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World Languages: Immersion Program

1st Grade Partial-Immersion Program: Registration is now closed. If you are interested in submitting a late application, please mail the application form directly to the selected immersion school.  Your application will be added to the end of the generated waiting list according to the date received. LATE REGISTRATION FORM   Two-Way Immersion Kindergarten Program: Registration is now closed. If you are interested in submitting a late application, please mail the application form to:  Fairfax County Public Schools - World Languages Fairfax Ridge Building, 3rd Floor #3244 3877 Fairfax Ridge Road Fairfax, VA  22030 Your application will be added to the end of the generated waiting list according to the date received. LATE REGISTRATION FORM - English Las solicitudes están cerradas. Si usted está interesado en presentar una solicitud tardía, por favor envíe el formulario por correo postal directamente a: Fairfax County Public Schools - World Languages Fairfax Ridge Building, 3rd Floor #3244 3877 Fairfax Ridge Road Fairfax, VA  22030 Su solicitud será agregada al final de la lista de espera ya establecida según la fecha admitida. LATE REGISTRATION FORM - Spanish   Important Information: Information for Parents Enrollment Procedures Parent Informational Meeting Bailey’s Elementary has a separate application process. See the Elementary Magnet Schools page for details. http://www.fcps.edu/is/magnetschools/index.shtml

Transportation will not be provided for students residing outside the immersion school's attendance area.

 

Partial-Immersion Grades 1-6

What is Partial-Immersion?

Partial immersion is a means of acquiring a world language through content matter instruction. Students spend half the day studying the regular grade-level curriculum in classes conducted in the world language. The other half of the day is conducted in English.

The FCPS program model is based on the highly successful immersion programs that were implemented in many school districts throughout Canada and the United States in the 1970s and 1980s. The uniqueness of an immersion program is that the world language is not taught as a subject. Instead, the world language becomes the language of instruction for part of the curriculum. Children then acquire the world language through interesting and meaningful activities in the language as they learn the concepts of the various subjects included in the elementary curriculum. Research studies show that learning a second language at an early age has a positive effect on intellectual growth and leaves students with more flexibility in thinking, greater sensitivity to language, and improved listening skills.

Partial Immersion Schools

Program Model

In Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), students learn mathematics, science, and health through the medium of a world language (French, German, Japanese or Spanish). Half the school day is spent learning in the world language. Students receive instruction in English for language arts and social studies during the other half of the day. Math, science, and health were chosen for the beginning years of development of the world language because they use manipulative and concrete, hand-on activities, both of which help with the natural second language acquisition process. The world language immersion teacher teams with the grade-level English teachers to integrate the total FCPS curriculum.

What Are the Goals of Partial-Immersion?

The overall goals of the program are to develop students' communicative and academic proficiency in the target language and in English and for students to succeed academically in all subject areas at levels comparable to those they would have reached if they had been schooled only in English. Another benefit of the program is that students develop multicultural awareness and a more global perspective. The program is aimed at enriching all the students in the school via special exhibits, outside speakers, and other cultural activities.

Letter to Parents/Guardians

Arabic | Chinese | English | Farsi | Korean | Spanish | Urdu | Vietnamese

About the Immersion Programs

Arabic | Chinese | English | Farsi | Korean | Spanish | Urdu | Vietnamese

Two-Way Immersion for Kindergarten Students

What is Two-Way Immersion?

The students who participate in this full-day kindergarten program come from one of two language backgrounds.  Half of the students in the class come from families whose native language is English, and the other half from families whose native language is Spanish.  The kindergarten program focuses on literacy skills in both English and Spanish. 

The children are taught half of the school day in English and the other half in Spanish.  The students who speak English learn literacy skills that are currently taught in English as well as literacy skills taught in Spanish.  Through this exposure, they acquire the Spanish language.  The students whose native language is Spanish acquire English literacy while learning literacy skills in Spanish as well, allowing them to strengthen their skills in both languages.  Both groups benefit and are able to connect the skills learned across both languages.  The instructional program follows the Fairfax County Public Schools Program of Studies for Kindergarten.  Students who are accepted into the program will continue with their language acquisition through the Elementary Partial-Immersion Program already in place at the school in grades 1-6.

Two-Way Immersion Kindergarten Schools

Program Model

The children are taught half of the school day in English and the other half in Spanish. The students who speak English learn literacy skills that are currently taught in English as well as literacy skills taught in Spanish. Through this exposure, they acquire the Spanish language. The students whose native language is Spanish acquire English literacy while learning literacy skills in Spanish as well, allowing them to strengthen their skills in both languages. Both groups benefit and are able to connect the skills learned across both languages. The instructional program follows the Fairfax County Program of Studies for kindergarten.

Goals of Two-Way Immersion Kindergarten?

The goals of the program are to develop literacy skills in both Spanish and English and to succeed academically in both languages. The students who participate in this full-day kindergarten program come from one of two language backgrounds. Half of the students in the class come from families whose native language is English, and the other half from families whose native language is Spanish.

Transition to First Grade Partial-Immersion

Students who are selected for the program will continue with their language acquisition through the Elementary Partial-Immersion Program already in place at the school in grades 1-6. Through the partial-immersion model, students continue to develop proficiency in Spanish by using it as a medium for learning. In the partial-immersion programs, approximately half of the school day is spent learning the content of the Fairfax County Public Schools' Program of Studies (i.e., math, science, and health) in the world language; the remainder of the instructional program is conducted in English.

