1. Immersion Information Session 2018 Elementary School

2. Introductions Ms. Dee, Principal Mr. Paul Iaboni, Assistant Principal
Senora O’Connor (Spanish Partner Teacher)
Ms. Pasquale (English Partner Teacher)
Cora Scott
Executive Director, Elementary Education, Brandywine School District

3. School Overview Grades: K-5 Enrollment: 522
Programs: After School Programs, STEAM Lab, Robotics Club, Soccer, Chess 
School Hours:  8:35 pm - 3:35 pm
Mascot: Leo the Lion
Colors:  Cobalt blue and yellow

4. Delaware World Language Immersion
Governor’s World Language Expansion Initiative: Preparing a Globally Competitive Delaware Workforce (2011)
10-year initiative
20 immersion programs
10,000 students
Cigna HQ expansion story
Overall goals of initiative

5. The Delaware Immersion Context
“In today’s educational landscape, it is imperative for Delaware students to have the skills necessary to compete in a global economy. Learning a second language will offer our children an advantage in this increasingly competitive world.” Jack Markell, Governor of the State of Delaware
Long sequences of language learning
Entry points in elementary, middle, high

6. A K-12 Immersion Pathway Grades
Instructional Content in Immersion Language
Elementary
(50% of the day: minimum 150 minutes)
Grade K-5
Immersion Language Arts
Math
Science
Middle
(30% of the day: minimum 90 minutes)
Grade 6-8
Grade 6-7
Social Studies
Grade 8
High
(15% of the day: minimum 1 course per year)
Grade 9
AP Immersion Language/Culture
Grade 10-12
Dual Credit Courses in immersion language
K-12 initiative
Content learning throughout
Proficiency goals

7. Delaware’s Immersion Programs
Districts 11
73% 12
80%
Schools 22
18% 32
27%
Students
2800+
1 in 11 Kindergarteners
4000+
1 in 7 Kindergarteners
Grades
K-4 (5*)
K-5 (6*)
Middle School Launch (Spanish)

8. The Delaware Immersion Model
World Language Immersion
50% instruction in each of two languages (K-5)
Two-Teacher Model
Different teacher for each language
Strand within a School
Coexists with traditional instruction
One-Way & Two-Way Student Populations
Predominantly native English speakers
Balance of native English/Spanish speakers
World Language Immersion: Both languages of high use throughout the world
Two-Teacher Model: Separation of languages in immersion is key.
Strand within the school: Immersion co-exists with traditional all-English instruction

9. Instructional Split: Grades K-3
Spanish Literacy / Language Arts (50 minutes)
Science, select Social Studies concepts in Spanish (40 minutes)
Math in Spanish (60 minutes)
English Language Arts / select Social Studies units (120 minutes)
Content Transfer / Academic Language Development
(30 minutes)
Spanish Literacy / Language Arts
15%
English Language Arts, some Social Studies
35%
Science, some Social Studies in Spanish
15%
Instructional split for K-3
Focus on concrete math and science instruction
Some districts include some social studies units on the Chinese side of the day
Math in Spanish
20%
Content Transfer / Academic Language Development
15%

10. A Typical Day Sample Schedule
8:40-8:50 Arrival 8:50-10:50 English Language Arts 10:50-11:10 English Content Reinforcement 11:10-11:15 Switch Classes 11:15-11:40 Spanish Math (part 1) 11:40-12:00 Recess 12:00-12:30 Lunch 12:30-1:00 Spanish Math (part 2) 1:00-1:45 Spanish Language Arts 1:45-2:30 Spanish Science 2:30-3:20 Related Arts

11. Instructional Integration
The Spanish-language teacher and the English-language teacher plan closely together to support the entire grade-level instructional program.
Curriculum is integrated across the two classrooms so that experiences support content learning throughout the day.

12. Benefits of Immersion Economic advantages Academic achievement
Marketable language skills
Academic achievement
Achievement-gap closures among minority populations
Scores as high or higher than monolingual peers (on average)
Cognitive benefits
Increased flexibility and focus
Superior problem-solving skills
Focus on teacher capacity, especially in their first two years
Begin the year with a common foundation of immersion
PD throughout the year by grade bands, language breakouts

13. Beneficios para hispanohablantes
Dominio total de dos idiomas
Habilidades altas en inglés y español
Desarollo de la lectura/escritura
El desarollo del lenguaje académico produce un rendimiento académico superior.
Progreso académico más rápido
El alcanze de niveles mayores en los exámenes estandaizados que los hispanohablantes que reciben todas las lecciones en inglés.
Dominio total de dos idiomas: Home language is not enough. ELLs being to lose their L1 vocabulary when they begin school and do not develop academic vocabulary in Spanish without instruction in that language.
Desarollo de la lectura/escritura: Specific literacy instruction in Spanish allows students to move beyond the social language used at home and develop the ability to read and write in academic settings.
Progreso académico más rápido: Achievement test scores improve faster for ELLs who receive academic instruction in English AND their first language than ELLs who only receive instruction in English.

14. Parental Support for Immersion
Read with your child in English minutes daily or in whatever language is spoken in the home.
Develop an understanding of immersion education and attend school immersion events.
Commit to long-term participation in the immersion program in order for the benefits of the program to be fully realized.

15. Parental Support for Immersion
Support the total educational process and talk with your students about instructional concepts at home.
Seek out opportunities for your child to use the immersion language outside of school.
Recognize and work through the challenges and celebrate the results!.

16. Enrollment Information
Register your child for kindergarten at this school for the school year.
Complete the “Immersion Application / Commitment Form”
50 students will be selected to enroll (2 classrooms of 25 students each)
Two-Way Immersion Program Between 16 and 25 seats will be designated for native Spanish-speaking students

17. Enrollment Form
Parent Commitment

18. Enrollment Timeline IMPORTANT DATES February – March 31st
April – May 15th
May 16th – June 30th
July 1st – August 15th
Students will be accepted into the program if commitment received by March 31st
If more applications are received than available seats a lottery will be held to select students
Separate lottery for native Spanish speakers
If more applications are received than available seats students will be placed on a wait-list
If seats continue to be available students will be accepted into the program if commitment received by May 15th
If seats continue to be available students will be accepted into the program if commitment received by June 30th
Applications accepted from Brandywine School District feeder students enrolled to attend other BSD schools
Lottery held immediately following to identify students to be placed in the program

19. QUESTIONS?

20. Contact Information