Posts

Showing posts from August, 2015

The Language(s) Children and Teachers Use in Their Classroom

Image
Results from schools in Houston suggest that bilingual education is producing better learning outcomes. What works, however, requires a thoughtful consideration. The scheme that leads apparently not just to higher scores in language tests, but also in mathematics, is a specific bilingual program called "two-way" dual language. Instruction under this program has the option of either starting with either an 80:20 or a 50:50 model. In the 80:20 model, instruction is given in the mother tongue of the English language learners (ELL) eighty percent of the time and in English, during the remaining time. The amount of instruction in English increases progressively and reaches 50:50 in third grade, which continues until fifth grade, the end of the program. In the 50:50 model, half of the instruction is in English and the other half is in the mother tongue throughout all six years, from kindergarten to fifth grade. What makes this dual language program in Houston unique is its "tw

Mason Crest Elementary School

Image
Mason Crest Elementary School started in September of 2012. The school is among the 40 Title I elementary schools in Fairfax county. About half of the students enrolled are eligible for free or reduced lunch and about one in five is eligible for special education. Forty percent of the children in the school are English language learners. After all, it is attended by children from over forty countries. The student population is 43% Hispanic, 22% White, 22% Asian, and 8% Black. The school is young yet in the past three years, the school has served the community of Annandale so well. Test scores are well above average compared to other schools in Fairfax county, a school district that is already regarded as one of the best in the state of Virgina and in the United States. The following test results clearly demonstrate how well Mason Crest compares with other schools. Subject Accreditation Benchmark Percent Passing the 2012-2013 Test Administration Percent Passing the 2013-2014