Dual Language

As the mother of two children enrolled in a dual-language program and as an expert in bilingualism and bilingual education, I can assure you that English as a second language, or ESL, programs, in their goals, structure and implementation, are a far cry from immersion/dual-language programs (Dual immersion sounds a lot like ESL,” Jan. 27). First, the expectations of each program are different. In ESL programs, no support or value is given to the child’s primary language, and the goal is that the child learns English as quickly as possible (often at the expense of the primary language)

Franklin Elementary students welcomed two foreign diplomats to visit their dual-immersion German classes over the course of two consecutive days this week. On Friday, Deputy Consul General Stefan Biedermann of the German consulate in Los Angeles visited Franklin and said the school's dual-language program was one of the best in Southern California - next to Goethe International Charter School and Esperanza High School in Anaheim. It was Biedermann's first visit to Franklin after having been stationed in Los Angeles five months ago. “I would say it's not only the teachers, but I understand the parents are very, very active here,” he said.

French Consul Axel Cruau visited Benjamin Franklin Magnet Elementary on Thursday to observe the first contingent of students enrolled in the school's French dual-language immersion program. The kindergartners in the program spend most of the day speaking and learning in French. Out of 146 applications that the district received, just 24 students hold spots in the program this year and roughly a third of the group come from French speaking homes. The French program is among the most popular dual-language immersion programs at Franklin, where students can also enroll in German, Spanish and Italian.

Students studying Italian at Franklin Elementary were paid a visit Wednesday by Paola Ebranati, the education director for the Italian consulate in San Francisco. The Milan-born Ebranati, who was raised near the Alps in northern Italy, toured the kindergarten through third-grade dual-language immersion classes at Franklin, where students spend their days meeting Italian and Californian standards. In the kindergarten class, Italian words beginning with “P” were the topic of study.

Students in the Korean Dual Language Program at Mark Keppel Elementary School welcomed the start of the Lunar New Year in Korean fashion on Thursday, with food, games and expressions of respect for their elders. Thursday was the first day of the Year of the Rat according to the lunar calendar, which is celebrated in many east Asian countries, including China and Korea. In Korea, children frequently celebrate the start of the new year by dressing up in traditional clothes and visiting extended family members.

Plans to phase out German dual-language classes at Franklin Elementary School has caused an uproar, with some parents accusing district officials of misrepresenting their long-term commitment to the program and others vowing to do whatever it takes to save it. “What we are upset about is the fact that we really got blindsided by this,” said Eva Sippel, the mother of a German-language kindergarten student. “Nobody talked to us previously. If you call every single German parent they will all say the same thing - utter and complete shock.” Parent Kathleen Hand said that she and others will call on Glendale Unified officials to continue the program during a meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. today at Franklin Elementary.

Glendale Unified School District Board of Education President Mary Boger and her board colleague, Joylene Wagner, unveiled the California Assn. for Bilingual Education award Thursday. Glendale Unified was chosen as bilingual school district of the year in large part for its successful dual-language programs. The ceremony at Jefferson Elementary School coincided with the school’s monthly flag ceremony in which students are recognized as students of the month and for good behavior.

Italian students at Franklin Elementary School put their language skills on display Thursday for a high-profile visitor. Giuseppe Perrone, consul general of Italy in Los Angeles, made a stop at the multilingual campus where he observed classes and conferred with staff members. The site is in many ways the hub of Glendale Unified's burgeoning dual language FLAG programs, known formally as the Foreign Language Academies of Glendale. Franklin is already home to Italian, Spanish and German programs, and will add French starting in the fall.

GLENDALE — Scores of parents are recruiting more families to support adding Japanese to the Glendale Unified School District’s popular slate of elementary school dual-language programs. Organizers said they want to replicate the success of other dual-language programs offered in Italian, German, Armenian, Spanish and Korean. The Foreign Language Academy of Glendale, or FLAG, has been widely lauded for boosting campus enrollment and academic achievement. In September, the Glendale Unified School District Board of Education accepted two grants totaling $2.4 million for expanding the Spanish and Korean programs.

Kayoko Fujii's classroom was buzzing with activity last week. In one corner students were using large calligraphy brushes to paint kangi characters, while in another they were calling out answers to a numbers game in Japanese. The first-grade teacher moved to the front of the room where a small Japanese flag was clipped to the white board. She turned it over to reveal an American flag, and within a few seconds the chatter shifted to English. Five months after launching the dual language Japanese language program at Verdugo Woodlands Elementary School, teachers said they are pleased with its direction and students' progress.

