List of 1 items.

  • Dual Language Immersion at UCLA Lab School

    Our dual language immersion program is a strand of classrooms from Early Childhood (ages 4-6) through Upper (ages 10-12). Students engage in inquiry-based learning experiences that promote critical thinking, conceptual understanding, and language development. Dual language immersion teachers, in addition, plan lessons using a variety of instructional strategies to maximize language development. The curriculum and learning goals are aligned with those in all UCLA Lab School classrooms.

Watch to Learn More About Dual Language Immersion

Core Beliefs

List of 4 items.

  • Language and Culture

    Being bilingual (or multilingual) and valuing cultural diversity is an advantage in our global society
  • Experiential Learning

    Children can best learn academic concepts and a second language in an integrated, experiential context
  • Language Skills

    Many language skills are transferable between English and Spanish
  • Conceptual Understanding

    Conceptual understanding is transferable between languages

Goals for Students

List of 3 items.

  • Demonstrate high levels of academic achievement

  • Develop high levels of language proficiency and literacy in English and Spanish

  • Develop an understanding and appreciation of languages and diverse cultures

Dual Language Immersion Model

Our program follows the 90/10 model. Emphasis is placed on the target language and begins with 90% of instruction in Spanish at the EC I level. It gradually increases through each level culminating with 50% of instruction in each language at the Upper level.

List of 5 items.

  • 90 / 10

    Early Childhood I
    (ages 4–5)
  • 90 / 10

    Early Childhood II
    (ages 5–6)
  • 80 / 20

    Primary
    (ages 6–8)
  • 70 / 30

    Intermediate
    (ages 8–10)
  • 50 / 50

    Upper I & Upper II
    (ages 10–12)

List of 5 items.

  • Early Childhood I (ages 4–5)

    • Spanish literacy is promoted while valuing emergent literacy in both languages
    • Content is integrated and taught in Spanish with English support for transfer
    • Spanish is introduced in playful ways to build phonemic awareness, sound/symbol relationships, and social and academic vocabulary in Spanish
    • Teaching strategies are used to meet students at their level of language development and proficiency
  • Early Childhood II (ages 5–6)

    • Spanish language is introduced in playful ways to build phonemic awareness, sound/symbol relationships, and social and academic vocabulary
    • Spanish literacy is developed systematically
    • Language transference between Spanish and English is made whenever possible
    • Literacy becomes more formalized as phonics is taught in Spanish and English focusing on transferable sounds/symbols
    • Content is integrated and taught in both English and Spanish
    • Teaching strategies are used to meet students at their level of language development and proficiency
  • Primary (ages 6–8)

    • Language continues to develop in playful ways, building phonemic awareness, sound/symbol relationships, and social and academic vocabulary
    • Literacy is formalized as phonics is taught in Spanish and English, with a focus on transferable sounds/symbols
    • Formal phonics instruction begins to highlight the phonetic differences between Spanish and English when appropriate
    • Content is integrated and taught in both English and Spanish
    • At this level, math is taught in Spanish four days per week
    • Teaching strategies are used to meet students at their level of language development and proficiency
  • Intermediate (ages 8–10)

    • Literacy instruction continues to focus on building strong reading and writing skills in both Spanish and English
    • Language instruction continues to highlight similarities and differences between Spanish and English, and Spanish spoken across the world. There is a focus on building Tier II and Tier III vocabulary
    • Content is integrated and taught in both English and Spanish
    • At this level, math is taught in Spanish four days per week
    • Teaching strategies are used to meet students at their level of language development and proficiency
  • Upper I & Upper II (ages 10–12)

    • Students continue to develop their Spanish language skills through literacy and math
    • Content is integrated and taught in both English and Spanish
    • Teaching strategies are used to meet students at their level of language development and proficiency