I need some real talk about language immersion

Anonymous
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.
Anonymous
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Is he already fluent in Spanish? If not, he's not eligible to enter Key. You can only enter as a non-native Spanish speaker as a K or 1st grader.


He’s not a Spanish speaker at all. I noted that when I entered the lottery. Is it possible they extended that requirement to 2nd due to Covid? Honestly I’d love for this to be a non issue- if he’s not eligible this is all moot!

He'll need to be able to learn 2nd grade math taught entirely in Spanish from the get go. Can he do that? Immersion isn't like taking a Spanish class. They teach math in Spanish. If he doesn't understand, then he won't learn 2nd grade math.

This year my kindergartener learned to count to 100 in Spanish, plus she can skip count (by 5s and 10s) and do addition and subtraction all in Spanish. She also knows shapes and colors and can follow basic directions. She can talk about more and less than in Spanish. All math vocabulary.


Sorry I re-read this. He definitely cannot count to 100 but he can count to ten, knows his colors in two foreign languages, including Spanish, can do shapes. No other math vocabulary though.

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.
Anonymous
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.
Anonymous
And they aren’t talking about counting to 10 and knowing their colors in Spanish. They need to know two years worth of Spanish.
Anonymous
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!
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