Students receive 50% of their instruction in the Spanish, and 50% of their instruction in English. Students receive literacy instruction in both languages. Some subjects are dedicated to specific languages and the student receives instruction in that subject in one language. Students
are expected to meet grade level expectations in all subject areas. Teachers are skilled at making sure students understand and learning content and skills as they acquire new language skills.

 No. Parents do not need to have proficiency in the Spanish language. School newsletters and
homework instructions are sent home in both languages. Classes are comprised of students who
are native English speakers and native Spanish speakers. Many of their parents only speak the
home language. Our teachers take great care to make sure that parents and students are well
informed.

At Melaleuca, the students in the Dual Language program typically score at or above grade level in tested subjects. Initially, students may lag behind in reading development of their second language. But, they quickly catch up and typically score higher than their non-dual language
peers on standardized tests.

Dual language programs are meant to be long term programs. It is expected that students will enter the program in kindergarten and remain through fifth grade. Dual language research indicates that it can take between 5-7years for students to acquire a new language. Students
who may start off below grade level often catch up and exceed the achievement of their non Dual Language peers when they remain in the program.

Parents can support students at home by making sure that they have the right environment and tools to get homework done (e.g., a quiet space and enough time, paper, dictionaries in languages, writing utensils, and other supplies). Parents can also ask questions about the homework in the language spoken at home, thus giving the students opportunities to explain the assignment in their first language. Teachers take great care to make sure even the youngest
students understand the expectations for homework. Don’t forget that you should always read with and to your child. Reading can be done in your native language and will definitely help the child make academic progress.