Skip to main content
Dual Language Immersion Program » Dual Language Immersion Program

Dual Language Immersion Program

Kinder DLI students 2019-2020
Kindergarten students work on an assignment 
Estudiantes en Kinder trabajan en una tarea en clase
First grade DLI 2019-2020First Grade DLI Students working on Math
Estudiantes de primer grado estudian matemáticas
 

What is Dual Immersion?

Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Programs integrate speakers of different languages in the same classes. All students acquire a second language as they learn grade level content. Immersion education has been in existence in the United States for over 40 years. The number of immersion schools has been on the rise with 300 schools nationwide. The majority of these programs are Spanish/English. 

Benefits

  • Young children learn a second language more naturally at a young age.
  • Bi-literate skills give students more career options.
  • Studying a second-language develops strong problem-solving skills.

Requirements

  • Parents must be actively involved in their child’s education using their home language.
  • Attendance is critical in learning a new language.
  • It is a long-term commitment. Students benefit more when staying in the program through fifth grade.

How it Works

Using a proven dual immersion model, the program will promote and provide opportunities for students to acquire the subject matter knowledge, cultural understanding, and linguistic skills needed to become attentive and responsive to the world around them and beyond.

Our Vision

Dual Language Immersion builds student bi-literacy in English and in Spanish. Instruction is provided by highly-trained, caring teachers. Students continue to learn standards-based content while they become fluent in two languages. The curriculum taught is aligned with common core state standards in language arts, mathematics and all other subjects. Throughout the program, students help each other to speak, read, write and understand a second language.

Program Goals

  1. Bilingual Proficiency - all students are able to understand, speak, read and write both languages at grade level by the end of fifth grade.
  2. High Academic Achievement - all student demonstrate mastery of grade level standards
  3. Cross-Cultural Understanding - all students develop positive understanding and attitudes about themselves and others.

Our 90/10 Model

The DLI program at Collegeville follows a 90/10 Immersion Model wherein Spanish is the primary language of instruction in the early grades and English is gradually introduced until there is a 50/50 balance in fifth grade.

Classroom Composition

Classrooms must have linguistic equity. Ideally, 50% of students will be primary Spanish speakers and 50% will be primary English speakers, though composition of classrooms is dependent on available student enrollments in the program.

Pathway to Higher Education

Since students develop academic language in English and Spanish, many students choose to take Advanced Placement Spanish courses in high school. These courses prepare students to pass AP tests and earn college credit. The cognitive benefits of learning two languages and the academic rigor of the program prepares students for college education.

Enrolling

The program began in the Fall of 2018 at Collegeville Elementary School with an initiating Kindergarten cohort. We will be adding a new grade each year through 5th grade in 2023-24.