Buenas Noticias from Middletown
By Michael Kaufman
Amid the misplaced anger and hatred directed at Spanish-speaking immigrants in some parts of the country, comes some refreshing news from Middletown. Starting in September, elementary schools in the city will begin offering a dual-language program to up to 88 lucky kindergarten students. The program, funded through a four-year federal grant, will bring together in one classroom an equal mix of English-speaking and Spanish-speaking children.
Lessons will be taught in English one day and Spanish the next. Although this may seem like a tall order for small children unfamiliar with the other language, the program has proved to be an educational success in other districts, including Engelewood, NJ, where two of my daughters took part when they were little.
According to Kristin Kerr, director of bilingual and English as a second language (ESL) programs for the Middletown schools, learning to think and express themselves in two languages helps students develop higher-level thinking skills. “If you are bilingual,” says Kerr, “you have the ability to flex your thinking for problem solving.” Sadly, this is now something of a novel approach to education thanks to “No Child Left Behind” and it’s over emphasis on teaching students how to pass standardized tests rather than to think independently.
Middletown and Newburgh are the only two districts in Orange County that offer the program, which is now in its second year at the West Street School in Newburgh. Lillian Torres, principal of the West Street School, says the first-grade students there are now able to speak, read and write in both languages. “We’ve really got to look at it as ‘gifted and talented,’” she says.
“This is a benefit for any kid and all kids,” adds Kerr. Being bilingual or multilingual will give them an advantage when they enter the workforce as adults. Bilingual programs, as opposed to traditional ESL programs that target only Spanish-speaking students, result in superior academic performance in both languages, explains Jane Briggs, of the NY State Education Department. As a parent of two English-speaking children who benefited from the program in Englewood, I can vouch for the accuracy of this statement and also mention a few other advantages.
For one thing, the children will instinctively help one another learn the language that is new to them. They will forge lasting friendships with children from other ethnic and cultural backgrounds. (Whenever our daughters are anywhere near Englewood they visit their favorite Colombian bakery to pick up a few empanadas and bunuelos.) Equally important, they have both continued to excel in Spanish (and other languages) in high school and college.
In Englewood the program started in pre-kindergarten, where there were two teachers. An African-American Muslim woman taught the classes conducted in English. A Spanish-speaking white Jewish woman taught the Spanish-language classes. Their close relationship with one another, and the loving attention they gave to all the students, inspired both children and parents alike. Indeed, we still keep in touch.
When school budget cuts led to a shortage of computers in the Englewood elementary schools, no shortage occurred in the dual-language classes because they were funded separately. This could prove to be another advantage for Middletown parents considering the program for their children.
The program will be offered at both the Chorley Elementary and Truman Moon Primary Schools. Parents have recently been notified that they must submit their children’s names to be eligible for inclusion. If you live in the Middletown school district and have a child who will be entering kindergarten at one of those schools this year, I suggest you submit their names as quickly as possible.
Michael can be reached at michael@zestoforange.com.
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