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Dual Language Immersion
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Imagine that you go on a trip to Spain. Everyone around you speaks Spanish. The signs in the streets are in Spanish. The menu at McDonald's is in Spanish! You are immersed in Spanish. This is the best way to learn a new language.
AMIS's immersion works in the same way!
AMIS serves as a dual immersion program, which means students who speak Spanish at home are immersed in English, while their English-speaking peers are immersed in Spanish. We also offer English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for our English language learners. The goal is to develop bilingualism/biliteracy, academic achievement, and cross-cultural competencies for all students.
To achieve this goal at AMIS, 50 percent of the content is taught in Spanish and 50 percent of the content is taught in English.
*Remember, AMIS does not teach Spanish as a separate subject in the same way that most traditional high schools do. At AMIS, our students are taught in Spanish. Students learn their math, science and social studies content in their foreign language. Students leave kindergarten speaking, reading and writing in their second language.
Program Goals and Expectations
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Program GoalsĀ
Bilingualism and Bi-literacy: Students develop a high level of thinking, listening, speaking, reading, and writing proficiency in English and Spanish.
Academic Excellence: Students strive for academic excellence in all subject areas, meeting or exceeding District and Ohio Department of Education State Standards.
Multicultural Understanding: Students develop positive attitudes and appreciation toward world languages and cultures in our global society, promoting their involvement in world issues.
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Expectations
All schools have high expectations of their students. AMIS is no exception. As an immersion school, however, we also have some unique expectations for students, families, teachers and staff alike. It is important that we work as a team to ensure that our students meet their full potential.
Academic Expectations
Did you know that the Cincinnati Bengals recognize honor roll students in the CPS district? It is our goal to send as many students as we can to Paul Brown Stadium at the end of the year.
Since AMIS students learn their content in Spanish, it is of the utmost importance that students pay attention and ask for help when they need it. Parents should be on the lookout for homework (either in a weekly packet for younger students or daily assignments for the older ones), and if at all possible, provide students with a quiet place to study. Students of all grades should read every night.
Behavior Expectations
AMIS students are:
- Safe
- Responsible
- Respecful
- Learners
- Problem Solvers
We say these five expectations every day. Any "do not" rule that you can think of falls under one of the expectations. When discussing behavior with our students, we prefer to tell students what they should do as opposed to what they should not do.
We offer positive behavior support in the form of Musky Bucks*. They're made of yellow paper, but they're good as gold. When students are caught being good and making good choices, they might receive a Musky Buck that can be traded in at the Musky Buck/Spirit Store for cool rewards.
*Musky Bucks cannot be traded for cash or used in stores where the US dollar is used. While they are good as gold, they are not gold, they are yellow paper.
Language Expectations
Learning a new language takes time, but it also takes a lot of practice. We expect that our students will do their best to speak in Spanish during their foreign language (FL) times. Starting in kindergarten, students are expected to respond to basic requests in their foreign language, and read and write in the language. Learning a new language is like learning to ride a bike — if you never get on the bike, you will never learn to ride. If students never speak Spanish, they will never learn to use it.
We encourage our students' families to use the foreign language at home as much as possible. Let your child teach you how to count in their FL. Use a dictionary or the internet to create labels for things in the home. Since AMIS parents choose AMIS for the immersion element, it should be supported at home to the best of the family's ability.
It is also helpful for students to have access to materials in their FL at home. This could mean finding books in Spanish at the public library, or switching DVDs to Spanish on occasion. Remember, the more students are exposed to the Spanish language, the more they will learn!
