LOCAL SCHOOL ANSWERS COMMUNITY’S CALL FOR FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROGRAM

Sandpiper Elementary First School in Paradise Valley District to Launch Language Immersion

The same question kept coming to the surface during school tours and orientations for the parents of prospective students at Sandpiper Elementary school in Scottsdale: Do you teach foreign language? Today’s parents expect more from their public schools than ever before. Parents are keenly aware that in order to give their kids a head start and the ability to compete in an increasingly global economy, they need to be bilingual. So, at a time when his school is grossly underfunded, Steve Jeras, principal of Sandpiper Elementary School has made a bold move. He, along with a committee of parents, teachers and community members have made the decision to offer FLITE (Foreign Language Immersion and Teaching Enrichment) for the 2011-2012 school year.

The opt-in program will include first grade students who will spend half of their day with a Spanish speaking teacher who will teach Math and Science in Spanish. All communication, books, worksheets and course materials will be in Spanish, and students will be expected to communicate with the teacher and with each other completely in Spanish. They will then spend the remainder of the day with an English speaking teacher who will teach reading and writing. Those students will continue with the program through the sixth grade. Each subsequent year will include at least one section of first grade language immersion students.

“We expect overwhelming support for this program,” Principal Jeras said at last week’s PTO meeting, where he officially announced the FLITE program to parents. “We have listened to our community, to what they are ‘shopping’ for when it comes to their kids’ education. We are excited to be the first school in the Paradise Valley School District to offer language immersion.”

Jeras explains how research shows that young students, from Pre-K through sixth grade, have an incredible capacity for learning foreign language. Waiting until students are at the junior high and high school level has not been proven to produce students with linguistic proficiency. Learning foreign language early has a positive effect on intellectual growth and enriches a child’s mental development. The process of foreign language immersion leaves students with more flexibility in thinking, greater sensitivity to language and a better ear for listening.

“The obvious benefit of our students learning a foreign language is that they have a head start on university requirements and more global opportunities.” Jeras clarifies, “But what parents may not realize is that the process of learning a foreign language creates a diverse network of pathways in the brain and will help our kids learn more effectively in all subjects.”

An open house for anyone interested in learning more about the program will be held on Tuesday January 18^th at 6:30pm at Sandpiper Elementary School, 6724 East Hearn Rd. Parents who cannot attend the meeting can get information and schedule a tour by calling the Sandpiper office at (602) 449-6300

Sandpiper is an Excelling School in the Paradise Valley School District and is known for its engaging curriculum, highly qualified teachers and strong community support.