Fairview Elementary School

A Leader in Me School

Spanish Immersion

Providing Students with a World of Advantages

Why Immersion?

“In today’s educational landscape, it is imperative for Delaware students to have the skills necessary to compete in a global economy. Learning a second language will offer our children an advantage in this increasingly competitive world.”
-Governor Jack Markell

More than forty years of research consistently documents the power of immersion programs to help students attain high levels of second language proficiency. No other type of instruction, short of living in a second-language environment, is as successful. Young children especially thrive in this type of learning environment where learning a new language comes as naturally as learning their first one.

Students will:

Develop high levels of academic achievement in both the primary and secondary languages

Cultivate cross-cultural competencies needed to succeed in a multicultural society

Access rigorous, culturally inclusive education while nurturing a diversity of identities

Gain knowledge to become empowered agents of change in a global community

Who can participate?

The Immersion Program is open to all students and will be selected based on the following guidelines:

The cohort of students will generally reflect the demographics of Capital School District; therefore, students will be equitably chosen based on gender & ethnicity. However, to enhance the language learning of all students, preference will be given to heritage Spanish speakers.

While the immersion program is open to all kindergarten students, academic screening will be utilized to determine students’ potential success in learning a second language and/or eligibility.

How do I enroll my child?

For Out-of-District students or In-District students who would like to choice to Fairview or South Dover Elementary Schools:

1. The parents must register their rising kindergarteners into their home school

2. The parents must complete an online School Choice application (found at http://www.schoolchoicede.org/) for either Fairview or South Dover Elementary Schools and their Immersion programs

For students living within the Fairview or South Dover Elementary Schools zones:

The parents must complete a “Spanish Immersion Program Lottery Application” included in the school’s registration packet or request one from the main office.

It is the mission of the Capital School District’s Dual Language Spanish Immersion program to produce confidant, bi-literate, bilingual critical thinkers who value and honor all cultures and languages.

What is Immersion?
Students learn academic content through a second language.

Students learn a second language by encountering and using the language in multiple meaningful contexts.

The focus is on building proficiency – being able to use the language – not on teaching grammar.

Both Fairview ES and South Dover ES utilize a One-Way Immersion model with most of the students speaking English as their native language.

Program Benefits

ACADEMIC
Students achieve high levels of language proficiency in the immersion language. Students satisfy the WL graduation requirement by the time they leave the elementary program. Research shows that immersion students perform as well or better than their non-immersion peers on standardized tests of English and mathematics.

ECONOMIC
Immersion students are better prepared for the global community and job markets where world language skills provide them with an economic advantage. Delaware immersion students have the opportunity to complete college –level coursework in languages while still in high school.

SOCIOCULTURAL
Immersion students are more aware of and show a more positive attitude towards different cultures. Immersion students demonstrate a greater appreciation of people who have different cultural perspectives and practices.