Spanish in elementary schools

[Anonymous]

Janney lost theirs a few weeks ago, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

Whittier has a full-time Spanish teacher. Agree the kids don't really learn much but it's been hard to prioritize it through covid and return to school. The teacher we had a few years also taught a Japanese club afterschool.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The kids barely learn anything, it would be better to have an intervention teacher instead. Or another school counselor. Or a teacher who worked with advanced students.

Re-read OP’s post. No room in budget for the Spanish teacher which means no money for another teacher. It’s a cut in DCPS likely due to decrease enrollment, not a replacement for something else.

[Anonymous]

Since DCPS no longer requires world languages at schools, many schools have cut their language teachers or repurposed the money for other uses. And it will get worse next year since quite a few schools (at least in Upper NW, but I am sure in other places too) received a large chunk of their budgets in "one time" funds that will go away. So more cuts are coming...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Since DCPS no longer requires world languages at schools, many schools have cut their language teachers or repurposed the money for other uses. And it will get worse next year since quite a few schools (at least in Upper NW, but I am sure in other places too) received a large chunk of their budgets in "one time" funds that will go away. So more cuts are coming...

That’s a shame. Kids may not be fluent but exposure to another language, culture, customs is something worthwhile especially for kids who don’t have the luxury of travel.

The NW kids will be fine. They will be traveling internationally and get the exposure. It’s the kids who don’t have that luxury and being exposed to something outside their world that will miss out more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since DCPS no longer requires world languages at schools, many schools have cut their language teachers or repurposed the money for other uses. And it will get worse next year since quite a few schools (at least in Upper NW, but I am sure in other places too) received a large chunk of their budgets in "one time" funds that will go away. So more cuts are coming...

That’s a shame. Kids may not be fluent but exposure to another language, culture, customs is something worthwhile especially for kids who don’t have the luxury of travel.

The NW kids will be fine. They will be traveling internationally and get the exposure. It’s the kids who don’t have that luxury and being exposed to something outside their world that will miss out more.

I agree with the first line in this post. Language classes should be judged not just on whether the students become fluent (they are not going to in a once or even twice a week class), but exposure is helpful to learning. You learn an ear for the language, and keep the part of your brain that learns language growing. I took spanish lessons in school (2x/week) through elementary school and my accent sounds almost native, and it was easy to pick up the language in high school. And I learned about Spanish-speaking cultures. Sadly, I do not think the DCPS curriculum was great. At least at our school, following DCPS curriculum, it was mostly worksheets and videos, before they dropped it.

However, I wouldn't assume that NW kids are unharmed by dropping language instructions. Sure, they will travel, but there is a difference between going to a foreign country where everyone at your resort speaks English, and learning how to strike off on your own. And kids don't get to do much striking off on their own. And kids from wealthier families don't get any baked in second language acquisition like they do with English, unless they are a bilingual family. I should be figuring out ways to get more language instruction for my kids, but I haven't figured out the best avenue for a kid in an otherwise great DCPS.

[Anonymous]

Not in DCPS but our school does French once a week and they said upfront its not meant to make the kids fluent but for them to pick up the tones to make it easier to learn at a later date. That being said, my kid has learned next to very little (greetings and counting 1-10 basically) and I wish it were daily.

[Anonymous]

My kids have learned a surprising amount of Spanish in once a week classes (granted they have been taking it since PK3.) They also learn culture and geography and generally enjoy it as a special!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since DCPS no longer requires world languages at schools, many schools have cut their language teachers or repurposed the money for other uses. And it will get worse next year since quite a few schools (at least in Upper NW, but I am sure in other places too) received a large chunk of their budgets in "one time" funds that will go away. So more cuts are coming...

That’s a shame. Kids may not be fluent but exposure to another language, culture, customs is something worthwhile especially for kids who don’t have the luxury of travel.

The NW kids will be fine. They will be traveling internationally and get the exposure. It’s the kids who don’t have that luxury and being exposed to something outside their world that will miss out more.

I agree with the first line in this post. Language classes should be judged not just on whether the students become fluent (they are not going to in a once or even twice a week class), but exposure is helpful to learning. You learn an ear for the language, and keep the part of your brain that learns language growing. I took spanish lessons in school (2x/week) through elementary school and my accent sounds almost native, and it was easy to pick up the language in high school. And I learned about Spanish-speaking cultures. Sadly, I do not think the DCPS curriculum was great. At least at our school, following DCPS curriculum, it was mostly worksheets and videos, before they dropped it.

However, I wouldn't assume that NW kids are unharmed by dropping language instructions. Sure, they will travel, but there is a difference between going to a foreign country where everyone at your resort speaks English, and learning how to strike off on your own. And kids don't get to do much striking off on their own. And kids from wealthier families don't get any baked in second language acquisition like they do with English, unless they are a bilingual family. I should be figuring out ways to get more language instruction for my kids, but I haven't figured out the best avenue for a kid in an otherwise great DCPS.

Is there a way for you to teach people confidence? I admire your confidence in your ability to speak Spanish.

I really really doubt your accent sounds “near native”, but I’m glad you feel so proud of it!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For your DCPS elementary school-- not charter schools or immersion schools-- do you have a full time Spanish teacher as one of your specials teachers?

We were told that Hearst is losing their Spanish teacher because it is no longer required by DCPS to have global language classes in the elementary levels, and that there isn't room for it in the budget.

Can you tell me if your DCPS elementary school has a Spanish teacher?

