Dual Immersion Program
Our dual immersion education integrates native English-speaking and native Spanish-speaking
students in the same classroom. Students develop oral and cognitive academic language in
English and Spanish while mastering grade-level knowledge and skills in all elementary content
areas.
The Little Genius World provides services for children 12 months to 5 years old; we work on a
bilingual curriculum using 50-50, 90-10, and 80-10 models.
The program is designed to naturally teach children a second language through subject content
instruction and everyday classroom conversation.
In our immersion program, English language learners learn in an enriching environment rather
than a remedial one. Students are recognized as equal experts in their heritage language, which
helps avoid language loss.
Our program aligns with this Model and typically serves classes made up of native English
speakers and native speakers of the target language, with the goal of making all students
bilingual, bi-literate, and bicultural. The equal division of instructional time between the
languages allows students’ first and second languages to progress.
FULL IMMERSION (90:10) MODEL
Full immersion models teach in the partner language 90 percent of the time in Infants and
toddler classrooms and 10 percent in English.
In the 90:10 dual language immersion (DLI) model, the target language is used in children of
one month to 24 months for 90% of the instructional time, and English is used for 10%.
FULL IMMERSION (80:20) MODEL
The 80:20 Model teaches in the partner language 80 percent of the time in Early preschool and
20 percent in English. Students spend more of their time learning a language that is new to
them.
In the 80:20 dual language model, the target language is used in children of 24 months to 48
months for 80% of the instructional time, and English is used for 20%
TWO-WAY IMMERSION (50:50) MODEL
In the 50:50 dual language immersion (DLI) model, the target language is used in children at
four ages to prepare them for kindergarten for 50% of the instructional time, and English is
used for 50%.
In the two-way immersion model, students spend 50 percent of their time studying in the
target language and the other 50 percent in English.
50/50 model, in which 50% of the instruction is delivered in English and the other 50% is
delivered in Spanish.
Multiple benefits exist for acquiring a second language during a student’s early childhood.
Learning a second language boosts problem-solving, critical-thinking, and listening skills, in
addition to improving memory, concentration, and the ability to multitask, increased cognitive
dexterity, embracing communication skills, enhanced cultural awareness and diversity,
strengthen self-perception and identity, nurture their curiosity, cultural sensitivity, empathy,
and tolerance.
Finally, dual language programs are vastly different from the methods by which a student
would typically acquire a new language. Students are not taking a class specifically to learn a
new language in small increments. Instead, they master that language while learning science,
math, social studies, and language arts at the same time. They also use the language to develop
relationships with peers and teachers.
In other words, students use language in relevant and real-world ways. For example, in a dual-
language classroom, students might engage in a hands-on science lesson in the target language.
In this way, learning becomes even more purposeful and relevant to students. They will
become more invested and motivated to simultaneously achieve their goals while learning a
new language.
