bilingual child - Spanish dominant?

[Anonymous]

I am not sure what to list my son as for PK3. He is bilingual. Has full immersion Daycare since he was a baby and spends at least one day/night a week with my mother who only speaks Spanish. My DH only speaks English and I switch between both but mainly use English when DH is around. DS prefers English and will default to that but can and does speak Spanish with me and my mom and at Daycare. I am torn because he does speak Spanish and I know he has a much better chance to get into language immersion schools if we list him as Spanish dominant, but he does default to and prefer English. I’ve searched through the DCpS handbook and site and cant find much guidance other than that they will evaluate him. Does anyone have experience with this? I want to do things the right way but I also don’t want to put him at a disadvantage just because I’m hung up on the word “dominant.” Advice/experience would be greatly appreciated!

[Anonymous]

You should apply to LAMB if it’s convenient for your commute. He would do really well there.

[Anonymous]

This is definitely going to open a can of worms.

Our dual language school director said that a child's dominant language is the one that he/she would cry out in if they were hurt or had a bad dream.

But children with your same level of fluency have certainly entered the lottery as Spanish dominant in the past and been enrolled. It is an ethical question and you have to decide for yourself.

If you're going to do it, I suggest you start speaking exclusively Spanish to him going forward so that he will respond in kind when going for an evaluation if you are admitted.

[Anonymous]

If he's only a passive speaker, that's nice but not Spanish dominant.

Our children didn't start that way but became more English dominant a couple years into school just because America. Annoying to both of us.

So if your kid is like this at 3, not Spanish dominant.

[Anonymous]

I would say Spanish dominant. And I would totally apply to LAMB.

[Anonymous]

It sounds like he speaks each language equally well, so I would just pick one to be dominant. And if Spanish will get him in your preferred school, go with Spanish. Perfectly fine since he genuinely does speak Spanish fluently.

[Anonymous]

I would be carefully. If you list him as Spanish dominant, and he gets into a school, but doesn't pass the DCPS evaluation, I think he loses the spot.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would say Spanish dominant. And I would totally apply to LAMB.

LAMB does not have preference for language dominance, but the DCPS programs do. BTW- they call it "mother tongue" for a reason, and I personally do not believe OP's son is Spanish dominant.

[Anonymous]

He sounds English-dominant, but I will bet he could pass the DCPS test, so you could probably get away with entering him in the Spanish-dominant lottery.

[Anonymous]

OP here - Thanks all. He's not spanish dominant but he's also not english dominamt. When he's with my mom his reactions and answers are in spanish 100% of the time. I'm going to call Powell and see if there's someone I can talk to. Better to be above board and get info right from the source.

Has anyone had experience with the screening? The handbook says that children who have Spanish spoken at home will pass.

[Anonymous]

We applied Spanish dominant for Oyster, were accepted, and passed the screening test. It was not that hard for a child with a native Spanish speaking parent.

FWIW, at the time, the language that my child would call out in during the night was Spanish. Both parents had primarily spoken spanish to the child since birth. Two years later, this child is English dominant. The switch happens FAST.

If you are a native Spanish speaker, or even a skilled non-native, I highly suggest that you switch to Spanish 100% of the time with him. Even with a Spanish dominant start, bilingual schools all the way, father speaking exclusively Spanish, and lots of out of country Spanish-speaking visitors, my child is now English dominant by first grade. English takes over fast. All of the kids that I know who had a similar bilingual start to your child are now highly English dominant. You need to increase the percentage of time that he/she speaks Spanish, recognizing that he/she is picking up lots of language listening to you and your husband speak English ALL of the time together. And that everyone at school will be speaking English most of the time, even at Oyster.

Just my two cents from what I have seen. I guess it actually depends upon how much you care about your child ending up comfortable in Spanish versus just having some knowledge of the language.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would say Spanish dominant. And I would totally apply to LAMB.

+1 ALSO Bethune Cookman 16th street campus as backup (spanish 50% of day until 2nd grade) and even the 2 newest EOTR dual language programs.

I also agree with everyone suggesting you switch to OPOL (one person one language) method, speaking only Spanish as much as possible.

There is an amazing (out of print) "Bilingual Family Newsletter" by Multilingual Matters, that I highly recommend. It helps explain the science and practice of language "dominance" evolving from infancy through adolescence and beyond.

[Anonymous]

Interesting question, OP. My 2 y/o missed the birthday cut off and will be in next year's lottery, but we're in a very similar situation. FWIW, I wouldn't hesitate to call her Spanish dominant (though she speaks Spanglish now) on applications since I'm sure she'd pass the test.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure what to list my son as for PK3. He is bilingual. Has full immersion Daycare since he was a baby and spends at least one day/night a week with my mother who only speaks Spanish. My DH only speaks English and I switch between both but mainly use English when DH is around. DS prefers English and will default to that but can and does speak Spanish with me and my mom and at Daycare. I am torn because he does speak Spanish and I know he has a much better chance to get into language immersion schools if we list him as Spanish dominant, but he does default to and prefer English. I’ve searched through the DCpS handbook and site and cant find much guidance other than that they will evaluate him. Does anyone have experience with this? I want to do things the right way but I also don’t want to put him at a disadvantage just because I’m hung up on the word “dominant.” Advice/experience would be greatly appreciated!

FYI...I just went to the open house today at stokes and they said that they don't give preference to Spanish/French dominant speaking kids. I think that some of the DCPSs do, but not so much the charters. Or atleast not Stokes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am not sure what to list my son as for PK3. He is bilingual. Has full immersion Daycare since he was a baby and spends at least one day/night a week with my mother who only speaks Spanish. My DH only speaks English and I switch between both but mainly use English when DH is around. DS prefers English and will default to that but can and does speak Spanish with me and my mom and at Daycare. I am torn because he does speak Spanish and I know he has a much better chance to get into language immersion schools if we list him as Spanish dominant, but he does default to and prefer English. I’ve searched through the DCpS handbook and site and cant find much guidance other than that they will evaluate him. Does anyone have experience with this? I want to do things the right way but I also don’t want to put him at a disadvantage just because I’m hung up on the word “dominant.” Advice/experience would be greatly appreciated!

FYI...I just went to the open house today at stokes and they said that they don't give preference to Spanish/French dominant speaking kids. I think that some of the DCPSs do, but not so much the charters. Or atleast not Stokes.

No charters have preferences for language dominance. They are not allowed to.