What is Dual Language Education?
Dual Language Programs in MPS
Who is dual language programming for?
In MPS, we have two types of programs:
Spanish Dual Language Programs: Our Spanish Dual Language programs try to have a balance of students in each class with a home language of Spanish and a home language of English or another home language.
Hmong Dual Language Programs: Students in our Hmong Dual Language programs have prior exposure to the Hmong language.
We want to quickly acknowledge the growing demographic of a specific group of students in the United States: Emergent bilinguals. Emergent bilinguals are students who have been exposed to more than one language before they enter school and throughout their schooling. Emergent bilinguals may not have one specific home language defined, making it challenging to adhere to policies regarding who can be a part of dual language programming. Each student is on their own bilingual journey and our goal is to welcome and honor all students along this journey. Therefore, all students are welcome in our dual language programs.
What is the program model?
In dual language programs, a language other than English (LOTE) is used as the vehicle for instruction. In Minneapolis Public Schools, students in our dual language programs spend majority of their instruction in Hmong (Hmong dual language programs) or Spanish (Spanish dual language programs). They learn to read, write, think mathematically, artistically, and musically while in these languages. As the grade levels increase from kindergarten to fifth grade, more time with English as the vehicle of instruction is added. In middle school and high school, students continue in their dual language programs by taking three core classes in Hmong or Spanish until they graduate. For more information on the coursework in our middle school and high school programs, please see the 6-12 schools pages.
While in high school, students who have taken part in our dual language programs are qualified to take the Bilingual Seal, an assessment that examines language proficiency in a language other than English. If students reach a specific language proficiency level, they are eligible to receive free college semester credits. For more information, please read this resource from MDE.
Because our program vision is, "Bilingual learners leading the way for an equitable future," we work to ensure that students have:
Exposure and instruction in both languages of the program daily.
Bilingual classroom teachers, and when possible, bilingual special educators, English Language teachers, and specialists.
When possible, bilingual materials in both languages. (This is more challenging in Hmong than in Spanish, leading to different language policies between our Hmong and Spanish dual language programs as outlined below.)
Equity-centered curriculum that honors student identity through a curriculum re-design process taking place during the summer of 2020.
A committed community to support them on their bilingual journey, including staff, caregivers, and community stakeholders.
Language Allocation Guidelines
The language allocation guidelines, or the language policy, of dual language programs defines what a dual language program is. A language allocation guideline answers the question, "What subject is taught in which language for how long?" The language allocation guideline is the map for students' bilingualism and biliteracy, two of the largest goals of any dual language program.
It is common to hear language allocation guidelines defined as 90-10, 80-20, or 50-50. What this means is that 90%, 80%, or 50% of instruction happens in the language other than English (LOTE) beginning in kindergarten and the other percentage is instruction in English. All programs in fifth grade have a 50-50 split of instruction in both languages.
In Minneapolis Public Schools, our programs try to have a language allocation guideline that starts as a 90-10, and increases through the years towards being 50/50 by 4th or 5th grade. Please read more about the specific programs in the buttons below.