Program Staff
Kinder
Sra. Young, Sra. Flores
1st Grade
Opening in 2023-24
2nd Grade
Opening in 2024-25
3rd Grade
Opening in 2025-26
4th Grade
Opening in 2026-27
5th Grade
Opening in 2027-28
ELIRT
Sra. Iliana Cruz
Standards
resources
Research
Spanish Websites - Sitios web en español
English Websites - Sitios en inglés
Dual Language Immersion
Program Background
The Lawndale Dual Immersion program was first instituted in August 2006 at Mark Twain Elementary with the first Kindergarten class. In 2012 the program expanded to middle school at Will Rogers Middle School.
Beginning with the 2022-23 school year, the Spanish Dual Language Immersion program has expanded to Billy Mitchell! To read the full press release, click here.
Program Vision
Lawndale supports and values bilingualism, biliteracy, cultural identity, and cross-cultural competence. Our vision for the Dual Immersion program is for our students to attain biliteracy and bilingualism with exceptional levels of academic excellence and social confidence to be competitive in the global community.
Program Goals
LESD’s Dual Immersion Program promotes the following goals for its students:
- Bilingualism and Biliteracy - The development and maintenance of Spanish and English proficiency in listening, speaking, reading, and writing
- Multicultural Understanding - Students develop positive attitudes and appreciation toward world languages and cultures in our global society, promoting their involvement in world issues.
- The integration of students with a wide range of abilities
- A positive environment in which the minority language (Spanish) is respected and celebrated
- Provide an opportunity for students to acquire a second language while maintaining their native language and culture.
- Maintain academic performance at or above grade level in English and Spanish as measured by classroom grades, common assessments, benchmarks and state assessments.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. Parents do not need to have proficiency in the Spanish language. School bulletins and homework instructions are sent home in both languages. We also have opportunities for parents to pick up some Spanish too. About half our families are monolingual English speakers – so you will not be alone if you do not speak Spanish in your home.
Parents can support students at home by making sure that they have the right environment and tools to get homework done (e.g., a quiet space and enough time, paper, dictionaries in both languages, writing utensils, and art supplies such as construction paper, paste, tape, and colored makers). Parents can also ask questions about the homework in the language spoken at home, thus giving the students opportunities to explain the assignment in their first language. Homework is generally reading or math practice or extra time to work on a project begun in the classroom. Children generally have homework buddies that they can call if they need clarification
Research has shown that students from a variety of different backgrounds can be successful in dual immersion programs. Students from different ethnic, socioeconomic, and language backgrounds, and with varying academic strengths and needs, have all benefited from dual language education. If your child has special learning needs that make you wonder if this might be an appropriate placement, we’d be happy to talk with you and explore the issues in more depth.
DI is a popular program and each year we have a waiting list. Our overall goal is to enroll approximately equal numbers of children with Spanish language background and children with English language background because that’s the way that dual language programs work best. For more information see the enrollment page on our website.
Normally it takes 4-7 years to learn a new language. Each student is different. For this reason, we hope that students stay in the immersion program from Kinder through 8th grade.
We recommend that students stay in the program from Kinder through 8th grade so that they reach high levels of Spanish and English.
The program begins with the majority of the day in Spanish. Each year the students receive more of the core curriculum in English until they reach 50% Spanish and 50% English.
Spanish/English
Kinder: 90% / 10%
1st grade: 80% / 20%
2nd grade: 70% / 30%
3rd grade: 60 % / 40%
4th grade: 50% / 50%
5th grade: 50% / 50%
6th grade: 50% / 50%
7th grade: 50% / 50%
8th grade: 50% / 50%
Each teacher in the program has a credential from the state of California to teach in Spanish. Additionally, each teacher has been prepared to teach students who are learning an additional language.
Yes. During the school year there are meetings specifically for families with students in the immersion program. The topics and times vary.
Yes! You can call the main office with general questions.
