Dual Language Immersion

Elementary DLI 90:10 Model

 

Dual Language Immersion (DLI), also known as Two-Way Immersion, integrates a balanced number of native speakers of a target language (e.g. Spanish), native speakers of English, and bilingual students in the same classrooms. Students’ core content classes are given in two different languages (e.g. Spanish/English), studying each topic routinely in one language. They do not repeat the same content in both languages.

The model that will be followed by SB Unified is the 90:10 model. These numbers refer to the percentage of instructional time spent in their two languages when they begin their schooling. In a 90:10 model, transitional-K through kindergarten students receive 90% of instruction in the target language and 10% in English. Over their elementary years, there is a gradual increase of English instruction until 4th grade, when 50% of the day is spent in each language. This means that Kindergarten students, for example, spend 90% of time learning from their teacher in the target language and, for 10% of their time, they switch to the other Kindergarten classroom to learn from their “English” teacher. This pattern of switching to an English classroom is maintained through 2nd grade and, beginning in 3rd grade, students stay in one classroom to learn with their bilingual/biliterate teacher all day. As they are older, they simply know which subjects are taught in English and which are learned through the target language.  

 

    

Porcentaje  de instrucción en cada idioma Percentage of Instruction in each Language
	Español	English
Transition-Kinder	90%	10%
Kindergarten	90%	10%
1°	80%	20%
2°	70%	30%
3°	60%	40%
4°, 5° y 6°	50%	50%

 

Goals of DLI

Dual language education has four main pillars or goals:

• Bilingualism and Biliteracy, 
• Grade Level Academic Achievement, 
• Sociocultural Competence 
• Critical Consciousness

These pillars as well as the rubrics and research provided in the Guiding Principles of Dual Language Education, 3rd Edition (Center for Applied Linguistics, 2018) direct all monitoring of DLI schools, so that the highest quality programs can be maintained. 

Bilingualism and Biliteracy

By definition, any Dual Language program provides literacy instruction to all of its students through two languages. This leads to an important focus on not only understanding and speaking two languages (bilingualism), but additionally to reading and writing in those two languages (biliteracy). A key component in the evolution students’ of bilingualism and biliteracy is the intentional development of students’ metalinguistic awareness, that is, their ability to consciously reflect on the nature of language in general.

Grade Level Academic Achievement

Dual Language programs also provide content instruction through two languages. At any given point in their academic career, students will study certain content areas in one language and other content areas in the other. In a 4th grade classroom, for example, students may regularly study mathematics and science in Spanish and social studies and writers workshop in English. Intentional windows of time, often at the end of a unit of study, are set aside to ensure that students complete the process of transference, in which they are clear about specific mathematical vocabulary, for example,  in the other language. 

Sociocultural Competence and Cultural Appreciation

Due to the third pillar of dual language education, Sociocultural Competence, students of DLI programs gain a considerable understanding of not only their own identity and culture, but also a deeper understanding and appreciation of the influence that culture has in all of our lives. The Guiding Principles of Dual Language Education, 3rd Edition, state that “Sociocultural Competence is a term that encompasses identity development, cross-cultural competence, and multi-cultural appreciation.” This means that students are taken on a journey of appreciating their own identity and growing in the appreciation of the diversity of linguistic and cultural identities that exist in our world. The program monitoring process described above (see FAQ 3) ensures that this work is a daily part of students’ education in a DLI program.

Critical Consciousness

An important part of Sociocultural Competence is the development of Critical Consciousness. As students come to understand the variety of identities that exist both in themselves and in those around them, they come to see that systems and people do not treat all identities equitably. Students in Dual Language programs should learn to notice, critique and provide solutions for inequitable systems that promote people with certain identities while allowing other people to remain on the margins, receiving fewer resources and support or even actively oppressing them. 

Benefits of DLI

Overall, bilinguals outperform monolinguals in the following areas:

• Cognitive Benefits
  •  Greater creativity
  • Better problem solving skills
  • Increased attention to detail
  • Greater working memory
  •  Improved conflict management
  • Able to change between tasks with ease
• Academic Benefits
  • Better academic performance
  • BIlingual and biliterate
• Economic Benefits
  • Able to participate in the global economy
• Sociocultural Competence
  • Awareness and understanding of one’s own culture and of other cultures, as well
• Stronger Family and Heritage Connections
  • Maintain and grow intergenerational family relationships
  • Able to access the wisdom of their cultural elders

Class Composition

As students begin their educational career in DLI, the model requires that each classroom have a balanced number of native speakers of Spanish, of English, and of students who are bilingual.

Why is it okay to immerse English speakers in a language, but not Spanish speakers?

As the California Department of Education states, “The English speaker is not at risk of losing the English language. English is spoken at home, in the community, and in the media. Dual-language immersion programs are not replacing English with another language, but provide the students the opportunity to acquire a second language. Dual-language immersion programs are additive programs in that a second language is acquired while maintaining the first language of the students.” (CDE.ca.gov) This is fundamentally different than when one learns Spanish, for example, in a Spanish-speaking nation in which the media, community and home language are all Spanish. In such a case, the English would be at greater risk and the Spanish would be more likely to predominate. This sociolinguistic idea “captures the complexity of teaching for biliteracy in Spanish and English in the United States, and they can be adapted to any two languages used in biliteracy instruction.” (Beeman, 2013)

Junior High DLI Program Model

Dual Language Immersion (DLI) students at Santa Barbara Jr. High will continue to spend a portion of their instructional day in Spanish and another portion in English. Similar to their elementary years in DLI, certain subject areas will be taught in English throughout the school year and others will be taught in Spanish. Importantly, the Dual Language program provides content and literacy instruction to all of its students through both languages. This means that students will not only be learning history, for example, but rather that their history course will be embedded with rich opportunities to develop written and spoken language, as well as general metalinguistic awareness.