French Consul Axel Cruau visited Benjamin Franklin Magnet Elementary on Thursday to observe the first contingent of students enrolled in the school's French dual-language immersion program. The kindergartners in the program spend most of the day speaking and learning in French. Out of 146 applications that the district received, just 24 students hold spots in the program this year and roughly a third of the group come from French speaking homes. The French program is among the most popular dual-language immersion programs at Franklin, where students can also enroll in German, Spanish and Italian.

Franklin Elementary students welcomed two foreign diplomats to visit their dual-immersion German classes over the course of two consecutive days this week. On Friday, Deputy Consul General Stefan Biedermann of the German consulate in Los Angeles visited Franklin and said the school's dual-language program was one of the best in Southern California - next to Goethe International Charter School and Esperanza High School in Anaheim. It was Biedermann's first visit to Franklin after having been stationed in Los Angeles five months ago. “I would say it's not only the teachers, but I understand the parents are very, very active here,” he said.

Students studying Italian at Franklin Elementary were paid a visit Wednesday by Paola Ebranati, the education director for the Italian consulate in San Francisco. The Milan-born Ebranati, who was raised near the Alps in northern Italy, toured the kindergarten through third-grade dual-language immersion classes at Franklin, where students spend their days meeting Italian and Californian standards. In the kindergarten class, Italian words beginning with “P” were the topic of study.

Italian students at Franklin Elementary School put their language skills on display Thursday for a high-profile visitor. Giuseppe Perrone, consul general of Italy in Los Angeles, made a stop at the multilingual campus where he observed classes and conferred with staff members. The site is in many ways the hub of Glendale Unified's burgeoning dual language FLAG programs, known formally as the Foreign Language Academies of Glendale. Franklin is already home to Italian, Spanish and German programs, and will add French starting in the fall.

Plans to phase out German dual-language classes at Franklin Elementary School has caused an uproar, with some parents accusing district officials of misrepresenting their long-term commitment to the program and others vowing to do whatever it takes to save it. “What we are upset about is the fact that we really got blindsided by this,” said Eva Sippel, the mother of a German-language kindergarten student. “Nobody talked to us previously. If you call every single German parent they will all say the same thing - utter and complete shock.” Parent Kathleen Hand said that she and others will call on Glendale Unified officials to continue the program during a meeting scheduled for 5 p.m. today at Franklin Elementary.

Roosevelt Middle School buzzed with nervous energy Monday as students congregated in twos and threes to discuss class schedules and back-to-school shopping. “I did mine a month before school started so I would have everything ready,” 12-year-old Liana Mkrtchyan said as she waited for the first bell to ring. The scene played out at schools throughout Glendale Unified as teachers opened their classrooms for the start of the 2011-12 academic year. Preliminary projections pegged total enrollment at 25,408 students, although that number will fluctuate in the coming weeks, district officials said.

It started out as an experiment with less than 20 students. Nine years later, Glendale Unified's dual language programs have caught major traction, growing exponentially and generating waiting lists dozens of names deep. But while the Foreign Language Academies of Glendale - commonly referred to as the FLAG programs - are helping the district stabilize declining enrollment numbers by attracting out-of-district students, they also are generating new concerns about space and staffing.

The Kiwanis Club of Glendale Grill Team brought out the barbecues, food and tables to prepare and serve the area Boy Scout troop members who were walking in the third annual Ten Commandments Hike. The Scouts hiked about 3 miles through Glendale and visited 10 churches in the city on the hike. The Grill Team fed 129 Scouts and friends who participated. At the Kiwanis meeting on Feb. 4 the “Grill Team” members, Marko Swan, Ed Gredvig, Kelly Gredvig, Ed’s daughter; Pat Liddell and Jose Sierra, were all recognized for their tireless efforts in preparing and serving the food to the hikers.

As the mother of two children enrolled in a dual-language program and as an expert in bilingualism and bilingual education, I can assure you that English as a second language, or ESL, programs, in their goals, structure and implementation, are a far cry from immersion/dual-language programs (Dual immersion sounds a lot like ESL,” Jan. 27). First, the expectations of each program are different. In ESL programs, no support or value is given to the child’s primary language, and the goal is that the child learns English as quickly as possible (often at the expense of the primary language)

Kayoko Fujii's classroom was buzzing with activity last week. In one corner students were using large calligraphy brushes to paint kangi characters, while in another they were calling out answers to a numbers game in Japanese. The first-grade teacher moved to the front of the room where a small Japanese flag was clipped to the white board. She turned it over to reveal an American flag, and within a few seconds the chatter shifted to English. Five months after launching the dual language Japanese language program at Verdugo Woodlands Elementary School, teachers said they are pleased with its direction and students' progress.