Ortega Elementary offers Two-Way Dual Language at Kinder, 1st and 2nd Grade!
Two-Way Dual Language is a Spanish dual language program that includes instruction in both English and Spanish to help students excel academically while becoming bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural. A two-way program is intended for both native Spanish speakers and native English speakers.
Elementary Dual Language Program
Several program elements define classroom and grade-level expectations to help elementary students and teachers achieve Austin ISD's Dual Language Program goals of rigorous cognitive and academic development, academic proficiency in two languages and positive cross-cultural development.
- Biliteracy: Biliteracy provides the foundation for academic proficiency in two languages. It is the ability to effectively communicate or understand written thoughts and ideas through the grammatical systems, vocabularies and written symbols of two different languages.
- Dual language lesson: Includes elements that are unique to biliteracy.
- Language of instruction: Dual language instruction requires a strict adherence to language of instruction in the content areas without translation from the teacher.
- Teaching for transfer: Teaching for transfer refers to the instructional process whereby students master concepts and vocabulary in the language of instruction and then transfer their knowledge of the concepts and vocabulary to the partner language, with the goal of academic biliteracy.
- Vocabulary and content enrichment: Vocabulary and content enrichment refers to the process of acquiring academic content and vocabulary in both languages, including the teaching for transfer process.
- Collaborative learning: Collaborative learning is an effective approach to teaching and learning that involves groups of students working toward a common goal.
- Daily writing: Daily writing takes place across all content areas throughout the day in the language of instruction.
- Student work displayed: Display of students’ work serves to showcase learning in the classroom and provides value to student-generated products.
- Classroom and school libraries
- Assessments: Assessment is the process of collecting information or evidence of a learner’s progress and achievement over a period of time to improve teaching and learning.