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PARK CITY -- Educators at the Park City School District say their dual immersion language programs are so popular that the district will expand them to all of its elementary schools next year.
The dual immersion language program has been in place at Parley's Park Elementary and Trailside Elementary for the past two years.
District Curriculum and Instruction Director Lori Gardner said, "The parents' clamor for the program was so strong that the board decided to expand it to all four schools."
- McPolin Elementary - Spanish
- Jeremy Ranch Elementary - French
- Parley's Park Elementary - Spanish
- Trailside Elementary - French
Gardner said, at first, the district was only going to expand it to one more school, but the parents wanted more.
"I have been there six years and have not seen the parent turnout for any program as it was for this program," she explained.
Next year, Spanish will be taught at McPolin Elementary while French will be taught at Jeremy Ranch.
The duel immersion system isn't like regular language classes.
- Second Language Skills: Students achieve high proficiency in the immersion language.
- Performance on Standardized Tests: Immersion students perform as well as or better than non-immersion students on standardized tests in English.
- Cognitive Skills: Immersion students typically develop greater cognitive flexibility, demonstrating increase attention control, better memory, and superior problem-solving skills as well as an enhanced understanding of their primary language.
- Cultural Competency: Immersion students are more aware of and generally show more positive attitudes toward other cultures and appreciation of other people.
- Long-term Benefits: Immersion students are better prepared for the global community and job markets where 21st century skills are an asset.
Students will learn subjects like reading, math and even science in their target language. Gardner said the Spanish program will cater to two separate groups of students; kids who are learning Spanish, and kids whose native language is Spanish.
"Those students flip between two teachers and they're spending half of the day [speaking] Spanish, half of the day in English and really enhancing the language skills for both [groups of] students," she said.
The program is proving to be far more effective than regular language classes. She said the minds of younger children are more adept at grasping both languages being taught and can navigate through their target language much easier than other children. In fact, kids may become so fluent at their second language that Gardner said they may be ready to take the AP exam when they're in the ninth grade.
"Normal students in a language program might take that in the 11th or 12th grade if they're extremely motivated," Gardner pointed out.
E-mail: pnelson@ksl.com
