Curriculum

Dual Language

BILINGUAL AND ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE PROGRAMS
The Bilingual Education and English as a Second Language programs are offered to English language learners (ELLs) in grades K-5. Students whose home language is Spanish may participate in the bilingual program. These programs are in place to ensure that their academic and linguistic needs of English language learners are met.

Bilingual Education — According to state law, bilingual education is required in elementary when there are 20 or more students across the district at any elementary grade level whose first language is a language other than English.

The district’s bilingual education program is implemented through two dual language models: One-way and Two-way. Both models are research-based and promote optimum academic and linguistic development in both English and Spanish. Additionally, biculturalism is emphasized to ensure that the ELLs successfully integrate into and participate in important aspects of cultures, values, and belief systems.

One-Way Dual Language Model provides 50 percent of instruction in Spanish and 50 percent of instruction in English instruction to Spanish speaking language learners. The language of instruction is dependent on the content area.

Two-Way Dual Language Model serves two populations: Native Spanish Speakers and Native English Speakers. Students of both language groups are integrated all day and are provided content instruction in an environment, which promotes language and social equality while supporting full bilingual proficiency.

Teachers who provide instruction in these classrooms are bilingual  or ESL certified. Campuses that are implementing this model are Hackney (PK), Garrett (PK/K), Burley Primary and Slack Elementary.

TPRI and Tejas Lee

K-2 students are given the Texas Primary Reading Instrument (TPRI) and/or Tejas Lee which is a diagnostic assessment to assess their progress in the area of Reading three times a year in their native language.  These assessments are designed to allow teachers to observe and record student performances in areas important to literacy development.  Notification of student performance is sent home to parents after the testing window is complete.