Dual language when DC already fluent in both languages?

[Anonymous]

Can you tell me how it went? Was your DC bored?

For the dual language program I am looking at, DS will be the only child in the class who knows both languages.

I’m attracted to the program because I want him to keep both languages but I’m worried he will be bored.

We don’t live in DC and bilingual kindergarteners are not common here, so the program doesn’t have many kids like DS.

Would love to hear your experiences!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you tell me how it went? Was your DC bored?

For the dual language program I am looking at, DS will be the only child in the class who knows both languages.

I’m attracted to the program because I want him to keep both languages but I’m worried he will be bored.

We don’t live in DC and bilingual kindergarteners are not common here, so the program doesn’t have many kids like DS.

Would love to hear your experiences!

Is it two way immersion, designed to have speakers of both languages, or is it designed to be one way? Because it doesn't make sense to put a native speaker in the latter.

[Anonymous]

It seems like it would be hard to do effective dual language without bilingual kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you tell me how it went? Was your DC bored?

For the dual language program I am looking at, DS will be the only child in the class who knows both languages.

I’m attracted to the program because I want him to keep both languages but I’m worried he will be bored.

We don’t live in DC and bilingual kindergarteners are not common here, so the program doesn’t have many kids like DS.

Would love to hear your experiences!

Is it two way immersion, designed to have speakers of both languages, or is it designed to be one way? Because it doesn't make sense to put a native speaker in the latter.

Op here. It’s Two way immersion, but all the kids in the class speak English and none speak the target language (at best, a handful might know a little of the target language but they are all English dominant).

The school claims that it works, but it takes 6 years for the kids to learn the target language.

I’m not in DC. In an ideal environment you’d have half native English speakers and half native speakers of the target language, but that’s not possible for a variety of reasons in my state.

[Anonymous]

I guess I’m wondering what’s the point for your kid if he’s already bilingual in those languages? Save the spot for a kid who really wants to learn.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess I’m wondering what’s the point for your kid if he’s already bilingual in those languages? Save the spot for a kid who really wants to learn.

Op here. DC will lose the target language and likely end up speaking only English unless we keep reinforcing the target language.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I’m wondering what’s the point for your kid if he’s already bilingual in those languages? Save the spot for a kid who really wants to learn.

Op here. DC will lose the target language and likely end up speaking only English unless we keep reinforcing the target language.

Is he fluent because you speak the language, or because he's been in childcare with that language, or some other reason?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you tell me how it went? Was your DC bored?

For the dual language program I am looking at, DS will be the only child in the class who knows both languages.

I’m attracted to the program because I want him to keep both languages but I’m worried he will be bored.

We don’t live in DC and bilingual kindergarteners are not common here, so the program doesn’t have many kids like DS.

Would love to hear your experiences!

Is it two way immersion, designed to have speakers of both languages, or is it designed to be one way? Because it doesn't make sense to put a native speaker in the latter.

Op here. It’s Two way immersion, but all the kids in the class speak English and none speak the target language (at best, a handful might know a little of the target language but they are all English dominant).

The school claims that it works, but it takes 6 years for the kids to learn the target language.

I’m not in DC. In an ideal environment you’d have half native English speakers and half native speakers of the target language, but that’s not possible for a variety of reasons in my state.

Two way immersion, is when you have native speakers of both languages. One way immersion is when it's a program designed to teach another language to English speakers. If you have a day that's half English, and half one way immersion, it's still one way immersion, it's just only half day.

I guess I'm confused. Is it designed for two way and they just didn't get other applicants who speak the language, or is it designed, and the curriculum selected, to teach from scratch. The latter wouldn't be appropriate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I’m wondering what’s the point for your kid if he’s already bilingual in those languages? Save the spot for a kid who really wants to learn.

Op here. DC will lose the target language and likely end up speaking only English unless we keep reinforcing the target language.

Is he fluent because you speak the language, or because he's been in childcare with that language, or some other reason?

