Our Dual Language program is a two-way immersion program in which students receive instruction in both English and Spanish. In our program, students spend 50% of the day learning in Spanish and the other half of the day learning in English. The goal is for students to maintain their own language while developing proficiency in a second language. In addition, the program stresses the importance of developing cross-cultural competence. The Dual Language classroom is composed of half native English Speakers and half native Spanish speakers. The program is unique in that it provides students with an opportunity to be fully immersed in both languages. The full immersion model allows students to progress academically in their native language while developing the skills to become bi-literate and bicultural.

Dual Language Immersion Program
AVID Elementary  

Program Goals
Students will develop high levels of academic proficiency in their first language.
Students will develop high levels of academic proficiency in a second language.
Students will become fully bilingual and bi-literate.
Students will demonstrate positive cross-cultural attitudes and behaviors.

Benefits of Dual Language
Students are immersed in an additive bilingual environment that supports the development of both languages. Research studies indicate that participation in a Dual Language program can have positive effects on all students. Some of the benefits of participation in Dual Language include. 

Students will demonstrate:

• Enhanced levels of meta-linguistic awareness (i.e., knowledge of how language works) which has proven to be important to reading acquisition.
• Improved performance versus monolingual students on tasks that call for divergent thinking, pattern recognition, and problem-solving.
• Additional knowledge and understanding of one’s native language.
Greater understanding, tolerance, appreciation, and respect for other languages and cultures.

Enrolling in Dual Language at Melaleuca Elementary
Students who live within Melaleuca’s attendance boundaries can request entry into the Dual Language Program during registration. Students, usually, enter in kindergarten and remain in the program through 5th grade. It is important that parents are committed to supporting their child’s growth as a bilingual learner throughout the full six years of the program.  

 

In addition to a comprehensive music program, we offer all students in grades K-5 the opportunity to learn the basics of instrumental music by learning to play the piano.  Piano instruction is integrated into our core music program to allow all students to gain an introduction to the piano, basic note reading, and other elementary music concepts.  Through a grant from Teamwork,USA a piano lab was created and is utilized to integrate the piano into traditional music instruction.  

 

For students in grades 3-5, we offer instrumental music instruction to students in 3rd through 5th grade.  Students can elect to participate in specialized instrumental instruction.  Through a grant funded by Teamwork USA, interested students are provided with instruments free of charge.  Typically, students enter the band program in 3rd grade and remain through 5th as they learn to master their instrument. However,  we do offer students the opportunity to enter the program in 4th and 5th grades as well. 

 

At Melaleuca we strive to help our students to become "Global Leaders."  Our global education in-house program is integrated into our core curriculum.  Our goal is to help our students become college and career-ready and to gain an appreciation of the world around them. All of our students benefit by learning to Pay Attention to what is happening in the world, to Feel Connected to the world and the people in it, and to Take Action to make the world a better place for everyone.  As students engage in global learning, integrated through project-based learning,  they develop and demonstrate 10 core competencies: