Anonymous wrote:Lottery results should be available soon, yes?

If it's on the same schedule as last year, results will be out on Friday the 9th.

Anonymous wrote:MAP is delivered only in English. Score lags on the MAP are usually what people point to when they talk about where “skill gaps” are and how kids will “catch up.”

Our example kid is in 4th grade and tested at a Lexile range of 1225-1375 in the fall. This is in the middle of the 11th grade reading level in English.

If your child does not learn typically, it might be a different story. But if they do, I would not worry about this.

My kids do language immersion where they start 30 min of English reading in 3rd grade and add a little bit each year. But otherwise all in target language. Somehow, despite never being taught words like "hyperbole" (only "die Übertreibung") they somehow know exactly what is being asked when given an English standardized assessment that asks them to identify hyperbole in the text (or whatever). It's freaky, and amazing, and wonderful all at the same time.

But neither of them have learning/language issues. I wouldn't do it if they did. But for kids who don't have those issues, I wouldn't worry about it at all.

Anonymous wrote:Our immersion son was also invited to a middle school magnet. We didn't take it. Not sure if English testing had something to do with it. He does fine in middle school English classes.

He read at home in English a lot, but his writing skills probably lagged kids not in immersion.

I do sometimes wonder if immersion is better than a magnet middle school program. At least he will always have Spanish.

When I graduated college in a tough job market, it was my fluent 2nd language skill that landed me my first real gig. A required CS or media elective I don’t think is going to move the needle much. I do like the science and tech magnet my other son is in.

Anonymous wrote:MAP is delivered only in English. Score lags on the MAP are usually what people point to when they talk about where “skill gaps” are and how kids will “catch up.”

Our example kid is in 4th grade and tested at a Lexile range of 1225-1375 in the fall. This is in the middle of the 11th grade reading level in English.

If your child does not learn typically, it might be a different story. But if they do, I would not worry about this.

NP with a clarification: our Spanish immersion DC takes MAP math in Spanish and MAP reading in English.

Lottery results should be available soon, yes?

MAP is delivered only in English. Score lags on the MAP are usually what people point to when they talk about where “skill gaps” are and how kids will “catch up.”

Our example kid is in 4th grade and tested at a Lexile range of 1225-1375 in the fall. This is in the middle of the 11th grade reading level in English.

If your child does not learn typically, it might be a different story. But if they do, I would not worry about this.

Our immersion son was also invited to a middle school magnet. We didn't take it. Not sure if English testing had something to do with it. He does fine in middle school English classes.

He read at home in English a lot, but his writing skills probably lagged kids not in immersion.

I do sometimes wonder if immersion is better than a magnet middle school program. At least he will always have Spanish.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes - but you’ll always hear that the kids will catch up when they are behind.

Which you feel is a line they are feeding parents rather than what will happen? Once kids move on from the language immersion setting do you think they are well prepared for the English based classes they will take in middle/high school?

I can only speak for my own child, who had an easy transition to MS ELA classes and in fact qualified for the Humanities Magnet lottery based on ELA test scores coming out of elementary schools.

Honestly, I think a kid who was going to struggle will struggle whether they do elementary immersion or not. Some kids have language-based challenges and need support in those areas, but I don't think a typically developing kid with no language challenges will be "set back" by immersion.

+1 That’s my observation as well.

OP—That “line” you refer to is not immersion school specific. You hear the same line from kindergarten and first grade teachers in non-immersion schools. Students learn English or other languages at different speeds, as with any other subject.

Thank you both for your thoughts, it seems like overall people are pleased with their children's academic skills in both English and the immersion language. That's helpful to know.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes - but you’ll always hear that the kids will catch up when they are behind.

Which you feel is a line they are feeding parents rather than what will happen? Once kids move on from the language immersion setting do you think they are well prepared for the English based classes they will take in middle/high school?

I can only speak for my own child, who had an easy transition to MS ELA classes and in fact qualified for the Humanities Magnet lottery based on ELA test scores coming out of elementary schools.

Honestly, I think a kid who was going to struggle will struggle whether they do elementary immersion or not. Some kids have language-based challenges and need support in those areas, but I don't think a typically developing kid with no language challenges will be "set back" by immersion.

+1 That’s my observation as well.

OP—That “line” you refer to is not immersion school specific. You hear the same line from kindergarten and first grade teachers in non-immersion schools. Students learn English or other languages at different speeds, as with any other subject.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Yes - but you’ll always hear that the kids will catch up when they are behind.

Which you feel is a line they are feeding parents rather than what will happen? Once kids move on from the language immersion setting do you think they are well prepared for the English based classes they will take in middle/high school?

I can only speak for my own child, who had an easy transition to MS ELA classes and in fact qualified for the Humanities Magnet lottery based on ELA test scores coming out of elementary schools.

Honestly, I think a kid who was going to struggle will struggle whether they do elementary immersion or not. Some kids have language-based challenges and need support in those areas, but I don't think a typically developing kid with no language challenges will be "set back" by immersion.

Anonymous wrote:Yes - but you’ll always hear that the kids will catch up when they are behind.

Which you feel is a line they are feeding parents rather than what will happen? Once kids move on from the language immersion setting do you think they are well prepared for the English based classes they will take in middle/high school?

Yes - but you’ll always hear that the kids will catch up when they are behind.

Yes
— parent of now 10th grader

Yes

Hello,
I would love some insight on the elementary language immersion programs (both French and Spanish) especially as it relates to students mastery of skills in both English and the immersion program language.
The informational video indicates the program does not introduce English until the second semester of 4th grade and that's only for writing. Do you feel children develop comparable English reading/writing skills to the immersion language even though English is not directly taught for the first few years?