School districts focus on improving dual language programs

When it comes to learning English, there’s no one size fits all program. School districts across Texas are having to different ways to teach students so they can succeed in and out of the classroom.

“We have to make some instructional shifts to make and mind shifts to make, it’s not about learning English. It’s about learning in English and another language,” UTEP Professor Dr. Elena Izquierdo said.

Izquierdo says Spanish speaking students need both languages integrated in the classroom–focusing on content, language and language development. In fact, researchers at Stanford University found students actually learn better when they learn in both languages.

“Whether you look at it on national scores, national assessment progress or state scores, your Hispanic English learners, are your lowest performing and again because you’re focusing on a quick fix,” Izquierdo said.

In El Paso, school districts are working to improve that.

EPISD and YISD’s dual language programs were recently highlighted in an article by The Atlantic.

EPISD which serves at more than 10,000 bilingual students and more than 3,500 Spanish speaking students, recently expanded its program to nine elementary schools and one middle school. On a normal school day, a student spends half their day learning in English and the other half in Spanish.

At YISD, it’s 90% Spanish and 10% English. Each year, the English portion increases by 10%. By the time a student is a fourth or fifth grader, the school has developed a bilingual and bi-literate student.

It’s not focusing on either or–or, but on both.

“It should happen concurrent with the English language acquisition they need to be successful not then they are in schools, taking state mandated tests, but when they are actually going to college and other universities,” YISD Superintendent Xavier De la Torre said.