Bilingüismo
BILINGUAL PROGRAMMS IN SPAIN
DUAL LANGUAGE OR TWO-WAY IMMERSION
Dual Language is a bilingual educational method which aims to develop language proficiency and literacy in English and another language.
Two-Way Immersion is another type of dual language education which integrates native English speakers and native speakers of another language. Contents are taught in both languages. This program starts in elementary schools.
Through Dual Language Education and Two-Way Immersion programs, bilingualism and billiteracy are promoted, as well as content learning. In addition, the acquisition of cross-cultural competence should be highlighted.
BILINGUAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL - COMUNIDAD DE MADRID
This educational program gives an intercultural, skills evaluation approach in which all subjects are taught in English, with the exception of Spanish Language and Literature and Mathematics. Since the latter is considered the most difficult one, it is preferred to learn it using the mother tongue. However, Spanish Language and Literature is weighed as an essential subject, since it develops the indispensable and required competencies of the student’s mother tongue. It is required a minimum of 7.5 hours imparted in the English language, including those belonging to the first foreign language: English. In addition, another important requirement is the teacher’s demand of acquiring a C1 level in English.
BILINGUAL HIGH SCHOOL - COMUNIDAD DE MADRID
In Secondary Bilingual Education in Spain, students are divided according to their level of English. When they finish Primary School, they are supposed to have acquired a B2 level in English language. Depending on that, they are divided into ‘Programa Bilingüe’ or ‘Sección Bilingüe’.
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Programa Bilingüe: This educational program is directed to those students who have not acquired the required level of English. They receive lessons of English as a Foreign Language five days per week. However, the English lessons that are taught in this type of program are of a higher level of English than those taught in ordinary Spanish monolingual education.
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Sección Bilingüe: This educational program is thought for those students who have acquired the B2 level of English. They receive most of their subject lessons in English language, except for Mathematics, and Spanish Language and Literature.
References:
Centre For Applied Linguistics. (n. d.). Bilingual and Dual Language Education. http://www.cal.org/areas-of-impact/english-learners/bilingual-and-dual-language-education7
Consejería de Educación, Juventud y Deporte. (n.d.). Instrucciones de la dirección general de innovación, becas y ayudas a la educación sobre la organización de las enseñanzas en colegios públicos e institutos bilingües español-inglés de la Comunidad de Madrid para el curso escolar 2016-2017. http://gestiondgmejora.educa.madrid.org/_documentos/INSTRUCCIONES_2016_2017.pdf