Language Immersion Questions
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Anonymous
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Language Immersion families, a few questions for you:
Have you or head of a family leaving the program for HGC? Do you work at home/tutor to round out English (specifically grammar/spelling)? If so, what do you do? If you don't, is this a concern? Is all testing (standardized) in English (or the target language)? Thanks in advance! |
Anonymous
| Kids absolutely leave for HGC's in 4th grade. College Gardens used to have a combined 4th and 5th grade immersion class as so many kids left. Some kids choose immersion to leave their neighborhood school rather than a true commitment to immersion. |
Anonymous
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not all programs are full immersion. The Chinese immersion program at College Gardens is only 1/2 day Chinese. The language arts portion is still in English.
I know people who have left Maryvale's French program for HGC. |
Anonymous
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Yes, kids have left RCF for the HGC. Some parents do supplement English-language training at home, but not many as the English works out by 3rd/4th grade. If they do supplement, it is usually workbooks or writing classes.
Tests in all academic subjects are in Spanish. |
Anonymous
| The county/national mandated tests are in English |
Anonymous
| So far we have not supplemented grammar and spelling in English. DC does read almost exclusively books in English for recreation so I hope that helps. But I have noticed that spelling in English has been impacted as DC tends to spell words in English the way it would sound in Spanish as you probably know doesn't have various sounds for the same vowel as English does. |
Anonymous
| Had a child at an HGC and definitely some classmates had come from immersion, also some returned to immersion for MS. |
Anonymous
| I had one kid at Maryvale FI who is in middle school now and I have a second kid still at Maryvale FI. We supplement by making them read a lot, do English vocabulary and spelling workbooks and worksheets at home. Not a lot, like 2 pages after school. I found that their English skills were actually better because of the French. |
Anonymous
| My spouse is dead set against immersion because she's worried that it will confuse our son. Is this true? What has your experiences been like - as far as whether it's a problem or not? |
Anonymous
We are still early in immersion (K this year), but there is no confusion. I think his reading is a little delayed because he has to learn the language first, but that's a bit of a different question. There are lots of studies that kids in immersion will catch up in their first language by grade 3 or so. It's not a problem, but if you're spouse is so wary, I'd think hard about it before signing up because you sort of have to trust the program, and it doesn't sound like she's ready to. That being said, if I were you, I'd put his name in the lottery to see if it is even an option. Then if he gets a spot, you can do all the research to inform you and your wife of the benefits and downsides of immersion. |
Anonymous
It will be fine for most kids. May not be good for kids with learning disability or those who speaking really late. |
Anonymous
Very true. Spanish immersion programs seem to be very popular with people who don't want their children around Spanish-speaking kids. Yes, I am being ironic. |
Anonymous
Fixed it for you. You're not the first to make that lame joke which makes no sense. |
Anonymous
Ah, of course, your distinction makes it so much more noble. Hope you feel better. |
Anonymous
Not more noble, more accurate |