Language Immersion Programs in IUSD!

V

Veronica

New member
Folks,

It is a travesty that we do not have a single dual language immersion school in Irvine Unified School District.  LAUSD, Capistrano Unified, Lake Forest all have dual language immersion programs in Mandarin, Korean and/or Spanish.  WE pay big bucks to live here, so I want what the school districts around us have: language immersion.

The IUSD Board will have a Spanish immersion language program on the October agenda (October 21 @ 6:30 p.m.).  Please come and support this idea!  Our kids could greatly benefit from this wonderful opportunity! 

I personally would like the Board to implement the Mandarin and Korean immersion programs in addition to the Spanish immersion.  Anyone with me on this issue?  ;D
 
I briefly read the LAUSD dual language program.
http://notebook.lausd.net/portal/page?_pageid=33,230293&_dad=ptl

Instead of a dual language immersion program, I would do the following: state of the art science lab or tutoring program (funded by the city) or Top notch Art/Music program.

 
Veronica said:
Folks,

It is a travesty that we do not have a single dual language immersion school in Irvine Unified School District.  LAUSD, Capistrano Unified, Lake Forest all have dual language immersion programs in Mandarin, Korean and/or Spanish.  WE pay big bucks to live here, so I want what the school districts around us have: language immersion.

The IUSD Board will have a Spanish immersion language program on the October agenda (October 21 @ 6:30 p.m.).  Please come and support this idea!  Our kids could greatly benefit from this wonderful opportunity! 

I personally would like the Board to implement the Mandarin and Korean immersion programs in addition to the Spanish immersion.  Anyone with me on this issue?  ;D
Click to expand...

Estoy con usted!!  Konichiwa!!!!!
 
How realistic is learning a 2nd language?  At this age?  How will the kid retain it?  Who will "immerse" the child when schools out? 

Hate to be so cynical, but unless the parents speak the 2nd language at home, you're wasting time and money.  Why learn another language when English itself is a challenge to master?  And what is the purpose?  To order food in the native tongue with the waiter?  Does your six year old strive to travel the world and take part in Earth shaking international business?  Sing along to Kpop?

I would vote for more English classes.  Or maybe a mortgage refi class, or capital gains exclusion primary home sale class.



 
Speaking from a mans perspective.  Being able to speak two languages increases the population of the women you can sleep with :)

Hey beautiful!

Hey Mamacita!




 
There is a serious space issue in IUSD right now-- not enough classrooms to support our burgeoning student population. People are already wait listing at some of their neighborhood schools.  I think an immersion program would not be logistically possible right now.
 
This is just from my personal experience with my kids but I do not know where they would find the time to learn a new language as part of school time.  I think if certain parents want to have their kids learn another language it would be better if they took that outside of class.  We make our kids learn Japanese at home so I would rather do it that way. If they want to learn, there's always electives in high school and college or self study.
 
The Board has moved the discussion to the November 18 agenda.  If you want to voice a support for the Spanish language immersion program, please come to the meeting at District Administration Center at 5050 Barranca Parkway. 

If you are not a fan of language immersion programs, don't worry.  Most likely the program will be very popular, so if you don't want your kids to learn another language through the immersion program - there will be plenty of people who do. 

I am not going to spend the time explaining the obvious advantages of early language immersion.  Here is a link to a radio segment about Mandarin immersion program in public schools in Utah:
http://www.americanradioworks.org/documentaries/the-science-of-smart/

There are many articles on the internet about benefits of early language immersion.  If you want your kid to start learning Spanish in high school - your choice.  But this is not a choice that I would go with.  I want my kid to be fluent in Spanish by high school. Also, many jobs (and many in healthcare and education field) now require candidates to be bilingual.  I don't think high school Spanish will cut it.




 
I have a Dutch friend who speaks:
Dutch,
German,
French,
Spanish,
English.
He's a dumbass, but he seems so worldly when we are out.  Fucking Europeans.
 
Veronica said:
I want my kid to be fluent in Spanish by high school. Also, many jobs (and many in healthcare and education field) now require candidates to be bilingual.  I don't think high school Spanish will cut it.
Click to expand...

There is always an agenda,  so you want your kid to be fluent in Spanish.

One thing to point out regarding healthcare jobs speaking Spanish. Yes, there is a demand for those bilingual jobs. However, if a student is not good with math and science, then they will probably not be a doctor, pharmacist, etc.

 
eyephone said:
Veronica said:
I want my kid to be fluent in Spanish by high school. Also, many jobs (and many in healthcare and education field) now require candidates to be bilingual.  I don't think high school Spanish will cut it.
Click to expand...

There is always an agenda,  so you want your kid to be fluent in Spanish.

One thing to point out regarding healthcare jobs speaking Spanish. Yes, there is a demand for those bilingual jobs. However, if a student is not good with math and science, then they will probably not be a doctor, pharmacist, etc.
Click to expand...

Spanish is not an absolute requirement for healthcare related jobs but it really helps.  I wish I'm fluent in Spanish, high school Spanish and Rosetta Stone can only goes so far. 

If your kid have an opportunity to starts in early language immersion program like Spanish, go for it. 
 
eyephone said:
Veronica said:
I want my kid to be fluent in Spanish by high school. Also, many jobs (and many in healthcare and education field) now require candidates to be bilingual.  I don't think high school Spanish will cut it.
Click to expand...

There is always an agenda,  so you want your kid to be fluent in Spanish.

One thing to point out regarding healthcare jobs speaking Spanish. Yes, there is a demand for those bilingual jobs. However, if a student is not good with math and science, then they will probably not be a doctor, pharmacist, etc.
Click to expand...

Spanish will not in any way "distract" any kid from learning math or science.  Especially, if math and science is taught in Spanish (the whole point of the immersion program anyway). 
 
My mom is from Holland. She was fluent in all of those languages except Spanish. She told me it was basically required because the country is so small and they needed it to do biz with other countries.

Working with Spanish speaking patients is absolutely the best way to pick up what you need to know if you work in health care. I never took a day of Spanish in school but I quickly learned what I needed just by working with patients. The patients will help you learn it..... many speak more English than they let on. They're just afraid they won't communicate correctly and if you ask them, how do you say xxxx they'll tell you or their relatives will.
 
Veronica said:
eyephone said:
Veronica said:
I want my kid to be fluent in Spanish by high school. Also, many jobs (and many in healthcare and education field) now require candidates to be bilingual.  I don't think high school Spanish will cut it.
Click to expand...

There is always an agenda,  so you want your kid to be fluent in Spanish.

One thing to point out regarding healthcare jobs speaking Spanish. Yes, there is a demand for those bilingual jobs. However, if a student is not good with math and science, then they will probably not be a doctor, pharmacist, etc.
Click to expand...

Spanish will not in any way "distract" any kid from learning math or science.  Especially, if math and science is taught in Spanish (the whole point of the immersion program anyway).
Click to expand...

I never said it will be a distraction. My point is learning math and science is more important (mas importante) than learning Spanish.
 
I am sorry, but I want my kids to be excellent in math, science AND Spanish.  Is that a goal too high for your kids?
 
Veronica said:
I am sorry, but I want my kids to be excellent in math, science AND Spanish.  Is that a goal too high for your kids?
Click to expand...
Depends, will they cut fine arts, music or any other auxiliary program? How do they make room for language when the curriculum is already full, a minimum day each week and increasing furloughs?
 
FastCheapGreat_venn.jpg
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top