All of the core curricular components at The GLOBE Academy will be delivered via a dual-language immersion instructional model. Contrary to traditional foreign language instruction, dual-language immersion requires that students engage in core content learning while being exposed to both their native language and a second language.
In its first year, The GLOBE Academy will employ a 50% English/50% Other World Language immersion model in grades kindergarten and 1st grades; and an 80% English/ 20% Other World Language model in 2nd and 3rd grades. However, 2nd and 3rd grade children with prior exposure to a second language may be eligible for placement in a 50%/50% model upon successful completion of a language assessment in the target language.
Kindergarten and 1st grade students will receive alternate days of all core instruction in either English or the other world language. Students in 2nd and 3rd grades will receive all core instruction in English, as well as one additional section of reading/language arts or social studies in the other world language. The 50%/50% model will increase to grades 2nd through 5th in subsequent years as our first cohort of kindergarten and first grade students advance through elementary school.
The dual-language percentage models chosen are based on research from the Center for Applied Linguistics, as well as research in second language and literacy acquisition. (See work by renowned cognitive psychologist Dr. Ellen Bialystok for a review). The models were carefully chosen to provide the most optimal opportunities for student success based on research surrounding cognitive development and extra effort that must be put forth toward second language and literacy acquisition as children age beyond 6-years-old.
Languages of Instruction
Instruction at The GLOBE Academy takes place in both English and a second world language (either French in grades K-2, Mandarin in grade K only or Spanish in grades K-3). The GLOBE Academy will consider offering instruction in other world languages depending on a variety of factors, including community and parent interest and support, feasibility of hiring qualified and certification-eligible faculty and staff who speak the target language, future use of the language in terms of number of populations speaking the language and geographic diversity, as well as ease of bi-literacy acquisition with English. We hope to add an Arabic language track in year 2 and additional languages as the school grows.
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