District 203 gets help with foreign language courses
In a little more than a year, Maplebrook and Beebe elementary schools will graduate their first classes of Dual Language Learners.
But there's no program currently in place to bridge the dual language gap until those students reach high school.
To that end, Naperville Unit District 203 is working with a foreign language curriculum expert to help improve and expand its foreign language programs.#8220;If we're going to do this in a comprehensive manner for the long term we need the expertise of someone who has been there, done it and knows people who can come in and help us,#8221; Superintendent Mark Mitrovich said.Carl Falsgraf, director of the Center for Applied Second Language Studies at the University of Oregon, spent some time in the district and working with staff last month and will present his recommendations Jan. 9.#8220;This sets the stage for us to look at our programs K through 12. We have situations of fourth-graders who are going to be coming out of the dual language program at Maplebrook (and Beebe) for whom whether or not we have an adequate alternative for them at the middle school remains to be seen,#8221; Mitrovich said. #8220;Assuming that we can meet their needs at the middle school level, that then begs the issue of what happens to those students when they reach high school because many of them would have very strong language skills.#8221;Naperville Unit District 203 unveiled the Dual Language Learners program in 2008 with one kindergarten and first-grade class at both Beebe and Maplebrook elementary schools. As students advanced to the next grade level, an incoming kindergarten class was added at each location.In 2010, a dual-language kindergarten class was added for the first time to Mill Street Elementary School, making a total of about 270 students enrolled throughout the three schools.In each classroom, the English-dominant students receive initial literacy in English while Spanish-dominant students receive initial literacy in Spanish.Beginning in 2008, the kindergarten and first grade students were taught 80 percent of the time in English and 20 percent Spanish and each year the English has increased. This year's fourth-grade class and next year's fifth grade class will be taught at a 50 percent English to Spanish ratio.Board President Mike Jaensch questioned whether any proposals would get off the ground, saying the district's plan to add elementary level Chinese courses three years ago never got going.#8220;I applaud the comprehensive approach, but how far down the road is this going to be pushed before we start making some change?#8221; he asked.The timing is uncertain, but once the recommendation is given, the district will survey parents of elementary students to gauge their interest in future programs.