An Immersion program is an academically rigorous program where students learn academic subjects like Math, Science, Social Studies, and Language Arts in a language other than English. In PGCPS, we offer Immersion programs in Chinese, French, and Spanish.
The goals of PGCPS Programs are that students will be bilingual, biliterate, and multicultural in order to achieve the Maryland State Seal of Biliteracy.
PGCPS Immersion students follow the exact same curriculum as other PGCPS students. When available, the exact same textbooks are purchased in the Immersion language. Textbooks that are not available in the language and other instructional resources are translated to the Immersion language for student use in the classroom.
Immersion programs students perform as well as, or better than, their peers on standardized tests. Immersion programs students demonstrate better problem solving skills and academic skills. Being bilingual can delay the onset of Alzheimer’s. More and more employers are seeking out bilingual employees.
Learning a language in an Immersion program is more like how you and your child learned your first language. It is a more natural approach where students become proficient in the second language by making meaning of information that they receive. Teachers use strategies like repetition, images, gestures, and tone to help students understand the new language. In Immersion Programs, our focus is on the academic subjects of Math, Science, Social Studies, and Language Arts through the use of a language other than English. This approach leads to higher levels of proficiency in the second language.
In World Language Classes, students are directly taught the language directly through instruction. They do not learn academic subjects in the language.
You can see a comparison of language proficiency levels of an Immersion vs Non-Immersion student.
Students in Immersion programs begin taking language proficiency assessments as early as second grade. Students in Immersion programs take International proficiency tests like DELF, DELE, CCCC, and TOCFL to earn international diplomas and recognition. Immersion Programs students have several opportunities to earn the Maryland State Seal of Biliteracy beginning in 8th grade.
Immersion Programs class sizes tend to be smaller than the average PGCPS class size. Students who begin studying Immersion in Kindergarten tend to have no or only a slight accent when speaking their second language.
Immersion Programs students participate in international travel as part of their instruction.
Immersion Programs students perform as well as or better than their peers on standardized tests in English. All Immersion Programs students begin taking English Language Arts for an hour a day by second grade. Literacy is a skill that transfers from one language to another. Even though they may not be learning literacy in English, they are still learning literacy skills that will transfer.
We do encourage parents to read to their children in English at home or provide resources to practice English reading to help support the transition to English literacy.
All PGCPS Immersion students take standardized tests in English. This includes the MCAP test. Most PGCPS internal assessments like Math milestones are taken in the language of instruction. For example, if Math is taught in French at your child’s school, they will take the Math milestones in French.
How long it will take for your child to become proficient depends on your child. Some learn a language faster than others. However, you can expect your child to speak and write in full sentences in the Immersion language by second grade. They will speak and write the language in paragraphs by middle school. They will speak and write the language in extended essays by high school.
Support your child by reading to and speaking with them in your first language. PGCPS provides tutoring services. PGCPS Immersion programs provides various online instructional resources to help with literacy and content at home. Communicate with your child’s teacher often to find out how you can help at home, what resources are available, and what your child is learning in school.
Entrance varies by school. Please see the table below for more information:
|
Entrance Process |
Schools |
|
Boundary- Students must live in boundary to participate in the Immersion Program. |
Capitol Heights ES (Spanish, K-5) Cool Spring ES (Spanish, K-5) Paint Branch ES (Chinese, K-5) |
|
Kindergarten Lottery-Students must apply for the lottery before they enter Kindergarten. |
Cesar Chavez (Spanish, K-5) Dora Kennedy (French, K-8) Maya Angelou (French, K-8) Overlook (Spanish, K-5) Phyllis E. Williams (Spanish-K-5) |
|
Continuity- Students who are currently Immersion Programs students choose to continue on to secondary programs. |
Greenbelt MS (Chinese, 6-8) Kettering MS (Spanish, 6-8) Largo HS (Chinese, French, Spanish, 9-12) |
|
Testing In- Students in grades 1-12 may apply to test into an Immersion Programs school. There must be space available and students must pass the Immersion placement test. |
Cesar Chavez (Spanish, K-5) Dora Kennedy (French, K-8) Maya Angelou (French, K-8) Overlook (Spanish, K-5) Phyllis E. Williams (Spanish-K-5) Kettering MS (Spanish, 6-8) Largo HS (Chinese, French, Spanish, 9-12) |
Please see the Immersion models of instruction.
PGCPS Immersion programs are one of the oldest public Immersion programs in the United States. The French Immersion program opened in 1985 and the Chinese and Spanish Immersion programs opened in 2014.
Many of our schools are internationally recognized as high quality bilingual education programs. Dora Kennedy and Maya Angelou are LabelFranceEducation schools recognized by the French government. Cesar Chavez is an International Spanish Academy recognized by the Spanish government.
Currently, there are only about 3,000 Spanish Immersion programs, 350 Chinese Immersion programs, and 200 French Immersion programs in the United States. PGCPS Immersion is twelve of those programs.
Of the twenty-two school systems in Maryland, only 4 offer any kind of Immersion program.
PGCPS Immersion teachers are highly trained in Immersion best practices and instructional strategies. They know how to make information understandable to students. Immersion is a natural approach to language learning. By the middle of Kindergarten, your child should be comfortable with instruction in the Immersion language and also begin to express what they are learning in the Immersion language.
After their elementary or K-8 experience is complete, PGCPS Immersion Programs students can choose continuity on to the next level of instruction. For Spanish Immersion students, they choose continuity to Kettering Middle School for grades 6-8. All Immersion students have the opportunity to choose continuity to Largo High School for grades 9-12.
Like any other PGCPS school, Immersion Programs staff are trained on instructional practices to support students with special needs. Additionally, each school has staff members to specifically support students with special needs.
PGCPS Immersion Programs teachers have access to training on Talented and Gifted (TAG) strategies. Like all other PGCPS schools, PGCPS Immersion schools offer TAG services to students identified as TAG. All PGCPS Immersion students follow the same process as other PGCPS students for TAG identification. Learning a language is a form of acceleration that meets the needs of TAG students.
Yes, your child will be able to participate in school clubs, sports, and activities like other PGCPS students.
Yes. All PGCPS Immersion students are assigned a bus unless they are within walking distance to their school.
Use PGCPS School Finder to look up your address. Scrolling down to the blue box will show what French and Spanish immersion schools your address is assigned to.
