Dual-language program at District 50

Gurnee-based Woodland Elementary District 50 has announced plans for a dual-language program in fall 2012.

Woodland board members gave official approval to the program in June. Dual language is a type of bilingual education also known as two-way immersion. It’s a research-based program in which native English-speaking students and native Spanish-speaking students are in a classroom together learning to read, write, speak and listen in Spanish and English.

The goal of the program will be to develop bilingual, and biliterate students.

In fall 2012, Woodland will open its first classes in kindergarten. In the fall 2013, the kindergarten dual-language pupils will be replaced after moving to first grades. By 2014, Woodland will have kindergarten, first- and second-grade classes. The district would continue to roll up one grade per year through fifth grade.

The district intends to use a 50/50 balanced literacy model.

Woodland will use partner teachers, with one Spanish bilingual instructor and one English-speaking teacher. The students will be in classes in which half the children are native Spanish speakers and half are native English speakers.

The Spanish-speaking teacher will teach Spanish language arts and math all in Spanish. The English-speaking teacher will teach English language arts and social studies in English.

Science units will be shared. At the midday, the two mixed classes of students will each leave their morning teacher to receive afternoon instruction in a different language from the other partner teacher.

The first information meetings for staff, parents and the community will be at 10 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Oct. 12 at Woodland Primary School, 17366 W. Gages Lake Road, Gages Lake.

For more information, contact Valerie Morey at (847) 984-8718 or at vmorey@dist50.net.