I disagree that kids with language difficulties shouldn’t be in immersion. It is much easier to learn a second language young via immersion than in high school via a language class.
I have a second grader in immersion who is in all likelihood dyslexic & was somewhat delayed in speech at a younger age. He is doing well in learning Spanish & is very advanced in math, which is taught in Spanish. |
The thing is that this is the expectation leaving kindergarten. They'll expect much more of a rising 2nd grader. And it's more than counting to 100. She can recall and think in Spanish for any number up to 100. She doesn't seem to be translating in her head. |
He’s not eligible. He will have to take a Spanish test and if he doesn’t have a certain level of proficiency he can’t enter. I know because earlier this year I called the school and asked the same question about my non Spanish speaking child entering next year as a 2nd grader. I was told that they only allow children without Spanish to enter in K and 1st. Therefore, we didn’t enter the lottery. |
And they aren’t talking about counting to 10 and knowing their colors in Spanish. They need to know two years worth of Spanish. |
My daughter on the autism spectrum struggled with foreign language. Her grades were fine but the class itself was very hard on a type of neurology that has trouble with communication.
I have no idea how this would work at a young age and full immersion, but I wanted to share with you that a light bulb went off when her psychiatrist made the point that someone with a communication disorder would naturally find language instruction to be hard. Good luck with whatever works out to be the right answer for your child! |