Why dual immersion?

• Large percentage of English language learners who were not being successful on state assessments (achievement gap)

• Program began in 2009 with two sections of first grade. These students are graduating from high school this year!

• Research conclusively shows that it is the most effective program academically for ESL students.

• Meets the needs of all students, while also fulfilling the administrative requirements of the U.S. legal system to provide equal educational opportunity for all students.¹

• English-speaking students perform as well or better than similar peers academically who are not in dual immersion.

• English learners are included in mainstream instruction and not socially isolated from their classroom peers.

• Research-tested instructional strategies such as cooperative learning enable diverse students to help and learn directly from one another.

• Both language groups are equally challenged in their second languages and can identify with each other instructionally and emotionally.

• Friendships can develop across language and social class barriers.

• Both language groups can be “experts” when the instructional lesson is in their home language.

• Students develop high academic achievement in reading, writing, and oral proficiency in two languages.

• Students develop positive attitudes towards themselves as learners.

• Students develop very positive attitudes about students of other language and cultural backgrounds and/or

• Students develop very positive attitudes about their heritage language and cultural background.

• More English in the instructional day does NOT lead to higher levels of English proficiency or achievement.⁴

• Well documented cognitive benefits of being bilingual