beyond rote memorization

Integrated cultural learning dimension> Experienced teachers> Native speakers> Highly qualified> International perspective> World language learners

> Rigorous selection process> Comprehensive support> High expectations

• Upper level university students or certified teachers from Latin America

• Well-trained; good language models

• Cultural enrichment• International perspective• Ministry of Education

collaborative projects

• Amy Harper-Wallace Principal, Elon ElementaryBurlington, NC

Elon Elementary - Language Immersion

•Kindergarten Fall 2008 with 24 students

•Information to all stakeholders•Various teachers visited other sites•Prospective parents visited other sites•Parent information session in February•Careful selection of teacher

•(native Spanish speaker)•Experience in education of K-2 students

•Integrate Literacy First components (district mandate) into Literacy rotations

Splash! immersion students perform at or above level compared to students in the same school

Cohort 1 Achievement, 2008-2009

1. At end of Kindergarten year, class above other 4 K classes in:1. Number of students above goal on

running record

2. Retell scores

3. Concepts of print

4. High Frequency words

5. Letter identification

Highest scores on

•Universal screener (AIMSWEB) > Grade 2 fall, winter and spring> Went from 7.56 to 15.03 digits per minute *Grade 1 avg.13.12

•Oral reading Fluency (AIMSWEB) > Grade 2 spring and end of year > Went from 33.3 to 49.91 words per minute*Grade 1 avg 39.8

Cohort 1 Achievement, 2009-2010 (Y2)

Cohort 2 Y1 Achievement2009 – 2010 (Kindergarten year)

1. At end of Kindergarten year:1. 21 of 24 students above grade level goal on

running record2. Concepts of print was 2nd highest in

Kindergarten, only 3 students working in lowest percentile range.

3. Only 7 students had not completely mastered the 1st grade literacy skills (phoneme deletion initial and final sound)

4. Letter sound fluency and Number identification highest in Kindergarten on spring AIMSWEB (Spanish)

• Evaluacíon del desarrollo de lectura (EDL) Spanish adaptation of the Developmental Reading Assessment (DRA)

• High Frequency Words (HFW)*

• K-3 Literacy Assessment*

* Splash! instrument

SPLASH!

Comprehensive Literacy Model

> Research based practices> Professional development> Professional collaboration

• Best practices in literacy

instruction

• Language acquisition

• Language teaching

methodologies

• Instructional techniques

• Development and

implementation of grade level

pacing guides