Immersion Program

What is Dual Language Immersion?

Saint Paul Dual Language Academy is proud to teach Dual Language Immersion in Spanish and English. In Dual Language Immersion, students spend half the day learning in English and half the day learning in Spanish. By being taught not just language fundamentals but academic subjects, gain both languages while not losing a step in their studies. The goals of dual language immersion are bilingualism, biliteracy and biculturalism.

Our Dual Language Immersion program is in Transitional Kindergarten, Kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, 3rd 4th, and 5th grade and follows a 50/50 model. We combine bilingual education, an intimate private school setting, and holistic values-based teaching. Interest from native Spanish speaking families as well as non-native speakers of the language has been overwhelmingly positive. They will equally learn to embrace differences because this model celebrates cultural and language.

Benefits

  • Language proficiency in both English and Spanish
  • Improved communication ability
  • Enhanced listening skills
  • Exceed performance standards of solo language learners
  • Greater cultural appreciation
  • More prepared for global culture and market

English Guide

Spanish Guide

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

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Language is the vehicle for instruction in immersion classrooms. 50% of the day, the language of instruction is a partner language and the other half is English. Students speak, read, write, do math, experiments, singing, etc in the partner language. The teachers still follow the state standards and common core curriculum.
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Immersion students attain the same level of competence not only in language skill but in standard subjects as well. Furthermore, Immersion students develop the critical thinking needed to exceed standards much earlier than their peers.
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The key aspect of Dual Immersion is that students do not just learn a language but learn to think in that language. While in the second language classroom, the students receive a higher level of exposure to the language. The learning takes place in a different cultural environment, so everyday learning takes place as if the student was in another country. Thus, the student's language becomes not just functional but second nature.
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The goals of Dual Language Immersion are bilingualism, biliteracy and biculturalism. In other words, by the time students graduate from our schools they will be able to listen, speak, read, write and learn academic content in both languages. They will equally learn to embrace differences because this model celebrates exactly this, cultural and language.
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No. Research shows that students who acquire advanced levels of proficiency in two languages often experience cognitive and linguistic advantages when compared to monolingual students. Language Immersion students perform better on tasks that require divergent thinking, pattern recognition, and problem solving, and have enhanced levels of metalinguistic awareness.
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Research states that it takes between 5 and 10 years to become fluent. The amount of time it takes for a student to be fully fluent will depend on the student's learning patterns, parental involvement and dedication, learning environment and learning capacity. Our teachers will work with every student to ensure that they are learning at their optimum level. ​
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Immersion programs serve students of all backgrounds and levels of academic ability. Academic challenges do not preclude students from success in immersion and they achieve higher levels of proficiency in their second language.

High Schools our students attend

Bishop Conaty High School
Bishop Mora Salesian High School
Cathedral High School
Immaculate Heart High School
Loyola High School
St. Bernard's High School
St. Mary's Academy
Saint Monica's High School