Frequently Asked Questions

General FAQ:

The program begins in Kindergarten. Any student who is registered in WW-P and entering Kindergarten is eligible to apply. Students from the sending districts of all four elementary schools are eligible, and students are bussed to the program location at the district’s expense.

If there is space in the program and the child demonstrates the appropriate language proficiency level to join the class, registered WW-P students may request to transfer into the program. A language assessment will need to be scheduled once the transfer application has been submitted. Contact ashley.warren@wwprsd.org for more information.

No. The DLI program is a long-term commitment. The benefits of a DLI program are accrued over several years. Language proficiency and cognitive benefits take time to develop. There is little benefit, and could even be a detriment, if a student is only in the program for a year or two.

Younger siblings of students who are currently enrolled in the DLI program will be given preference for entrance into the same language program as long as families enroll the sibling by the deadline.

Starting in September of 2024, the DLI Spanish Kindergarten program will be located at Wicoff Elementary School. DLI Spanish students in grades 1-3 will remain at Dutch Neck Elementary School for the 2024-25 school year. After 2024-25, staff will transition to Wicoff one year at a time until every K-3 DLI classroom has moved to Wicoff.
We anticipate that current DLI Spanish students enrolled at Dutch Neck will be able to finish their 1st-3rd grade experience at Dutch Neck, while all new DLI Spanish students who begin Kindergarten in 2024-25 and beyond will participate in the DLI Spanish program at Wicoff Elementary school.

Research shows by 5th grade, on average, students in a DLI program score an estimated 7 months ahead of their peers in English-only classrooms on standardized testing in English Language Arts and score almost a full academic year ahead by the end of 8th grade (The State of Languages in the U.S.; A Statistical Report by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences Commission on Language Learning). However, these students are on a different trajectory than monolingual students. This can mean some students may not be reading on the same level as English monolingual peers in first or second grade. The research shows that, on average, they not only catch up but may even surpass their monolingual peers by 5th grade.

Do not worry, most families will not speak the program language at home! In the beginning of the program, your child will likely have very, very little homework. We recommend that you read with your child in your home language and stimulate your child’s natural curiosity! As they grow older, we encourage families to be a “guide on the side.” This means that families support effective study habits, like reviewing class resources for homework support, encouraging students to use manipulatives and other tools, helping students to access and practice with online resources, etc. If you need help supporting your child, ask your child’s teacher for advice! Remember, you can always practice academic skills in your home language. A child who can add in English or German will be able to add in Spanish or Chinese - the child just needs to acquire the vocabulary to do so, and that’s what our teachers will help them to do!

Once the 50:50 model of K-5 DLI concludes, our middle school DLI students will be able to continue in our DLI Continuation program located at Community Middle School. For more information, please see the "Middle School" section linked here.

Yes. If your child does not yet speak/understand English according to the NJDOE's proficiency guidelines, your child can be in both the ELL program and the DLI program at the same time.

Do not worry! It is not necessary to have any introduction to the target language prior to enrolling in the program for Kindergarten. It is assumed that most students will be new language learners. We aim to create classes that include new language learners and students who already speak the language in the DLI Kindergarten program. Over time, students will learn the target language from their teachers and their peers!

Wonderful! DLI programming is rooted in an asset-based view of multilingualism. If your child already speaks/understands the target language, then their participation in the DLI program allows them to maintain and strengthen their home language while developing biliteracy in English and their home language. They will also grow in their appreciation for Chinese-speaking or Spanish-speaking cultures and communities.

Starting in September 2023, all WW-P Kindergarten classes, including DLI Kindergarten classes, will be full day. DLI kindergarteners will spend half of their day in English and half of their day in Spanish or Chinese.

Starting in September 2023, all DLI Kindergartens will learn English for half of the day, studying English Language Arts: Reading, Writing, & Word Study. DLI Kindergarteners will spend the other half of their day completely immersed in Spanish or Mandarin Chinese, where they will learn Math, Science, Social Studies, and Spanish/Chinese Literacy.