•  Delaware Dual Language Immersion

     Delaware and Languages

    World language capacity is crucial to Delaware in order for the state to maintain and strengthen its domestic economy. Former Governor Jack Markell spoke publicly about the importance of young Delawareans learning a world language, saying that Delaware graduates who enter the job market without the ability to speak a world language other than English are at a significant disadvantage. The Governor's World Language Expansion Initiative, established in 2011, proposed and implemented an aggressive world language education plan that prepares Delaware students with the language skills to compete in an ever-changing global economy at home and around the world. In essence, Delaware will begin to graduate globally-competent students with advanced-level proficiency in languages, giving them an economic advantage in the multilingual and multicultural workforce of the 21st century. A part of this initiative involves beginning dual language immersion programs in kindergarten in elementary schools across the state.  Global Citizenship Video

     

    Why Immersion?

    More than forty years of research consistently documents the power of dual language immersion education to help students attain high levels of world language proficiency.  No other type of instruction, short of living in a non-English-speaking environment, is as successful.  Young children especially thrive in this type of learning environment where learning a new language comes as naturally as learning their first one. Dual language immersion programs are also the least expensive way for schools and district to deliver high quality world language learning opportunities to their students.  The Delaware Dual Language Immersion curriculum model engages students in two different languages throughout their elementary school learning experience - English and either Mandarin Chinese or Spanish - and provides them with continued opportuniteis for intensive language learning through middle and high school.  The documentary "Speaking in Tongues" provides an informative look into immersion and multilingual education.  This short excerpt from the film provides a glimpse into a Chinese Dual Language Immersion program:  Speaking in Tongues - Inside Immersion

     

    Program Objectives

    • Delaware Dual Language Immersion programs have been designed to achieve the following objectives:
    • Maximize students’ proficiency in a world language in order for them to develop advanced-level language skills in secondary school
    • Provide a rich academic environment in both the English and Immersion-language classrooms
    • Develop students’ abilities to work successfully in multiple cultural settings
    • Offer a rich, culturally-diverse experience for the entire school community

     

    Educator and Administrator Resources

    Additional program information can be found using the links below:

     
Last Modified on September 10, 2021