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Visit our searchable blog to see posts and stories from teachers, instructional coaches, administrators, parents, etc. from dual language immersion programs across the country.

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How would you like to spend an hour with our Director of Teaching and Learning to discuss your program’s specific challenges? In fact, many schools across the country use these as part of their monthly staff meetings. The addalingua team has decades of experience with schools of all sizes and program models. Got a tough situation? Chances are, we’ve encountered the same one a few times. Schedule a single office hour, or a package of five or ten.

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FAQ

We have been answering some of the toughest – and simplest, most straightforward – questions about dual language immersion programs for over a decade. Check out our latest version of frequently asked questions – or send us one of your own! We’re happy to answer it. Contact Us

What is a language immersion program?

A language immersion program is a proven method of educating children by immersing them in a second or “target” language so they become bilingual. In a language immersion program, the classroom environment becomes the setting for language acquisition through subject content instruction, educational discourse, and social interactions.

Why is language immersion most effective beginning at a young age?

Babies are born as “world citizens,” able to distinguish any sound in spoken language.
Toddlers learn through interaction with their families and their immediate surroundings.
School-age children make sense of new concepts by relating those new concepts to what they already know.
Students before the age of puberty more easily gain native-like proficiency.

Why is the Spanish language a good choice for an immersion program?

In the United States, 1 of 7 persons is Hispanic.
By 2020, Hispanics are expected to account for half of the growth in the U.S. labor force.
Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world.
Spanish is a “gateway” language that will train the brain, thus making it easier to learn other languages.

Why would families choose Spanish immersion as an educational option?

Research shows that children are able to learn one, two, or multiple languages early in life, and they do so with ease.
Learning more than one language gives children cognitive advantages and increases cultural awareness and sensitivity.

Does learning to read and write in Spanish before English negatively impact a student’s academic progress?

Research clearly shows that students in a language immersion program regularly score commensurate with or above that of peers in other educational programs within the school or district on standardized tests. Throughout the language acquisition process, immersion students may be able to read better in one language than the other. However, this is a normal part of learning to read, and research shows that eventually, immersion students tend to read at or above grade level in both languages.

How will implementing a language immersion program in a school benefit a community?

A language immersion program equips students to become Americans who are linguistically and culturally aware, increasing global competitiveness and communication.
A language immersion program expands students’ potential career opportunities in our increasingly shrinking and diverse world market.
A language immersion program fosters an inherent understanding of the world that prompts us to naturally cross-linguistic and cultural boundaries.

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