Return to Headlines

Spanish DLIP Academy

About the Spanish Dual Language Immersion Program (SDLIP)

Maintaining a Spanish Speaking Environment 
 
 
The DLIP teachers can only speak ESPAÑOL in front of the students.  Please work with the teacher to help create  and maintain this environment for your child.  They can still speak to you in English when your child is not present.  If you need to communicate with your child’s teacher, emails, texts, and or phone calls before and after school are preferred and encouraged.

— Dual Language Immersion Model

Pasadena USD follows a 90/10 model. Spanish will be used 90% of the day; English 10% of the day. The 10% will be taught by a different teacher.

—Commitment to Program

You have made a wonderful choice for your children.  Our DLIP is a commitment from Kindergarten to 5th Grade. 

FAQs

Q: How does the program work?

A: By combining native English and native Spanish speakers, the DLIP classrooms allow students to excel in development of both languages. The program follows the California Association of Bilingual Education (CABE) Two-Way 90:10 Model, with Kindergarten taught 90% in Spanish, 10% in English. At each subsequent grade level, the amount of instruction in English is increased so that by fifth grade, students are taught 50% in each language.

Q: Does the program cost anything?

A: No. The program is free. It is supported by a federal grant and administered through the Pasadena Unified School District. Plans to extend learning through middle and high school are currently in development.

Q: How can students learn in Spanish if they don't speak or understand it?

A: Critical period theories of language development suggest that before puberty, the brain readily absorbs a second language. The “difficult” tones of spoken Spanish are easy to master for young learners! SDLIP teachers are trained to strategically convey instructional content using songs, visual aids, exaggerated gestures, and many hands-on activities.

Q: How do dual language immersion students perform on standardized tests?

A: The curriculum is aligned with California State Standards in all subjects. Immersion students achieve at or better than their mainstream peers on the English Language Arts California Standards Test (ELA CST)-which has been replaced with the SMARTER Balanced Assessment Consortium (SBAC) in California- and also demonstrate excellent proficiency in other subject areas. The Schools offering Spanish immersion programs consistently rank among the best-performing schools statewide, in math and English as well as in Spanish.