Language Immersion Programs in IUSD!

[Veronica]

I am sorry, but I want my kids to be excellent in math, science AND Spanish.  Is that a goal too high for your kids?

Depends, will they cut fine arts, music or any other auxiliary program? How do they make room for language when the curriculum is already full, a minimum day each week and increasing furloughs?

Oh, don't get me started...Everyone knows the American school curriculum is a total joke, comparing to what it is in Taiwan, South Korea, China, and Europe.  Our kids are 2-3 years behind their peers in math and science (with the "full" curriculum), having trouble learning a second language and mediocre readers. Anyway, if you folks don't want your kids to speak a foreign language - so be it.  But I want to challenge my kids and give them a choice - that's the point of the Spanish language immersion. I hope Irvine will also add a Mandarin immersion program as well.

 

[Irvine Dream]

Oh, don't get me started...Everyone knows the American school curriculum is a total joke, comparing to what it is in Taiwan, South Korea, China, and Europe.  Our kids are 2-3 years behind their peers in math and science (with the "full" curriculum), having trouble learning a second language and mediocre readers. Anyway, if you folks don't want your kids to speak a foreign language - so be it.  But I want to challenge my kids and give them a choice - that's the point of the Spanish language immersion. I hope Irvine will also add a Mandarin immersion program as well.

Well the statistics are based on average.  I am comparing what my kids are learning here and comparing it to my brothers and sisters kid curriculam in England and Australia.  My kids  are 2-3 years ahead of others.  My guess is they only fall behind at undergraduate level because they still take lots of GE classes.  Then again it is widely accepted that US graduate studies are the best in the world so how am I to question the Undergraduate curriculam?

 

[eyephone]

I am sorry, but I want my kids to be excellent in math, science AND Spanish.  Is that a goal too high for your kids?

Depends, will they cut fine arts, music or any other auxiliary program? How do they make room for language when the curriculum is already full, a minimum day each week and increasing furloughs?

+1

 

[CherryBlossoms]

I highly value the benefit of bilingualism. If a kid can be introduced to a new language at young age, it is a blessing. It takes more time and effort for adult to master a second language. As for kids, they are sensitive to language. Also, I don't agree that learning a new language will distract the students from learning math or science. Always there are people who are strong in language and some others who are strong in math and science. And some do well in both. The two are not in reverse correlation. As a Malaysian, we learned 3 languages when we were young, English, Malay and Mandarin, and we speak at least 1 dialect such as Cantonese.http://www.babycenter.com/0_raising-a-bilingual-child-the-top-five-myths_10340869.bc

 

[eyephone]

I highly value the benefit of bilingualism. If a kid can be introduced to a new language at young age, it is a blessing. It takes more time and effort for adult to master a second language. As for kids, they are sensitive to language. Also, I don't agree that learning a new language will distract the students from learning math or science. Always there are people who are strong in language and some others who are strong in math and science. And some do well in both. The two are not in reverse correlation. As a Malaysian, we learned 3 languages when we were young, English, Malay and Mandarin, and we speak at least 1 dialect such as Cantonese.http://www.babycenter.com/0_raising-a-bilingual-child-the-top-five-myths_10340869.bc

I don't think it's a distraction, it's the funding.

 

[irvinehomeowner]

Not just the funding, the logistics and the staff.

Something will have to give to fit in that language course.

Additionally, language immersion usually means all subjects are taught part-time in that language, so your science teacher needs to be fluent in Swahili, as does your PE coach, your music teacher and even your principal.

Obviously, you can do language immersion better in foreign-owned (and foreign) schools because the staff is versed in that language.

And then you also have to determine which language.

I don't think anyone minds language immersion... but people can't even agree on Common Core.

 

[Veronica]

Oh, don't get me started...Everyone knows the American school curriculum is a total joke, comparing to what it is in Taiwan, South Korea, China, and Europe.  Our kids are 2-3 years behind their peers in math and science (with the "full" curriculum), having trouble learning a second language and mediocre readers. Anyway, if you folks don't want your kids to speak a foreign language - so be it.  But I want to challenge my kids and give them a choice - that's the point of the Spanish language immersion. I hope Irvine will also add a Mandarin immersion program as well.

Well the statistics are based on average.  I am comparing what my kids are learning here and comparing it to my brothers and sisters kid curriculam in England and Australia.  My kids  are 2-3 years ahead of others.  My guess is they only fall behind at undergraduate level because they still take lots of GE classes.  Then again it is widely accepted that US graduate studies are the best in the world so how am I to question the Undergraduate curriculam?

IrvineDream, I don't know much about Australia.  UK education, however, I know.  I took 4 A-Levels (exit exams) after graduating from UK high school there and almost died - they were so incredibly hard.  Have any US kid to take a British A-Level in Maths (yes, they say "Maths") - most will fail.  Your brothers and sister's kids must not be yet in Lower/Upper VI Levels yet (last two years of high school), they are probably at the GCSE level.  Tell them the dark days of A-Levels are coming!  >  To get an "A" on an A-Level exam is extremely hard.  Even Chinese students who take A-Level in Chinese over there have a hard time getting an A.  That's why the last 2 years of high school in the UK - students only study 4 (four!) subjects.  But they study them in great depth, definitely college level.  Also, most American colleges give college credit for A-Level exams with the grade of "C" or better - that tells you that their work is at the college level!

 

[Irvine Dream]

Oh, don't get me started...Everyone knows the American school curriculum is a total joke, comparing to what it is in Taiwan, South Korea, China, and Europe.  Our kids are 2-3 years behind their peers in math and science (with the "full" curriculum), having trouble learning a second language and mediocre readers. Anyway, if you folks don't want your kids to speak a foreign language - so be it.  But I want to challenge my kids and give them a choice - that's the point of the Spanish language immersion. I hope Irvine will also add a Mandarin immersion program as well.

Well the statistics are based on average.  I am comparing what my kids are learning here and comparing it to my brothers and sisters kid curriculam in England and Australia.  My kids  are 2-3 years ahead of others.  My guess is they only fall behind at undergraduate level because they still take lots of GE classes.  Then again it is widely accepted that US graduate studies are the best in the world so how am I to question the Undergraduate curriculam?

IrvineDream, I don't know much about Australia.  UK education, however, I know.  I took 4 A-Levels (exit exams) after graduating from UK high school there and almost died - they were so incredibly hard.  Have any US kid to take a British A-Level in Maths (yes, they say "Maths") - most will fail.  Your brothers and sister's kids must not be yet in Lower/Upper VI Levels yet (last two years of high school), they are probably at the GCSE level.  Tell them the dark days of A-Levels are coming!  >  To get an "A" on an A-Level exam is extremely hard.  Even Chinese students who take A-Level in Chinese over there have a hard time getting an A.  That's why the last 2 years of high school in the UK - students only study 4 (four!) subjects.  But they study them in great depth, definitely college level.  Also, most American colleges give college credit for A-Level exams with the grade of "C" or better - that tells you that their work is at the college level!

Well, where I came from, London A Level Maths was a walk in the park compared to the local A-Level Maths.  AP Calculus AB/BC that US kids do in high schools cover lot more material than what we did in our country.  Hence my conclusion that the Advanced Students in US are at a higher level than their counterparts.  US Kids also get College credits when they get 3 or higher on AP exams.

 

[adventurous]

It's beneficial for kids to start learning new language early. However, I am not convinced it  should be a part of the Elementary School curriculum.

 

[bones]

http://m.ocregister.com/articles/program-643788-immersion-district.html

Article on immersion. The part where it talks about how students learn "slower" in an immersion program will probably be a huge sticking point for most parents.