Determine Curriculum and Instruction
Goals
Based on the language allocation plan, identify core curriculum and instructional materials to be used in the partner language. Provide English Language Development (ELD) for English Learners, Partner Language Development (PLD) for partner language learners, and Academic Language Development (ALD) for non-English Learners in the dual language (DL) program
Overview
Curriculum that is available in the partner language should be investigated and any additional curriculum or instructional resources needed based on the DL language allocation plan should be identified and secured.
It is important to provide ELD each day for the English Learners in the DL program, especially those in a 90:10 DL program, where only a small portion of the day is spent in English in the primary grades. Providing a daily dedicated time for ELD for English Learners is also a federal and state requirement.
Students who are not identified as English Learners (e.g., native English-speaking students, bilingual students, heritage language students, etc.) in a 90:10 DL program also need time for academic language development in English each day.
Some DL programs also provide an opportunity each day for students who are not English Learners (e.g., native English-speaking students, bilingual students, heritage language students, etc.), which they may also refer to as partner language learners, students who are learning the
partner language as a second or subsequent language while also learning academic content in the partner language, to participate in a PLD program.
Curriculum Resources in the Partner Language
Curriculum and instructional materials that will need to be in the partner language will be identified in the language allocation plan and determined by the DL program model (90:10, 50:50, etc.) and the grade level.
All curriculum (e.g., language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, etc.) and instructional materials in the partner language that will be used in DL program classrooms should be aligned with the state content standards.
The exception may be language arts in the partner language, as many languages have aspects that differ from English language arts and therefore, it is recommended that English language arts standards not be the ones used in a DL program for language arts instruction in the partner language. Many states have Spanish language arts standards for DL programs where Spanish is the partner language. For states that have adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS), there is the “CCSS en Español” for Spanish language arts, available at https://commoncore-espanol.sdcoe.net/CCSS-en-Espanol/SLA-Literacy.
Survey all school sites that will have the DL program for the available curriculum and instructional materials in the partner language in the classrooms designated for the DL program and the library/instructional media center, including technology programs. Ask that they provide data in response to each of the following questions.
1. What curriculum and instructional materials are available in the partner language and English at each grade level (based on the language allocation plan)?
a. Partner language arts
b. Mathematics
c. Science
d. Social studies
e. Other content areas as per the language allocation plan for each grade level
2. What classroom library materials are available in the partner language and English?
a. Supplemental/research materials corresponding to the content being taught in the partner language at each grade level
b. Authentic literature for voluntary/pleasure reading by grade level
c. Computer programs/applications and the technology needed to access them (if computers or digital devices are in use in the classrooms)
3. What school library/instructional media center materials are available in the partner language?
a. Supplemental/research materials corresponding to the content being taught in the partner language at each grade level
b. Authentic literature for voluntary/pleasure reading by grade level
c. Computer programs/applications and the technology needed to access them
Share the survey results with the DL Leadership Team. Identify the curriculum and instructional materials that will need to be secured/purchased prior to the start of the DL program and encumber the district funds to cover the cost. Because the DL program is a core program, the funds used to purchase instructional materials in English can be used to purchase instructional materials in the partner language, as well.
English Language Development Program
ELD is a core content area that is based on the state’s adopted ELD standards and designed specifically for English Learners, students learning English as a second or subsequent language while also learning content in English. It is a time where English Learners are provided focused instruction on listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English apart from their peers who are native speakers of English. It is different from English language arts instruction, which is based on English language arts standards and typically focuses on reading and writing.
An annual assessment of English Learners’ proficiency in English is required by state and federal authorities, so providing ELD for the English Learners in your DL program is especially important regardless of the percentage of the instructional day that is presented in English.
Partner Language Development Program
PLD is a program to develop higher levels of proficiency in the partner language for students who are not English Learners (e.g., native English-speaking students, bilingual students, heritage language students, etc.), which they may also refer to as partner language learners, who are learning the partner language as a second or subsequent language while also learning academic content in the partner language. Even though these students are participating in partner language arts instruction during the portion of the instructional day taught in the partner language, they are given additional language development instruction apart from their peers who are native speakers of the partner language. Some DL programs have the DL teacher provide PLD instruction for partner language learners during the time that English Learners are receiving ELD instruction from the partner teacher.
Academic Language Development Program
ALD is a program to develop academic language in English for those who are not English Learners (e.g., native English-speaking students, bilingual students, heritage language students, etc.). It is an important component to consider including in your DL program. Some DL programs provide ALD instruction for their students who are not English Learners during the time that English Learners are receiving ELD.
Delivering the English Portion of the DL Program
There are two ways to deliver the English portion of the DL program: partner teacher or self-contained delivery, both of which are described below.
Partner Teacher Delivery
In this delivery type, a partner teacher at the same grade level is the English-speaking model for the DL class and collaborates with the DL teacher to provide the instruction in English each day as per the DL program language allocation plan. For instance, the partner teacher would provide ELD instruction for the English Learners and ALD for the students who are not English Learners from the DL class, along with any other content areas to be taught in English at that grade level.
While the partner teacher is providing ELD or ALD instruction for the DL students, the partner teacher’s students are sent to the DL teacher’s classroom and receive instruction in content areas in English.
Thus, the students in the DL program may benefit from the assumption that their DL teacher does not speak English and that the partner teacher does not speak the partner language, increasing the students’ productive struggle to acquire the language, whether it be English Learners when in English instruction or partner language learners when in partner language instruction.
It is recommended that the partner teacher in grades kindergarten through second grade be bilingual in the partner language to assist in understanding the English Learners as their proficiency in English emerges.
Self-Contained Delivery
In this delivery type, the DL teacher provides instruction in English as well as the partner language each day as per the DL program language allocation plan.
To facilitate this type of delivery, the DL teacher may have a signal to alert the students that the language of instruction is changing. Some teachers may use icons on the board, stand in a different location in the room, or wear a scarf or hat to alert the students that they are now teaching in the other program language.
It is important that self-contained teachers also align their instruction in each language with the DL program language allocation plan.