Wow, that's awful. My son graduated Hearst last year and had a full shot of Spanish from preK-5th. He is by no means fluent, but he has a very solid foundation and would easily move to fluency through an exchange program or high intensity language classes. It's also a real shame for kids who speak Spanish at home (and maybe not so much English) to lose a place where they can shine.

Do you by chance have any further info (links to policy or something at the district level)?

Are you a native Spanish speaker? I suspect you have an inflated perception of your son's foundation.

Different poster, but agree. Maybe if he does some seriously intensive program in the future? But still, doubtful.

[Anonymous]

Spanish everyday or at least three times a week would be way better than once a week, but even once a week gives them a foundation for future study, critical early exposure to the sounds, and sparks interest in the wider world. I think it’s a great program and am sad to hear they are cutting it back…

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since DCPS no longer requires world languages at schools, many schools have cut their language teachers or repurposed the money for other uses. And it will get worse next year since quite a few schools (at least in Upper NW, but I am sure in other places too) received a large chunk of their budgets in "one time" funds that will go away. So more cuts are coming...

That’s a shame. Kids may not be fluent but exposure to another language, culture, customs is something worthwhile especially for kids who don’t have the luxury of travel.

The NW kids will be fine. They will be traveling internationally and get the exposure. It’s the kids who don’t have that luxury and being exposed to something outside their world that will miss out more.

I agree with the first line in this post. Language classes should be judged not just on whether the students become fluent (they are not going to in a once or even twice a week class), but exposure is helpful to learning. You learn an ear for the language, and keep the part of your brain that learns language growing. I took spanish lessons in school (2x/week) through elementary school and my accent sounds almost native, and it was easy to pick up the language in high school. And I learned about Spanish-speaking cultures. Sadly, I do not think the DCPS curriculum was great. At least at our school, following DCPS curriculum, it was mostly worksheets and videos, before they dropped it.

However, I wouldn't assume that NW kids are unharmed by dropping language instructions. Sure, they will travel, but there is a difference between going to a foreign country where everyone at your resort speaks English, and learning how to strike off on your own. And kids don't get to do much striking off on their own. And kids from wealthier families don't get any baked in second language acquisition like they do with English, unless they are a bilingual family. I should be figuring out ways to get more language instruction for my kids, but I haven't figured out the best avenue for a kid in an otherwise great DCPS.

Is there a way for you to teach people confidence? I admire your confidence in your ability to speak Spanish.

I really really doubt your accent sounds “near native”, but I’m glad you feel so proud of it!

lol I wish. My point was that my accent is better than my fluency. After studying in school i moved abroad, which obviously helped with picking up the language, but if you don't learn from a young age, I think it's harder for people to pick up the sound of a language. I worked with people who spoke better spanish than me, but they never really picked up the accent as well. Having not used my spanish as much now that I'm old and boring, my accent is still good, but I've lost a lot of my vocabulary from disuse. So when i start speaking it, people start the conversation thinking I'm fluent and are very quickly disabused of that notion.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Janney lost theirs a few weeks ago, unfortunately.

No I think she’s absent the past couple of weeks, but kids still have Spanish with a sub

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Janney lost theirs a few weeks ago, unfortunately.

No I think she’s absent the past couple of weeks, but kids still have Spanish with a sub

They still attend something during the specials block yes. But the sun isn’t teaching Spanish.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Since DCPS no longer requires world languages at schools, many schools have cut their language teachers or repurposed the money for other uses. And it will get worse next year since quite a few schools (at least in Upper NW, but I am sure in other places too) received a large chunk of their budgets in "one time" funds that will go away. So more cuts are coming...

That’s a shame. Kids may not be fluent but exposure to another language, culture, customs is something worthwhile especially for kids who don’t have the luxury of travel.

The NW kids will be fine. They will be traveling internationally and get the exposure. It’s the kids who don’t have that luxury and being exposed to something outside their world that will miss out more.

I agree with the first line in this post. Language classes should be judged not just on whether the students become fluent (they are not going to in a once or even twice a week class), but exposure is helpful to learning. You learn an ear for the language, and keep the part of your brain that learns language growing. I took spanish lessons in school (2x/week) through elementary school and my accent sounds almost native, and it was easy to pick up the language in high school. And I learned about Spanish-speaking cultures. Sadly, I do not think the DCPS curriculum was great. At least at our school, following DCPS curriculum, it was mostly worksheets and videos, before they dropped it.

However, I wouldn't assume that NW kids are unharmed by dropping language instructions. Sure, they will travel, but there is a difference between going to a foreign country where everyone at your resort speaks English, and learning how to strike off on your own. And kids don't get to do much striking off on their own. And kids from wealthier families don't get any baked in second language acquisition like they do with English, unless they are a bilingual family. I should be figuring out ways to get more language instruction for my kids, but I haven't figured out the best avenue for a kid in an otherwise great DCPS.

Is there a way for you to teach people confidence? I admire your confidence in your ability to speak Spanish.

I really really doubt your accent sounds “near native”, but I’m glad you feel so proud of it!

lol I wish. My point was that my accent is better than my fluency. After studying in school i moved abroad, which obviously helped with picking up the language, but if you don't learn from a young age, I think it's harder for people to pick up the sound of a language. I worked with people who spoke better spanish than me, but they never really picked up the accent as well. Having not used my spanish as much now that I'm old and boring, my accent is still good, but I've lost a lot of my vocabulary from disuse. So when i start speaking it, people start the conversation thinking I'm fluent and are very quickly disabused of that notion.

This is an interesting point. How much language class until that accent is picked up? You may just have a knack for the accent. My kids in immersion have great accents. I grew up with a little French in an after school club and high school French and have zero accent. Once a week from PK age might do it but I’m not sure.