At MPS, a bilingual dual language education means that students will learn literacy and academic content in English and Spanish.
One-way bilingual dual language programs are for Spanish-speaking students who are learning English.
Two-way bilingual dual language programs also are for Spanish-speaking students who are learning English — but there is a slight difference.
One-way programs serve one language group:
- English learners with a Spanish-speaking background
Two-way programs serve at least two language groups with a balanced population of students:
- 50% native English speakers
- 50% English learners with a Spanish-speaking background
One-way and two-way program goals for students:
- To achieve high levels of bilingualism (speaking/listening) and biliteracy (reading/writing) in English and Spanish
- To reach high levels of academic achievement in both English and Spanish
- To develop sociocultural competence, cross-cultural knowledge, and sense of identity
At MPS, the intention with both programs is not to replace one language with another but instead to promote learning and high achievement in both languages while also creating an understanding of and appreciation for both cultures.
As shown in the chart below, both programs provide the same learning structure for students. In five-year-old kindergarten, students receive 90% of their instruction in Spanish and 10% in English. That percentage increases gradually each year until grades 4 through 12, when students receive 50% of their instruction in Spanish and 50% in English. (Please note: ALBA school offers a different percentage structure for its language of instruction. See the FAQ question "Which schools have one-way programs and which have two-way programs?" for details.)
One-Way and Two-Way Programs |
Grade Level |
Language of Instruction |
|
Spanish – English |
K5 |
90% – 10% |
Grade 1 |
80% – 20% |
Grade 2 |
70% – 30% |
Grade 3 |
60% – 40% |
Grades 4–5 |
50% – 50% |
Grades 6–8 |
50% – 50% |
Grades 9–12 |
50% – 50% |