What is Spanish Immersion?

Immersion education is an alternative educational model designed to provide students with fluency and literacy (speaking, reading, and writing) in two languages. The Spanish Immersion program aims to teach Spanish to non-native speakers while their brains are still in their peak language-learning years. Starting on the first day of first grade, all core classes (math, science, reading, and social studies) are taught entirely in Spanish. Students are provided with English instruction during story time, PE, fine arts, computer lab and at the library. They receive direct instruction in the English language, beginning in the second semester of second grade. As the child advances to each grade level, they receive increasing amounts of English instruction, while still accomplishing the goal of fluency in Spanish by sixth grade.

Once they’ve begun the program, students continue with Spanish Immersion through the completion of elementary school. The students then continue their advanced level Spanish studies in specified courses throughout middle and high school years.

Learning a second language at a younger age improves life-long language abilities. As technological, economical, and social influences bring the world’s cultures together, multi-lingual people are in high demand across nearly all career fields. Many advanced programs and college degree plans require students to have studied a second language, and an early start now will make these classes easier or allow students to test out of them completely.

Benefits of Spanish Immersion

• Prepare to meet the challenges
  of a global society
• Become bilingual and biliterate
• Be exposed to other cultures
  and languages
• Enjoy career advantages
• Interact with students of
  various backgrounds
• Raise self-esteem