(NAME-MCE) According to the Utah Chapter of the National Association for Multicultural Education, 65 percent of Hispanic students in Utah do not complete high school.

[Bill Howe]

http://newsnet.byu.edu/story.cfm/63426

First Dual Language Elementary School to Open in September

By Sheila Sarmiento - 7 Mar 2007



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The first dual language elementary school in Spanish and English will open
in September, 2007, in Salt Lake City in order to help children become
proficient in both languages and increase their understanding of both
cultures.



"Parent founders come from both the Latino and mainstream English-speaking
communities with a common goal of bilingualism and bi-literacy for their
children," said Julia Barrientos, Dual Immersion Academy director.



"Personally, my children are half Mexican-American, and I want them to be
able to learn academic Spanish as well as English," she said.



The goal of Dual Immersion Academy goal is to address the achievement gap as
well as close social and cultural gaps that exist in the community.



"Our goal is to create cross-culturally aware, bilingual and bi-literate
community members," Barrientos said.



Dual Immersion Academy will have approximately 50 percent students whose
families speak Spanish and 50 percent students whose primary language is
English or another language.



According to a Dual Immersion Academy news release, students educated in a
dual immersion program have an increased knowledge base, superior
critical-thinking skills and flexibility in their thought process.



Also, research has shown that students who attend dual immersion elementary
schools are less likely to drop of school in later years and most likely to
continue their education.



According to the Utah Chapter of the National Association for Multicultural
Education, 65 percent of Hispanic students in Utah do not complete high
school.



Dual Immersion Academy will educate children from kindergarten through sixth
grade with a student maximum of 350. Open enrollment started on March 1, and
will go through March 31.



Dual Immersion Academy will educate children from kindergarten through sixth
grade with a student body maximum of 350. Children from any Utah school
districts are eligible to apply without geographical restrictions.



All students' applications will go into a lottery, and the first draft of
names will be drawn on April 5.



James Birrel, BYU education professor, said dual immersion programs could
help remove a lot of barriers among children with different language
backgrounds.



"It allows them both to experience to be in the dominant and in the minority
groups as they switch between Spanish and English learning," Birrell said.
"We need to experiment with different ways to deliver the curriculum."



Dual Immersion Academy is also currently accepting teacher applications.



They will be recruiting two teachers for every grade, a teacher with English
emphasis, and a teacher with Spanish emphasis.





Dual Immersion

If you are interested on enrollment or teaching positions at Dual Immersion
Academy,please contact Julia Barrientos (801)347-1750 or visit Web site
www.diacharter.org








-- 
Bill Howe
http://www.billhowe.org

JoIn me this summer in China - Multicultural Educators to China Summer 2007
Trip - http://billhowe.org/China2007.htm

Past-President
National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME)
http://www.nameorg.org