Mandarin Immersion Parents Council

You have to read all the way to the bottom of the story (which is after clicking on the ‘read more here’ line) but they say they’re considering adding a Mandarin program.

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Madison’s Dual Language Immersion Program Deemed A Success

District Considers Expanding Program

Posted: 6:45 am CST December 15, 2011

Updated: 6:50 am CST December 15, 2011

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MADISON, Wis. — As the Hispanic population grows, a Madison school’s approach to teaching the language is garnering support and interest.

Two worlds come together inside Christina Amberson’s kindergarten class at Nuestro Mundo.

By the time Nuestro Mundo’s kindergartners are in their 40s, the Latino population in the United States will have tripled, expanding to 132 million in 2050, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

As this minority becomes majority, the school district is taking note and expanding the school’s program.

In its eighth year, Madison’s free public charter school continues its mission to be both diverse and inclusive.

“The idea was to be able to offer bilingual education but in an environment where Spanish-speaking kids didn’t have to be alone or separate from the rest of the school,” said Principal Silvia Romero-Johnson.

Almost 300 students attend the Dual Language Immersion or DLI elementary school on Madison’s east side.

The DLI program follows the 90/10 model: Kindergartners receive 90% instruction in Spanish, 10% in English. The percentage of English increases every year.

And by the time students get to Rigoberto Gallego’s 5th grade English class, they are learning both languages equally.

Read more here.