Dual Language Program

District 54 Dual Language and Immersion Program Goals are as follows:

• Students who have attended District 54 schools for at least one year will be at grade level in reading and math in English as well as in the Target Language upon entering third grade.
• Each school will close the achievement gap for all students in reading and math in English as well as in the Target Language as measured by both district and state assessments.
• Each school will perform at or above the 90th percentile (top 10% nationally) in meeting individual student growth targets in reading and math in English as well as in the Target Language.

The Dual Language and Immersion program goals are for students to:

• Perform academically at grade level in two languages, commensurate with their monolingual English-speaking peers
• Use two languages comfortably and effectively in social situations appropriate for their age level
• Communicate effectively through reading and writing in two languages at a level appropriate for their age
• Demonstrate an appreciation of cultural diversity and cross-cultural competence across a variety of social situations.

Programs of Choice

Dual Language and Immersion are programs of choice options that are available for all students in District 54. Dual Language classes at the elementary level are composed of approximately 50% English or other language proficient students and 50% Spanish or Japanese-proficient students. Chinese Immersion is a one-way immersion experience where the vast majority of students have no prior experience or proficiency in the Chinese language. Dual Language and Chinese Immersion teachers and the English partner teachers foster high academic achievement by teaching the two target languages through content. These programs seek to develop academic and cultural competence and bilingualism for students from kindergarten through 8th grade.

District 54 has an English-Spanish Dual Language program at MacArthur, Enders-Salk, Hanover Highlands, Link, Eisenhower, Frost and Keller schools. District 54 also has an English-Japanese Dual Language program at Dooley and Addams schools.

District 54’s Mandarin Chinese immersion program began in August 2011 at Campanelli School in Schaumburg. Students in kindergarten through fourth grade have the option of learning in Chinese and English through this immersion setting during the 2015-2016 school year. One grade level will be added each school year through grade 8.

Dual Language/Immersion Instructional Model                                                  

Daily Instructional Minute Allocations

Grades K-6

English Literacy – 60 minutes

• Week 1 – 15 minutes for shared reading, 45 minutes for guided reading
• Week 2 – 15 minutes for shared reading, 45 minutes for writing, word study, centers and student conferencing

Target Language Literacy – 60 minutes

• Week 1 – 15 minutes for shared reading, 45 minutes for writing, word study, centers and student conferencing
• Week 2 – 15 minutes for shared reading, 45 minutes for guided reading

Math – English – 60 minutes

Science – English – 30 minutes

Social Studies – Target Language – 30 minutes

Literacy and Math Acceleration

Target Language Literacy Acceleration – 30 minutes for students meeting grade-level standards

English Literacy Acceleration – 30 minutes for students approaching or below grade-level standards

Target Language Math Acceleration – 30 minutes for students meeting grade-level standards

English Math Acceleration – 30 minutes for students approaching or below grade-level standards