Under budgetary constraints, the Encinitas Union School District is considering a consolidation of its heralded dual-language immersion program which operates at both Paul Ecke and Capri Elementary schools. Administrators propose to put all of the dual-language-program kids at Capri, and implement over several years.
From the Capri Elementary School website:
The Dual Language Immersion Program is a challenging and rigorous academic program in which Spanish is used as the primary language of instruction. The classroom population is half English-speaking children and half Spanish speaking children. The program implements a 90/10-immersion model in which K-1 students receive 90% of their instruction in Spanish, and 10% in English.
From the U-T:
From Fox News with video:
http://nation.foxnews.com/education-system/2012/03/16/school-may-phase-out-english-only-classes
Here’s an unrelated video where this program got mentioned, and more investigation promised:
Speaking from experience growing up multi-lingual that it stunts your language skills and means that you’re a least a year behind in your language skills. Also you have to work hard not to have an accent.
Seems like every room had its own door to the outside – a security risk. That 7-foot room should probably be converted to a laundry room.
The new homeowners will be in and settled a long time before that boat gets sold I would venture.
If a decision is “forced” because of “budget”, the dual immersion program should be suspended and instruction be conducted in English only. Regardless of our broken immigration policy, this still is the United States where the predominant language is English. Otherwise, others can demand “dual immersion” in Arabic, Hebrew, Italian, Indian, German….. in order to be truly “fair”.
The additional cost of instruction is the result of the dual immersion, not the English only….
Sounds like it’s time for a new school board.
I’ve been to different parts of the world and for business English is what everyone speaks.
Something interesting. In Holland kids are taught English from age 9 on and on TV there’s just as many English channels as Dutch. I was told the reason for this is because Dutch speakers recognize that there’s less people to speak with if you don’t speak English.
All that being said I’d be pissed if my local elementary was teaching 90% spanish 10% English.
Spanish speaking kids should learn in English only classes during he day and the parents should find after school Spanish to English private lessons.
My kids went to PEC for 3 years and it was a TERRIBLE experience. We transferred to another school and couldn’t be happier. This would be good news to get this crap out of Leucadia west.
DLI is in high demand for English-speakers. There’s a waiting list. The program is the crown jewel of both Capri and PEC, and is something the district is known and respected for.
As a DLI parent, I am thrilled with the program but would probably not be thrilled with the school without the program.
It makes sense to merge the Ecke and Capri programs to balance the class sizes. I don’t care which school it ends up at; just don’t destroy the best program the district has.
http://nyti.ms/FP1CTr
Bilingual = Smarter
I echo Ted’s comments and share his experience and views about the DLI program. There is a lot of misinformation about what it really is – it is focused on teaching kids both english and spanish, gradually increasing the proportion of english and reducing the amount of spanish content for each year of elementary school. By 6th grade, the mix is roughly 60% english and 40% spanish. For us, the program has added an extra dimension of challenge to our children – without it the public school experience would probably be unsatisfactory and my kids would be bored. It has been a great experience. If you have a gifted kid, the school district is not going to provide extra enrichment because they are mandated to expend their efforts raising up the kids who are behind. Learning a second language has added an additional level of challenge that otherwise would not be possible.
That being said, I sympathize completely with the Capri area families that don’t want to be in the program and want to continue to attend Capri and have their children learn in a traditional english environment. They should not be forced to do something they don’t want to do, and should not be forced to leave the school in their local neighborhood.
My father was sent to work in S.America when I was a kid. We went to a private school that taught English and Spanish. A few of the students were like ourselves, English speakers working there. Most of the students were from upper middle class local families who knew their kids needed English to succeed.
The school taught a British and local curiculum leading to entrance tests for both British and local universities. Mornings were in Spanish and afternoons in English. Depending on teacher availablity and/or knowledge some years I was taught math in Spanish and some in English. The language was irrelevant. The important part was being taught the curriculum. It did not stunt our language skills.
When a new “American” student arrived they were placed by age into their new class. All were fluent in Spanish within a few months and caught up quickly.
The key, as with any single language school, is the education level of the parents and their involvement. These children would succeed in any language.
The local state schools only taught Spanish.
I moved in middle school to another country and was at the same level as my peers. I then came to university in the US and was ahead of my peers for my freshman classes.
Of course the English word for knowing two languages is “bilingual”,
for multiple languages, “multilingual”,
and for one language: “American”. 🙂
NewHorizon,
Yes, I know the joke, but the proper term for one who knows multiple languages is “polyglot”.
FTR,
There is more coincidence related to language/education than causality. Good parents are the #1 determinant to smart kids; everything else is a distant second… yes, even committed, well-trained teachers with multiple languages. If course curriculum could have fixed education, we wouldn’t have poor literacy in inner-city schools.
Chuck
Chuck,
Checking ones favorite online dictionaries and thesauri is an exercise I leave for the onlookers.
NewHorizon – funny, but I didn’t need a thesaurus.
Hey Chuck,
OK, well, thanks for telling us that you already know the joke and that you don’t need a thesaurus.