanish for K-2 and 80% Spanish for 3rd. Specials such as art and music are in English. Kids talk to one another in Spanish.

 

Native Spanish speakers do English immersion. They're not in the same class as the native English speaking kids.

 

Dd is on track to finish her phonics program before K. So we'd keep up reading and English comprehension and literacy. And probably math if it's an issue.

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I got you. Dual language immersion looks pretty much like what you describe under the 90-10 model. What this means is that, for kindergarten, and 1st grade, 90% of instructional time is in Spanish, 10% in English. The ratio changes to reach 50-50 by 5th grade. What makes it dual language is the fact that half of the students are from Spanish speaking backgrounds and act as role models to the other non Spanish speaking students. I see how full immersion would be less diverse.

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I got you. Dual language immersion looks pretty much like what you describe under the 90-10 model. What this means is that, for kindergarten, and 1st grade, 90% of instructional time is in Spanish, 10% in English. The ratio changes to reach 50-50 by 5th grade. What makes it dual language is the fact that half of the students are from Spanish speaking backgrounds and act as role models to the other non Spanish speaking students. I see how full immersion would be less diverse.

Yes, we have dual immersion as well. DDs current school that she attends for PreK has dual immersion. So native Spanish speakers and English speakers alongside one another.

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Yes, we have dual immersion as well. DDs current school that she attends for PreK has dual immersion. So native Spanish speakers and English speakers alongside one another.

Is the current dual language immersion school not an option? Because that would not solve the classical education dilemma but it would give you more diversity, right?

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Is the current dual language immersion school not an option? Because that would not solve the classical education dilemma but it would give you more diversity, right?

It is an option. I will probably list it as our second choice. We have a choice system here and list our top 5 schools. I'm more hesitant with it since it's a brand new this year program.

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