Op here. DC was born in and spent the first 4 years of his life in a country where the target language is spoken (nanny and preschool also only spoke target language). DH and I speak it but it’s not our native language. At home we speak English.

We are still outside the US but moving back to the US and trying to figure out the right kindergarten.

FWIW, the school is very excited about his bilingualism and really want him to attend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I’m wondering what’s the point for your kid if he’s already bilingual in those languages? Save the spot for a kid who really wants to learn.

Op here. DC will lose the target language and likely end up speaking only English unless we keep reinforcing the target language.

Is he fluent because you speak the language, or because he's been in childcare with that language, or some other reason?

Op here. DC was born in and spent the first 4 years of his life in a country where the target language is spoken (nanny and preschool also only spoke target language). DH and I speak it but it’s not our native language. At home we speak English.

We are still outside the US but moving back to the US and trying to figure out the right kindergarten.

FWIW, the school is very excited about his bilingualism and really want him to attend.

Then I'd consider it. I wouldn't put a native speaker in that setting, but in your situation I might.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can you tell me how it went? Was your DC bored?

For the dual language program I am looking at, DS will be the only child in the class who knows both languages.

I’m attracted to the program because I want him to keep both languages but I’m worried he will be bored.

We don’t live in DC and bilingual kindergarteners are not common here, so the program doesn’t have many kids like DS.

Would love to hear your experiences!

Is it two way immersion, designed to have speakers of both languages, or is it designed to be one way? Because it doesn't make sense to put a native speaker in the latter.

Op here. It’s Two way immersion, but all the kids in the class speak English and none speak the target language (at best, a handful might know a little of the target language but they are all English dominant).

The school claims that it works, but it takes 6 years for the kids to learn the target language.

I’m not in DC. In an ideal environment you’d have half native English speakers and half native speakers of the target language, but that’s not possible for a variety of reasons in my state.

Two way immersion, is when you have native speakers of both languages. One way immersion is when it's a program designed to teach another language to English speakers. If you have a day that's half English, and half one way immersion, it's still one way immersion, it's just only half day.

I guess I'm confused. Is it designed for two way and they just didn't get other applicants who speak the language, or is it designed, and the curriculum selected, to teach from scratch. The latter wouldn't be appropriate.

Op here. They want half native English speakers and half native speakers of the target language but can’t seem to get enough kids who speak the target language. The class is taught 90% target language, 10% English in kinder. By the time they get to 5th it’s 50/50.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I’m wondering what’s the point for your kid if he’s already bilingual in those languages? Save the spot for a kid who really wants to learn.

Op here. DC will lose the target language and likely end up speaking only English unless we keep reinforcing the target language.

You're worried your DC will be bored if they attend but think they will lose the target language if they don't attend?

[Anonymous]

Op here. Has anyone been in this situation? I figured in DC it wouldn’t be that unusual. Just curious to hear how it went.

The alternative for us would be to put DC in a school that doesn’t offer the dual language. The alternative would more geographically convenient, and has some other things we really like (smaller class sizes). But he’d go from full native fluency in Target language I think to losing it all in a matter of months is what I’m told. There are things we can do to help keep it alive (travel to other countries, play dates with native speakers), but nothing like our life now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I’m wondering what’s the point for your kid if he’s already bilingual in those languages? Save the spot for a kid who really wants to learn.

Op here. DC will lose the target language and likely end up speaking only English unless we keep reinforcing the target language.

You're worried your DC will be bored if they attend but think they will lose the target language if they don't attend?

Op here. Yes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I guess I’m wondering what’s the point for your kid if he’s already bilingual in those languages? Save the spot for a kid who really wants to learn.

Op here. DC will lose the target language and likely end up speaking only English unless we keep reinforcing the target language.

You're worried your DC will be bored if they attend but think they will lose the target language if they don't attend?

Yes, but won’t DC also be learning the ENTIRE Kindergarten curriculum? Math? Reading? Writing? Science and Social Studies? Is he already on the first grade level in everything? Since the school is excited, and they know the program better than anyone, I would bring up your concern to them. Personally, I would send him.