Casper dual language program could benefit Spanish speaking students
The second-graders meandering the halls of Park Elementary School on Tuesday were as likely to hear “Adelante, chicos,” as “Move along, children.”The downtown Casper school, like Paradise Valley Elementary School across town, has a dual language immersion program. While many schools in Natrona County offer programs to support students learning English as a second language, Park and Paradise Valley have turned that model around, teaching English speakers Spanish and Mandarin, respectively.
Park Elementary students in kindergarten through second grade learn science and math from native Spanish speakers, while spending the second half of their day with English teachers. The program is two years old.
The dual immersion learning model has been growing steadily in the U.S. for years, benefiting both Spanish-speaking children and their English-speaking classmates, Principal Dawn DeWald said.
Now, Wyoming is steadily catching on. There has been a Spanish dual immersion program in Jackson for seven years. A new elementary school opening in Gillette this fall will offer a similar program, and Albany County school officials are considering a proposal for a dual language immersion program.
But there is one difference between Casper’s current Spanish immersion program and Jackson’s more established one. In Jackson, half of the children are native Spanish speakers, and half are native English speakers. Park is serving mostly native English students.
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