Valorie has discussed the benefits of teaching a second language to your children. As she stated in previous blogs, the earlier a child begins to learn a second language the easier it is.
In most cases, public schools do not begin to teach languages other than English until high school. Knowing the importance and advantage to being bilingual, one school district decided to act upon it.
In 1998 Palmdale School District in Los Angeles began a program that taught students in English for half of the time and in Spanish the other half of the time. School officials began visiting the schools in the district and presenting its program to parents.
Originally, the program was used at three schools with over 100 kindergarten students. As its popularity grew among parents and businessmen, grades were later added. In 2001, the program developed its very own campus. This year, the program graduated 60 eighth grade students. Twenty-two have been with the program from the start.
The program now has a student body of 830 students. It also has a waiting list for every grade. The largest waiting list is for kindergarten. After filling all 120 spots, the school still has a list of 60 students.
Parents of children who attend the school say that in addition to the extra learning that the students are getting from the school, the staff is great. They feel that learning a second language will give their children an advantage in the workforce. It also challenges them.
I think that this program is wonderful. It adds another option for parents when it comes to their children’s education. I do believe that children who learn a second language will have a great advantage in our diverse world. Many families are not bilingual and therefore do not know how to provide their children with a bilingual background.
Bilingual Students: The Challenges Teachers Face
Something to Talk About – Foreign Languages in American Schools