Nueva Visión Spanish Immersion

¡Bienvenidos! Welcome!

Located at Lowell Elementary, this is a Duluth Public Schools option for all interested families. 

The purpose of this program is to help students become proficient in Spanish (in addition to English) by teaching academic content through the language of Spanish.  Research indicates that the study of a second language results in cognitive benefits, gains in academic achievement, and positive attitudes toward diversity.

Students learn the same state & district standards as they would in an English speaking classroom throughout the district, except they learn entirely in Spanish, incorporating culture, language & content!

Program Overview

Goals

The goal of Spanish immersion is to provide high quality educational experiences, beginning in kindergarten that support academic and linguistic development in two languages. Learning in another language fosters students’ appreciation of their own and other cultures, while reaching a high level of academic achievement (Fortune, 2003). Other goals include:

Multilingualism & Multi-literacy

• Signifies a strong commitment and value of Spanish language and cultures

• Increases openness and acceptance of people who speak other languages

• Expands the student’s global perspective of the world

High Academic Achievement

It has been suggested that the very processes immersion language learners need to use to make sense of the teacher’s meaning make them pay closer attention and think harder, which has a positive effect on cognitive development (Fortune & Tedick 2003). Research has also shown that immersion students:

• Exhibit greater nonverbal problem solving abilities 
• More flexible thinking 
• Advanced levels of language literacy & proficiency
• Academic performance at or above the same level as peers in English-only classrooms

Multiculturalism

• Knowledge, understanding, and appreciation of other cultures

• Strengthen students’ identity