It’s grupos pequeños (small group) time in Ms. Mendia and Ms. Casillas’ classroom. Alayna and Dylan are taking turns on the Carrera de problemas con palabras (Word Problem Race) gameboard. Nayla is matching letter tiles to flashcard illustrations as she spells “B-U-G.” Ruth hears “Dos pelotas están en un contenedor” in her headphones as she reads “Two balls are in a bin” on the laptop screen.
It’s a typical day for the 23 first graders in the bustling class at John Ruhrah Elementary/Middle School in Greektown, East Baltimore. They are enrolled in the school’s innovative Dual Language Bilingual Education (DLBE) strand program, where students are learning the academic curriculum in both English and Spanish.
“Our goal is biliteracy,” says school Principal Mary Ancinec, “understanding the world as it is. And it’s the embodiment of City Schools’ Portrait of a Graduate with successful students, always looking ahead, and are confident, responsive global citizens.”
About 90% of students at the Title I school speak a language other than English at home.
“It is hard to find authentic high-quality Spanish curricular materials that are not just translated versions of English curricula and align with best dual language practice,” says Larisa Gryczko Avellaneda, the district ELD Educational Associate supporting dual language. So, John Ruhrah teachers are developing a biliteracy curriculum with grade-level content in both Spanish and English.
Three years ago, the two-way language immersion program was launched for pre-k students at John Ruhrah. The students who helped launch the program are currently in first grade. Each year, a new grade level is added to the program, and it will continue until it is fully implemented through fifth grade. For current pre-k and kindergarten students, 80% of their classes are taught in Spanish and 20% in English. In first grade, this allocation changes to 70% Spanish and 30% English.
For example, pre-K and kindergarten students receive instruction in Spanish in Spanish Language Arts, Math, and Social Studies, as well as English instruction in English Language Arts and Science. In first grade, their social studies class is in English, and when they reach second grade, Math is taught in English, and Science will be taught in Spanish. The 3 Pilares de Educación de Lenguaje Dual (3 Pillars of Dual Language Education) are prominently displayed in the hallway outside Ms. Mendia and Ms. Casillas’ classroom, each illustrated with imaginative student drawings: Bilingüismo y lectoescritura en ambos idiomas (Bilingualism and biliteracy, Logro académico (Academic Achievement), and Comprehensión sociocultural (Sociocultural Understanding).
Foundational literacy instruction for younger children focuses on phonics—understanding letters and their sounds, first vowels, then consonants, then syllables. These Spanish foundational skills are developed through numerous small-group instruction sessions and group activities.
The success of this innovative program is apparent. Research shows that students who stay in high-quality dual language programs for at least five years meet and exceed the academic achievement of students in traditional, English-only programming.
“The kids are moving faster than we had ever imagined,” says Principal Ancinec. “They’re saying ‘We know this!’ They know spelling and grammar rules.”
Notes Erin Lowry, John Ruhrah’s Educational Associate, “Our long-term goal is for students to take classes in both languages, in all content areas. What they know in one language, they know in both.”
“And parents say their kids are excited about learning,” adds Principal Ancinec. “They come home and explain what they’ve learned. They are becoming bicultural as well as bilingual and biliterate.”
As students broaden their knowledge, City Schools remains committed to encouraging responsible and global citizens who “contribute and act with empathy and integrity to improve the world by embracing diverse cultures and unique perspectives”—a key tenet of the Portrait of a Graduate initiative.