Two-Way Dual Language Immersion Program for Incoming Kindergarteners

What is a Two-Way Dual Language Immersion Program?
Native English and native Spanish speakers learn both English and Spanish together in one classroom.
In younger grades, majority of instruction is in Spanish… English instruction increases in subsequent years.
All content in both languages is based on Indiana Academic Standards.

Why should I enroll my child in the Dual Language Immersion Program?
Becoming bilingual and biliterate gives students the skills and knowledge to succeed in a global society.
Studies show that students in a DLI program academically, cognitively, and socially outperform their peers.
The achievement of students educated in these programs equals or outperforms their comparison groups being schooled in only one language, on all measures (Collier and Thomas, 2001).

How will learning in another language affect my child’s English language and literacy development?
Research consistently shows that the immersion experience actually enhances English language development since the cognitive processes that come from the ability to read, such as understanding the relationship between the spoken language and the written word, transfer from one language to another (Cloud, Genesee, & Hamayan, 2000).

What is the plan for growing the DLI program at Willow Lake?
Willow Lake Elementary School will launch with two kindergarten dual immersion classrooms. In subsequent years, classes in each grade will be added until K-5 implementation has been achieved.

How can I support my child if I do not speak one of the languages?
DLI teachers know students often come from monolingual homes and consider this when assigning homework.
Reading together, talking together, and answering your child’s questions are some of the most effective ways that a parent can prepare their child to succeed in school.
When you strengthen your child’s native language, he/she becomes more successful in learning the second language.

What are the next steps in the application process?
Student placement in the DLI program will be determined by a combination of factors including: the student’s attendance zone boundaries, program capacity, and balanced enrollment of students from homes in which English is spoken and homes from which Spanish is spoken. Please fill out the information below in order for your child to be considered for the program. If necessary, a lottery will be utilized to determine enrollment. Families will be notified in mid-May of their status.

If you have additional questions about this program please contact Cristina Vasquez, Dual Language Immersion Coach at Willow Lake Elementary School: (317) 280-3701 or cvasquez@msdwt.k12.in.us