Dual-language program continues growth

 

By MIKE NEUMANN
The Independent

 

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Woodstock School District 200’s dual-language program is continuing to grow and is facing new challenges.
Bilingual coordinator Keely Krueger presented a report on the district’s dual-language program to the District 200 Board of Education at the board’s April 8 meeting.
In the dual-language program, native English- and Spanish-speaking students are taught side-by-side in both languages. D-200 also offers bilingual classes for Spanish-speaking students and English as a second-language classes for students who speak a native language other than Spanish. This year, the district also began offering a World Language program that exposes all fifth- through eighth-graders to Spanish, French, German and Chinese.
The dual-language program is offered to kindergartners through fourth-graders at Verda Dierzen Early Learning Center, Mary Endres Elementary School, Westwood Elementary School, Prairiewood Elementary School and Olson Elementary School and has a current enrollment of 443 students, with 580 expected next year. Both the kindergarten and first-grade dual-language classes have waiting lists.
The classes begin with an equal number of English and Spanish speakers, but as students leave the program, replacing them is difficult, especially with older English speakers..
“(After first grade), they’ve missed too much,” said Krueger.
Some Spanish-speaking students have joined the program after first grade and been successful, but Krueger said these students have had at least some exposure to English and are tested to determine their proficiency level.
The program is popular with both English- and Spanish-speaking families, but Krueger said that Spanish-speaking parents appreciate that their children will continue to develop Spanish language skills while learning English more rapidly than they might in a bilingual classroom.
District assessments have shown that Spanish speakers in the dual-language program outscored bilingual peers in both English and Spanish, while English speakers had native language scores that were comparable to or above their single language peers.
Both groups exceeded targets on second-language-acquisition tests and are showing increased proficiency each year.
The program is facing two challenges. A middle school program must be developed soon for the dual-language students who will enter sixth-grade in the fall of 2009. However, the district has few models to work from.
“There aren’t a whole lot of middle school dual-language programs in Illinois, but there are more in New Mexico,” said Krueger, referring to an upcoming dual-language conference that some D-200 staff will attend in that state.
The other challenge is locating qualified bilingual teachers who are capable of teaching equally well in both languages. Since the beginning of the program, the district has recruited teachers from Spain who come to Woodstock on 3-year work visas. To stay beyond their visa, the teachers must obtain Illinois teacher certification. Krueger said one Spanish teacher has already obtained certification and several others are in the process of doing so.
Board members were pleased with the positive news from the dual-language program. “It’s always nice to hear updates. It’s an exciting program,” said board president Paul Meyer.

This article was published in the April 16, 2008 edition of The Woodstock Independent.