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Children who complete the Adams Spanish Immersion program will:

Ø       Effectively speak, read and write both in Spanish and English.

Ø       Master subject area content for each grade level aligned with the Saint Paul district curriculum and state/district standards.

Ø       Develop all English reading and language competencies.

Ø       Understand and appreciate diverse cultural groups as well as recognize contributions made to the United States by other world communities.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROCESS

KINDERGARTEN Six sections of all day Kindergarten.

From the first day, kindergarten students will receive all of their instruction and classroom communications in Spanish.  Although children are permitted to use English, the teacher uses Spanish in virtually all situations.  The goal is to immerse students in the second language environment and to develop the kindergarten concepts needed to continue on to first grade.

At the kindergarten level, the curriculum stresses kindergarten readiness skills:  alphabet, numbers, shapes, colors, categorizing, and animals.  Visual aids and a great deal of gesture and body language are used to ensure student understanding.  As students develop basic classroom vocabulary and sentence patterns, they are encouraged to use these expressions in Spanish.  At the end of the year, kindergarten students will have developed listening comprehension and vocabulary in Spanish.

GRADE ONE

In first grade, children will receive all of their instruction and classroom communication in Spanish.  Subject areas include language arts, mathematics, science, social studies and health.  Children are permitted to use English; however, the teacher will use Spanish in virtually all situations.  This technique creates a strong Spanish environment where students will develop Spanish language skills.  Children learn to read first in Spanish, developing many decoding and comprehension skills that will later transfer to English reading in second grade.

We strongly encourage first grade students to read independently in Spanish as much as they can to develop their Spanish vocabulary.  Also, parents are advised to encourage any natural interest in reading expressed by their child, but they should not try to formally teach English reading at home.  When children do begin to read in English in second grade, they will “catch up” in English reading within one or two years.

GRADE TWO

Starting in second grade, English reading and language arts are introduced for approximately 50 minutes per day in English.  All other classroom instruction including reading and language arts in Spanish continue to be taught in Spanish.  When students enter second grade, they will begin to be expected to use only Spanish.

GRADES THREE - SIX

Beginning at the third grade level, students are given from 50 – 75 minutes a day of English reading and language arts.  By sixth grade this increases to 90 minutes a day.  All other subjects in sixth grade are taught in Spanish including:  Ancient History & Contemporary Issues, Physical Science, Spanish Language Arts, and pre-Algebra & Geometry.  

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

Children in grades one - six receive 50 minutes of physical education.  Kindergarten students receive 25 minutes.  A full time bilingual specialist teaches physical education classes.

ART

Adams has a full time visual arts specialist.  The program focuses on Latino art but includes art and artists from all over the world and helps children develop their creative interests.  

MUSIC

Children in kindergarten through sixth grade work with a bilingual music specialist and increase their oral language fluency as well as their knowledge of music and related skills.  Children in the music program learn to read and compose music using keyboards, and have the opportunity to learn to play the recorder, guitar and electronic keyboard.