language Immersion program in public schools (Fairfax: how much, elementary school, live)

[sheez]

I have a question about Fairfax County Spanish Immersion program, my daughter who will be going to first grade has been accepted but I'm having a second taught if she can handle it. Both parents do not speak the language (speak a different language) but converse with our child in English. My question is how much help is given for the kids in the immersion program. I spoke with the school they said there is a lot of help. I just want to here from people who might have a first hand experience as a parent, a teacher....

[smokemaster]

It's a way for parents to feel better about their child's lack of English skills, as well as their own.

[mkj]

My experience was many years ago as my son was in the Spanish Imersion program in its second or third year of existence. Overall it was a great experience and parents shouldn't be concerned if they don't speak any of the target language. The materials are designed so that the students are learning language, not memorizing words. The teachers we had were wonderful and very creative as they needed to be since they couldn't always use language alone to make a point or provide directions. I think that it was a great program for learners that need alternative reinforcements. You can always move your child OUT of the program it you decide that it isn't meeting your childs needs, but you can't move a child IN to the program except at the beginning. My son is now conversationally bilingual with virtually no accent. It has enhanced his experiences and opportunities, unlike our daughter who didn't have the immersion experience and has struggled and struggled to learn Spanish since she got started so late in her education in the language, and she has no "feel" for it as he does. If you have an opportunity to start your child in an immersion program I think that you should go for it.

[CAVA1990]

I'm not clear on the real purpose for these programs. Why is it only Spanish rather than French, Italian or Chinese? I could see Spanish would be handy if you lived in the Southwest. Can someone please enlighten?

[azb]

CAVA1990:

In the Fairfax County program, several languages are offered in addition to Spanish--including Japanese, French and German. The main advantage to the program is that it gives young children an increased ability to learn another language. The daughter of a friend of ours was in a Spanish immersion program in elementary school and began studying French in high school. She said that Spanish was a useful language to learn first because she was exposed to Spanish outside the classroom--which is not necessarily true of other languages. In the Fairfax model, the Spanish immersion program also takes advantage of the native Spanish speakers in the school.

I work at the Department of Defense, and we are desparate for folks who can easily pick up a language. In my view, the Fairfax program--regardless of the language learned--will be a huge help to National Security.

[michgc]

It's not just Spanish. There are also immersion programs in French, German, and Japanese. There are more Spanish immersion programs including "two-way immersion" because Spanish is the second most spoken language in this country. Here is a link to FCPS immersion site:

FCPS*Instructional Services:*High School Instruction &*K-12 Curriculum Services

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by azb

The main advantage to the program is that it gives young children an increased ability to learn another language. The daughter of a friend of ours was in a Spanish immersion program in elementary school and began studying French in high school. She said that Spanish was a useful language to learn first because she was exposed to Spanish outside the classroom--which is not necessarily true of other languages. In the Fairfax model, the Spanish immersion program also takes advantage of the native Spanish speakers in the school.

I work at the Department of Defense, and we are desparate for folks who can easily pick up a language. In my view, the Fairfax program--regardless of the language learned--will be a huge help to National Security.

Now I understand. Kind of a more practical alternative to latin as a base romance language that facilitates the learning of others. Makes sense. Sorry to interrupt the OP's question.

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by sheez

I have a question about Fairfax County Spanish Immersion program, my daughter who will be going to first grade has been accepted but I'm having a second taught if she can handle it. Both parents do not speak the language (speak a different language) but converse with our child in English. My question is how much help is given for the kids in the immersion program. I spoke with the school they said there is a lot of help. I just want to here from people who might have a first hand experience as a parent, a teacher....

I work with the immersion program, although the program I work with is not Spanish. As the counterpart to the immersion teacher I teach the students language arts and social studies in English. Most of the students enter the immersion program in first grade not knowing any of the immersion language.

[claremarie]

I know families who have had both positive and negative experiences with the French and Japanese immersion programs. So much depends upon the particular child (and the teachers) that your best option, as an earlier poster mentioned, is to give it a try and see how it works for you. You can always opt out down the line.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

I'm not clear on the real purpose for these programs. Why is it only Spanish rather than French, Italian or Chinese? I could see Spanish would be handy if you lived in the Southwest. Can someone please enlighten?

It's not only Spanish, it's many different languages. I know students who were half Japanese but didn't speak a word of the language until they went into the Japanese immersion program.

Yuppie parents love the program because they love to have bilingual kids. The program helps to fill schools that had low scores with yuppie kids who tend to test well. On top of that, parents provide the transportation!