DDSD's dual language program highlighted on PBS
DELAVAN--The PBS Television show ¡Adelante!, produced out of Milwaukee, featured the Delavan-Darien School District's efforts to develop a dual language immersion program.
Superintendent Robert Crist and Language Acquisition Director Ron Sandoval did an extended interview on the show, which aired Tuesday, March 11.
The program focuses on Latino community issues and is done primarily in Spanish with English subtitles. However, the segment on Delavan-Darien was done in English with Spanish subtitles.
The segment starts about 15 minutes into the broadcast. At the end, the host had expressed a desire to do a follow-up after the program gets off the ground in the 2014-15 school year.
The interview focused on the Latino population and language acquisition efforts in Delavan-Darien schools.
As part of the district's strategic plan, a dual language program will begin next school year in preschool, kindergarten and first grade.
The idea is to have all students in the program — both native English speakers and native Spanish speakers — become bilingual, bi-literate and bicultural. Students will be able to speak, understand, read and write in both languages
The program is open to all students in those grade levels. In coming years, additional grades will be added.
Many families from both inside and outside of the district have expressed an interest in enrolling their children in the program. Graduates who speak more than one language often have better job opportunities, and students who speak two languages fluently are often more able to learn and retain knowledge in core subject areas better than monolingual students.
To watch the video, visit: http://www.mptv.org/localshows/adelante/latest_episode/?v=vd7ZYmpvZhY