What does DLI look like at SBJHS?

At the Jr. High level students take up to 50% of their coursework in Spanish.  Santa Barbara Junior High students take 6-7 courses over the course of the school year.  The percentage is decided upon by students and their families. 

Sample Schedules

Sample Schedule 1 (50%):
Course 1 - History Social Science DLI 
Course 2 - Spanish Language Arts DLI
Course 3 - Core Content DLI  (dependent on offering  -  e.g.  math, science) 
Course 4 - English Language Arts
Course 5 - Core Content (Math or Science)
Course 6  - Physical Education
Course 7 - Optional elective for AVID and Newcomer Students

Sample Schedule #2 (30%)
Course 1 - History Social Science DLI 
Course 2 - Spanish Language Arts DLI
Course 3 - Math
Course 4 - English Language Arts
Course 5 - Science
Course 6  - Physical Education
Course 7 - Optional elective for AVID and Newcomer DLI Students

Goals of DLI

Dual language education has three main pillars or goals:

• Bilingualism and Biliteracy, 
• Grade Level Academic Achievement, 
• Sociocultural Competence 

These pillars as well as the rubrics and research provided in the Guiding Principles of Dual Language Education, 3rd Edition (Center for Applied Linguistics, 2018) direct all monitoring of DLI schools, so that the highest quality programs can be maintained. 

Bilingualism and Biliteracy

By definition, any Dual Language program provides literacy instruction to all of its students through two languages. This leads to an important focus on not only understanding and speaking two languages (bilingualism), but additionally to reading and writing in those two languages (biliteracy). A key component in the evolution students’ of bilingualism and biliteracy is the intentional development of students’ metalinguistic awareness, that is, their ability to consciously reflect on the nature of language in general.

Grade Level Academic Achievement

Dual Language programs also provide content instruction through two languages. At any given point in their academic career, students will study certain content areas in one language and other content areas in the other. In a 4th grade classroom, for example, students may regularly study mathematics and science in Spanish and social studies and writers workshop in English. Intentional windows of time, often at the end of a unit of study, are set aside to ensure that students complete the process of transference, in which they are clear about specific mathematical vocabulary, for example,  in the other language. 

Sociocultural Competence and Cultural Appreciation

Due to the third pillar of dual language education, Sociocultural Competence, students of DLI programs gain a considerable understanding of not only their own identity and culture, but also a deeper understanding and appreciation of the influence that culture has in all of our lives. The Guiding Principles of Dual Language Education, 3rd Edition, state that “Sociocultural Competence is a term that encompasses identity development, cross-cultural competence, and multi-cultural appreciation.” This means that students are taken on a journey of appreciating their own identity and growing in the appreciation of the diversity of linguistic and cultural identities that exist in our world. The program monitoring process described above (see FAQ 3) ensures that this work is a daily part of students’ education in a DLI program.

Critical Consciousness

An important part of Sociocultural Competence is the development of Critical Consciousness. As students come to understand the variety of identities that exist both in themselves and in those around them, they come to see that systems and people do not treat all identities equitably. Students in Dual Language programs should learn to notice, critique and provide solutions for inequitable systems that promote people with certain identities while allowing other people to remain on the margins, receiving fewer resources and support or even actively oppressing them.

Benefits of DLI

Overall, bilinguals outperform monolinguals in the following areas:

• Cognitive Benefits
  •  Greater creativity
  • Better problem solving skills
  • Increased attention to detail
  • Greater working memory
  •  Improved conflict management
  • Able to change between tasks with ease
• Academic Benefits
  • Better academic performance
  • BIlingual and biliterate
• Economic Benefits
  • Able to participate in the global economy
• Sociocultural Competence
  • Awareness and understanding of one’s own culture and of other cultures, as well
• Stronger Family and Heritage Connections
  • Maintain and grow intergenerational family relationships
  • Able to access the wisdom of their cultural elders

Why is it okay to immerse English speakers in a language, but not Spanish speakers?

As the California Department of Education states, “The English speaker is not at risk of losing the English language. English is spoken at home, in the community, and in the media. Dual-language immersion programs are not replacing English with another language, but provide the students the opportunity to acquire a second language. Dual-language immersion programs are additive programs in that a second language is acquired while maintaining the first language of the students.” (CDE.ca.gov) This is fundamentally different than when one learns Spanish, for example, in a Spanish-speaking nation in which the media, community and home language are all Spanish. In such a case, the English would be at greater risk and the Spanish would be more likely to predominate. This sociolinguistic idea “captures the complexity of teaching for biliteracy in Spanish and English in the United States, and they can be adapted to any two languages used in biliteracy instruction.” (Beeman, 2013)

Eligibility

The Dual Language Immersion program at SBJHS is open to all students who participated in a DLI elementary program.

Students entering 7th grade who apply to SBJHS’s DLI program and do not currently attend a local DLI program or are new to U.S. Schools must take the Spanish Language Placement Exam. 

To inquire about taking the Spanish Language Proficiency Exam or for additional program questions, please contact the Santa Barbara Junior High School DLI Coordinator at (805) 963-7751, ext. 4055. 

Due to the nature of Dual Language studies, it is important that all students entering Santa Barbara Junior High School’s DLI program be a newcomer or have studied in a Dual Language Immersion program since Kindergarten. If a student has not grown up in a Spanish-speaking country or participated in a Dual Language Elementary program since Kinder, they will not have the requisite language experiences to participate in the program.