Dual immersion programs are becoming more and more popular in our education system as they promote academic success, cultural understanding and bilingualism. Dual Immersion programs offer a unique opportunity for students to learn two languages simultaneously: English and another language of their choice. The school I have selected is Perris High School located in Riverside, California. With this program, the students at Perris High School would become proficient in both English and Spanish by the end of their high school career with instruction evenly divided between the two languages. According to data collected from Ed-Data, 73% of the students at Perris High School are Hispanic or Latino while only 15% identify as Asian/Pacific Islander. This makes Spanish an ideal option for dual immersion programming due to its prevalence among the student population at this particular school (“Overview,” 2020).
In order for such a program to take place at Perris High School however additional funding is needed as provided under Proposition 58 passed by California voters in 2016. This proposition allowed local districts greater flexibility when it comes to providing instruction related to multilingual education including dual immersive programming(California Department Of Education 2017). The funds made available through Proposition 58 could provide necessary resources like textbooks specifically designed for dual immersive programming along with qualified teachers trained in pedagogy dedicated towards teaching multiple languages among other things(California Department Of Education 2017).
Ultimately implementing a comprehensive Dual Immersion Program will bring immense benefits if applied correctly without compromising on existing educational standards. It gives every child attending Perris High School an equal opportunity regardless of ethnicity or economic status so that each student may reach his or her full potential academically as well as linguistically. A properly executed plan will successfully equip every student with essential skillsets required for success beyond high school life no matter what path they choose later on down the road .
References:
California Department Of Education.(2017)Proposition 58 Multilingual Education Amendment Act Overview [PDF].Retrieved from https://www1cdeedu/sites/default/files/cdecontent//CurriculumInstruction/CTSOs/$MLEAO$MLEAOv_170915pdf?state=ca&status=released&year=201718&level2name=Perris Union High&level3name=Perris High#page14)
Kilpatrick LA., Williams-Petersen EA.(2020)Transfer Effects Between Contextually Related Languages During Bilingual Reading Comprehension Instruction[PDF] Retrieved From http://webprod3edbpublishorgssFilesFSPublicationsDownloadableFilesBEPerspectives05 TransferEffectsinBilLingualReadingComprehensionInstruction20 pdf
Kutscher ML et al.(2013)The Cognitive Benefits of Being Bilingual [PDF].Cerebrum : Dana Foundation Retrieved from http://danaorgcontentcerebrum20133the-cognitivebenefits-ofbeingblingualpdf
Valdés G., Escamilla K.(2019)”Benefits Associated with Dual Language Enrollment” [PDF]. National Association For Bilingual Educators Retrieved From https://nabe19orgeducationwpcontentuploads201907NABEWhitePaperFinalWEBpdf