Growing up Bilingual!

The Alice Boucher World Languages Academy uses the Immersion method to teach children a second language. Immersion is a process that teaches children a second language when they are very young and still taking risks in the classroom. Children are taught all of their core subjects -- with the exception of English and Language Arts -- in their second language. Immersion begins in Kindergarten or preschool, when young minds are more open and receptive to learning a new language.

Children who are four or five years old are still learning their first language; that is what makes it so easy to teach them a second language. Children at this age pick up on languages more easily than adults do. In addition to growing up bilingual, these children very often perform better on standardized tests than do their peers who speak only one language.

Currently, Spanish -- the second most-spoken language in the world -- is offered to students interested in the immersion program at the World Languages Academy. In future years, additional languages, such as Japanese and French, will be offered in the program.

It's not just about language...

Students in the World Languages Academy learn about other cultures and ways of life in addition to learning a second language. That means students will learn the music, food and histories of the countries where their second language is spoken. The World Languages Academy's Spanish Immersion program includes preschool classes. That means students can begin their immersion studies at the age of four, while at the same time learning the ground rules about school.

In addition to the cultural and language aspects of the program, students at Boucher can participate in the school's Sunshine Club, which helps improve attendance; the 4-H club, which allows students to study agriculture, economics and other subjects; and various community service projects during the year.

For more information about the program, call Boucher at 234-8351. For details on the Pre-K program at Boucher, call 236-6959.