Two Way Immersion
The Two Way Immersion Program (TWI) is now in its tenth year at LeConte. TWI provides an opportunity for children to become fluent and proficient in two languages: Spanish and English. It brings native speakers of Spanish and English together to experience academic and social development in the same classroom. The students gain an understanding of another culture as they learn to speak the language and participate in related enrichment.
In Kindergarten and first grade, the majority of instruction is in Spanish with more English instruction added each year. When the immersion students enter fourth and fifth grade, 50% of the instruction will be in Spanish and 50% will be in English. Students’ proficiency is determined by their ability to speak, read and write in both languages in all curricular areas. Those students who remain in the program through 5th grade, may continue in the Two Way Immersion Program at Longfellow Middle School.
Two Way Immersion Task Force
Currently the district has set up a TWI Task Force to consider the consolidation of the TWI classsrooms currently operating in three Berkeley elementary schools (Cragmont, LeConte, and Rosa Parks) into one elementary school as well as the effects of such a change on the Thousand Oaks Bilingual Program and other services for English Language Learners. Our LeConte representatives on the TWI Task Force are:
Cheryl Wilson, principal
Gazel Valdez, Parent
Angela Gallegos-Castillo, Parent
Luis Argüeta, Teacher
Natalia Bernal, Teacher (Alternate)
For more information, minutes, and dates for the next meetings, please visit the following webpage:
http://www.berkeleyschools.net/superintendents-two-way-immersion-task-force/