Dual Language Program

  • Dual Language Education is an educational approach to promote biliteracy for native English speakers and ELLs from Spanish speaking homes. The goal is to prepare students for the future with abilities to listen, speak, read, and write both English and Spanish, as well as develop an appreciation for different cultures. The Dual Language Program provides children with the opportunity to learn two languages, while maintaining high academic standards.  The philosophy of West Chicago Elementary District 33's Dual Language program is to educate our students to become bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural in a global society.  Ultimately, we want our students to achieve academic excellence in two languages and attain a multicultural understanding and appreciation for the different cultures represented in our community.

One-Way Dual Language

  • One-Way Dual Language  supports “one language” of students to become bilingual, bicultural, and biliterate. For example, students whose home language is Spanish would learn in English and Spanish.

    One-Way Dual Language Enrollment

    The One-Way Dual Language Program is offered at all schools (Kindergarten-7th grade). The program will continue to expand through 8th grade at the middle school by the 2021-2022 school year. The student population of the one-way dual language classrooms are from families of Spanish-speaking, emergent bilinguals. Students whose primary language is Spanish and who did not select the dual language program at Gary school will have the opportunity to enroll in the One-Way Dual Language program at their neighborhood school. All instruction in Spanish and English is aligned with D33’s general educational philosophy and curriculum, intervention, differentiated instruction, as well as the Common Core Standards.

Two-Way Dual

  • Two-Way Dual supports “two language” groups of students to become bilingual, bicultural, and biliterate. For example, an equal number of Spanish-speaking and English-speaking students would learn in both languages.

    Two-Way Dual Language Enrollment

    The Two-Way Dual Language program is housed at Gary Elementary School (Kindergarten – 5th Grades). This is a magnet program with students attending from all over the district. The student population of the two-way dual language classrooms will be approximately 60% from families of Emergent Bilinguals whose home language is Spanish, and 40% from families of native English speakers. Spanish speaking ELLs will be given the opportunity to enroll in later grades if there is space. Students from families of native English speakers will be given the opportunity to enroll at the kindergarten level only, unless transferring from another school district’s dual language program. All instruction in Spanish and English is aligned with D33’s general educational philosophy and curriculum, intervention, differentiated instruction, as well as the Common Core Standards.

Dual 2020