The dual language might be a new idea for some of you. It would be helpful to understand what it means, especially for families who are looking for the right school for their son or daughter. Dual language falls under a large umbrella of bilingual education. The majority of dual-language programs in the United States teach in English and Spanish, although increasing numbers of programs use a partner language other than Spanish, such as Arabic, French, Hawaiian, Japanese, Korean, or Mandarin.

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Dual language programs use the partner language for at least half of the instructional day in the elementary years. These programs generally start in kindergarten or first grade and extend for at least five years, and many continue into middle school and high school. Most dual-language programs are located in neighborhood schools, although many are charter, magnet, or private schools.

Dual language programs foster bilingualism, biliteracy, enhanced awareness of linguistic and cultural diversity, and high levels of academic achievement through instruction in two languages.

Types of Dual Language Programs

There are four main types of the dual language program, which mainly differ in the population:

Features of Dual Language Programs

All elementary school dual language programs, regardless of the population, use the partner language (the language other than English) for AT LEAST 50% of the instructional day.

There are two basic models:

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