March 6, 2025
Thursday Edition
Empowering Dual Language Immersion educators with best practices, relevant research, classroom tips, and fun ideas that will inspire you into, through and beyond your teaching week.
Our Craft
In our DLI programs, there are predominately two program models: 90/10 and 50/50. The 90/10 and 50/50 DLI program models approach the trajectory of bilingualism in different ways. 90/10 spend the early grades developing literacy in the target language, while 50/50 programs develop literacy in both languages from the start of the program. Research has shown that both models are effective when implemented with fidelity.
Both program models are moving towards a holistic approach to biliteracy instruction. In our 90/10 programs, we are looking at our English minutes TK-2 as a time to make cross-linguistic connections in an authentic way where English complements Spanish instruction. It's critical to remember that the 90/10 model is a sequential literacy program following the Common Core standards in Spanish. Most of the standards transfer from Spanish to English. There's a bi-directionality to teaching and learning where skills transfer from Spanish to English and therefore do not have to be taught twice but do need to be applied across languages. Currently, 90//10 program models need clear guidance on how English complements Spanish.
The 50/50 program model teaches literacy simultaneously. The challenge for the 50/50 is how to teach language arts in both languages efficiently and effectively. Research has shown that more time in English does not necessarily yield higher English achievement. If it did, Multilingual learners would be progressing at high levels in English-only programs, and they are not. It's not about how many minutes we engage students in English instruction, it's about what we are doing with those minutes and the quality of instruction.
One program model is not better than the other. 90/10 and 50/50 programs may approach early literacy in two languages in different ways, but both models adhere to the three program pillars. Simply stated, all DLI educators work towards the same goal: bilingualism, biliteracy and biculturalism for all.
Oral Language Opportunities
Video Talk
Want to engage your students in active talk? Show them videos of Jackie and Shadow, two bald eagles in Big Bear, CA. Friends of Big Bear Valley has a live feed on YouTube and videos of Jackie and Shadow's baby eagles hatching. You can also follow them on Instagram @fobbv.official
Video talk is an effective way for your students to watch a video and describe what they are seeing with a partner or group. I love these videos because they are not narrated. Students observe and talk about it. You can use a simple prompt such as:
What do you notice? What do you wonder?
¿Qué notas?/¿Qué observas? ¿Qué te preguntas?
Along with developing academic language in Spanish, our students need to use Spanish as a social language. Engaging in 5 - 7 minute conversations about what they are seeing gives students the oral language opportunity to talk with their classmates in a low-risk environment. If you have students with a variety of proficiency levels in Spanish, prompt them by saying:
Usa todas las palabras que puedas en español.
This lowers any expectation that students need to speak in perfect sentences. The idea is for them to engage in a conversation using all the words in Spanish that they can and if they get stuck ask ¿Cómo se dice ______ ? It encourages your fluent Spanish speakers to express their ideas in Spanish too. This is an activity where fluent Speakers shine!
Students respond to:
Describe the eagles.
Describe what they are seeing.
What are the eagles thinking?
How do you think the eagles feel?
This is an oral language opportunity that motivates students to use oral language with their classmates and doesn't require a lot of time. Students will love the videos and they will love talking about it!
For more live-stream videos in a variety of settings visit explore.org.
If you would like to take a deep dive into learning about how spoken language evolved, click HERE.
Interactive Read Aloud
Interactive Read Aloud provides an opportunity for both
oral language and vocabulary development.
After students talk about the eagles in the video, you can extend their talk time with a read aloud. Talking builds vocabulary; talking in response to a read aloud develops reading comprehension. These two non-fiction texts will inspire your students to talk facts about eagles.
El águila en Estados Unidos Amazon
Águilas de cerca Lectorum Publications
The Book Bundler offers slightly worn books. They currently have Scholastic titles in stock. They select the titles for you and send the book in bundles. This is an easy way to build your English classroom library.
We Need Diverse Books
Books Saves Lives Grants
For schools/libraries: Application open from February 19 - March 14, 2025
Click HERE for application in IG
Read Conmigo
$10,000 School Impact Grant for Title 1 Schools
Apply if:
- Your school serves bilingual students,
- Your school has an established dual-language Spanish/English Program
Deadline March 9, 2025. For more information click HERE.
Classroom Management
Click HERE for a great classroom management technique.
Upcoming Conferences & DLI PD
Multistate Association for Bilingual Education, Northeast (MABE) March 8 UMass Amherst Center at Springfield. For more information click HERE.
California Association for Bilingual Education (CABE) March 26 - March 29 in Long Beach CA. CABE will be celebrating its 50th anniversary. For more information click HERE
The Association of Two-Way and Dual Language Education (ATDLE) June 18 - 20 Sacramento CA. For more information click HERE. You can access the Teacher of the Year and District/School of Distinction applications with the same link.
Directory of Dual Language Programs in the U.S.
Dual Language Schools.org counts 4894 Dual Language programs across the United States. There are more programs than are listed. Check the link above to see if your school is on the list.
¡Viva ser bilingüe! Newsletter is published by Multilingual Learning Network.
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