SANTILLANA USA - Guiding Principles Sampler

7 3 INTRODUCTION In this document, the term dual language refers to any program that provides literacy and content instruction to all students through two languages and that promotes bilingualism and biliteracy, grade-level academic achievement, and sociocultural competence—a term encompassing identity development, cross-cultural competence, and multicultural appreciation—for all students. Dual language programs can be either one-way or two-way depending on the student population. Two-way programs include approximately equal numbers of students who are monolingual or dominant in English at the time of enrollment and students who are monolingual or dominant in the partner language at the time of enrollment. There may also be students who have proficiency in both languages at the time of enrollment. A general rule of thumb is that to be considered a two-way program, no less than one third and no more than two thirds of the student population should be monolingual or dominant in either English or the partner language at the time of enrollment. One-way programs serve more linguistically homogeneous groups of students. One-way dual language programs in which all students are proficient in the partner language but not in English at the time of enrollment are typically called developmental bilingual programs. They use both languages to teach content, and they help students develop proficiency in English while maintaining and continuing to develop their skills in their home language. One-way dual language programs whose students are all monolingual or dominant in English at the time of enrollment are generally known as foreign or world language immersion. It is important to note that although the principles in this volume are generally designed to apply to both two-way and one-way programs, two-way programs are the primary focus of this document. It is also important to note that this volume focuses on elementary and K–8 programs, although the third edition explicitly references the need for preK–12 articulation. While there is increased interest in and evidence of growth in dual language education in preschools and secondary schools, the majority of programs still function at the elementary school level. Educators in preschool, middle school, and high school programs may still find this document useful, but they will probably need to adapt some of the guiding principles to fit their situation. A Practitioner’s Perspective Guiding Principles for Dual Language Education offers a comprehensive and research- supported tool to guide and support both school- and district-level staff to build the critical culture of continuous improvement that is key to achieving the intended equitable outcomes of dual language, especially in serving historically underserved students. In Portland Public Schools, where we have many different partner languages and cultures, these principles ground and focus our work across our different dual language program models and partner languages. They offer the all-important opportunity to step back, reflect, and course correct. In considering diverse partner languages and cultures, we have found that 1) equity is critical in all aspects, but must also be considered in locating different program languages and cultures within neighborhood schools; and 2) there needs to be district- level responsibility to provide infrastructure supports and advocacy. Michael Bacon, Portland Public Schools, Oregon GDP INSIDE OK-Nov1.indd 3 12/03/18 1:17 p.m.