How to Achieve Success in Immersion

1. How to Achieve Success in Immersion How to Achieve Success in Immersion Helping Your Child Learn in a Foreign Language Instruction Setting Helping Your Child Learn in a Foreign Language Instruction Setting

2. Why Are We Here Today? Why Are We Here Today? Our Goals: Our Goals: • Discuss and Analyze how Immersion children learn a Foreign Language (Spanish or French) at Blythe Academy. • Provide strategies that will help our children achieve success both inside and outside school settings.

3. Why Do We Focus on Science and Math? Why Do We Focus on Science and Math? • Our school teaches languages according to the South Carolina Math and Science curriculum. • If you can not speak the target language you are not in a disadvantage to help your child. Connect with your child through the math instruction and science contents.

4. What Happens in the Immersion Classroom? What Happens in the Immersion Classroom? • Children experience the subject matter in the foreign language. • Children acquire the essential elements of lesson (topic of the day). • Children make connections between their first (native) language and the language being learned.

5. What Happens Next? The Next Lesson? What Happens Next?The Next Lesson? • Children look at the information learned the previous day and have the opportunity to review it. • Teacher emphasizes learned vocabulary, key words and learned skills. • Teacher uses a variety of tools or activities to reinforce previous learning. • Students interact and have the opportunity to ask, clarify and expand knowledge.

6. What Happens at Home? What Happens at Home? • Whether kids are in immersion or not, it is crucial to have a specific time and space to complete assignments. • Take into consideration your child’s schedule after school before coming up with a study plan. • Kids need to know what is expected and stick to a regular schedule and routine.

7. Why is Homework Important for Us? Why is Homework Important for Us? • Supports the curriculum and enhances student achievement. • Reinforces, synthesizes, and extends classroom learning in both languages. • Helps students develop responsibility and good work habits. • To be completed independently with minimum parental help.

8. What can I do for my child? What can I do for my child? • Support what we are doing in the classroom. Kids need to know that what they are doing is important and you back them up 100%. • Ask your child frequently what they did in class and have them explain it in English. “Mom, Today I learned about worms and what they eat to survive” “Wow, I have no clue what they eat. Can you tell me more about that?” • Focus on the Science and the Math elements. If they can tell you about what they are learning they are understanding the target language!

9. Strategies for Homework Strategies for Homework • Allow your child to do it as much as possible on their own. Always begin with the easy tasks. • Word Problems. It is okay if you are unable to help them. Have your child check the class work of that day. Have your child read the word problem aloud. Have your child explain in English what goes on in the problem. • Science Homework. Teacher usually explains it before it is sent home. • Projects. Explanations and instructions are always in both languages. Contact the teacher in case of questions.

10. Strategies for Assessments Strategies for Assessments • Math. Take a look at what we do in the classroom and as homework. Give your kids examples at home to work extra if you feel they need it. Quizzes and test are very similar to what we do everyday. • Manipulatives. Use the opportunity in real life to relate to mathematical problems. • Concrete Materials. Use beans, sticks, rocks, marbles, money, etc. • Role Playing. Have your child be your teacher and come up with questions to ask you. • Everyday Activities. Have fun, math has infinite opportunities for learning right in your home.

11. Strategies for Assessments Strategies for Assessments • Science. There is an introduction page and study guide going home for every unit. Take advantage of it by working on concepts from day one. • Use flash cards the kids can put together. • Get online to find websites that will enable the learning experience. Look at the teacher website for ideas. • Ask your child to talk about what we are doing in class. There are many things going on. • Study in English but ask your child to give you answers in both languages.

12. Remember: Remember: • Support your School in general and your Language classroom in particular. • Get involved daily in your child’s instruction. • Follow a schedule, stick to a routine. • Have a quiet and organized place to work. • Have all supplies available (ruler, pencils, eraser, etc.). • When help is needed, you must: - Ask your child to read question aloud in Spanish. - Ask your child to explain the question with his/her own words in English. • Don’t procrastinate. Study everyday and don’t let projects to accumulate.

13. Whichever options you choose to help your child, the most important thing is to be persistent and keep a positive attitude. Languages are a wonderful treasure!