Enrollment Procedures

• Informational Meetings
• Partial-Immersion Program
• Two-Way Immersion Kindergarten Program

Informational Meetings:

Parents are encouraged to attend one of the informational meetings before enrolling their child. The dates and times for these meetings are listed below. Meetings listed for K & 1st will cover information for both two-way immersion and partial-immersion programs.

Arabic | Chinese | English | Farsi | Korean | Spanish | Urdu | Vietnamese

Transportation will not be provided for students residing outside the immersion school's attendance area.

LANGUAGE	GRADES	LOCATION	DATE	TIME
French	1st grade	Herndon ES	Jan. 10, 2012	7:00 pm
French	1st grade	Kent Gardens	Jan. 10, 2012	5:30 pm
German	1st grade	Orange Hunt	Jan. 5, 2012	6:30 pm
Japanese	1st grade	Fox Mill	Jan. 19, 2012	7:00 pm
Japanese	1st grade	Great Falls	Jan. 23 , 2012	7:00 pm
Spanish	1st grade	Fort Hunt	Jan. 5, 2012	7:00 pm
Spanish	K & 1st grade*	Lake Anne	Jan. 12, 2012	7:00 pm
Spanish	1st grade	Laurel Ridge	Jan. 23, 2012	7:00 pm
Spanish	K & 1st grade*	London Towne	Jan. 11, 2012	7:00 pm
Spanish	1st grade	Ravensworth	Jan. 19, 2012	6:30 pm
Spanish	K & 1st grade*	Rose Hill	Jan. 11, 2012	7:00 pm

* There are seats available in the partial-immersion program for first graders.

Bailey’s Elementary has a separate application process.  Please visit Bailey’s website at:
www.fcps.edu/BaileysES or call: 703-575-6800

Criteria for Enrollment for the Partial-Immersion Program

There are no formal criteria for enrollment because experience and research indicate that all students, regardless of ability level or background, can succeed in immersion programs. This program is open only to residents of Fairfax County. Fairfax County students who live outside the immersion school's attendance area are eligible to enroll, but parents must provide transportation.

Partial-Immersion Enrollment Procedures

Fairfax County parents have the opportunity to register their rising Kindergarten or first grade student for the immersion program at one or more of the twelve sites. A separate computer generated lottery for each site determines the acceptance and wait list order of those who registered. After notification of the lottery results, parents must select one school thereby releasing the student's name from the other lists, if the student registered for more than one lottery. Since there is a separate lottery system for each site, there is no student transfer option to another immersion site after the student is enrolled in the initial immersion school the family selected.

Students who reside outside the attendance area are also eligible but parents must provide transportation. Parents will be notified by mail about selection or placement on a waiting list.

Registration for 2012-2013 will open January 3rd, 2012 at 8:30 AM.

Two-Way Immersion Enrollment Procedures

Criteria for Enrollment for the Two-Way Immersion Program

The Two-Way Immersion Kindergarten Program is only open to residents of Fairfax county. Because the focus of the program is on literacy skills in both English and Spanish, fifty percent of the class is comprised of students whose primary language is Spanish and the other fifty percent of the class is comprised of students whose primary language is English.

Two-Way Immersion Enrollment Procedures

Students who reside outside the attendance area are also eligible but parents must provide transportation. Parents will be notified by mail about selection or placement on a waiting list. After the registration date, late registration forms will be available on the website.

Registration for 2012-2013 will open January 3rd, 2012 at 8:30 AM.

Transition to Middle School

FCPS provides a middle school immersion transition program at feeder middle schools for students who successfully complete the FCPS elementary language immersion program.  Students living outside the attendance area of the feeder middle school are guaranteed placement.  A student may request placement in a middle school immersion program closest to his or her home, but placement will depend on space availability and principal approval.  Immersion students who live within the feeder middle school boundaries may not request placement in another middle school immersion program.

Middle School Immersion Schools

Course Descriptions:

Language Immersion 1: This 7th grade course serves as a transition from elementary partial-immersion to the sequential world language high school program.  Students expand their knowledge of the language to include communicating about themselves and their immediate environment. This communication is evidenced in all four language skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing, with an emphasis on the ability to communicate orally and in writing.  The content of this course is aligned with the Level 1 POS.  Credit becomes a part of the high school transcript, is included in the determination of the high school grade point average (GPA), and counts towards fulfilling the world language requirements of the high school Advanced Studies diploma.  It also counts towards the number of credits required for high school graduation.

Language Immersion 2: This 8th grade course is designed to meet the needs of the immersion students in regard to their second language development.  Students continue their development of language proficiency in all four skills: listening, speaking, reading, and writing.  They read material on familiar topics and produce short writing samples while studying the themes and topics of Home Life, Student Life, Leisure Time, and Vacation and Travel.  The content of this course is aligned with the Level 2 POS.  Credit becomes part of the high school transcript, is included in the determination of the high school grade point average (GPA), and counts towards fulfilling the world language requirements of the Advanced Studies diploma.  This course counts toward the number of credits required for graduation.

Benefits of Being Proficient in More Than One Language

(From the Center for Applied Linguistics)

Learning a second language at an early age...

• Has a positive effect on intellectual growth.
• Enriches and enhances a child's mental development.
• Leaves students with more flexibility in thinking, greater sensitivity to language, and a better ear for listening.
• Improves a child's understanding of his or her native language.
• Gives a child the ability to communicate with people he or she would otherwise not have had the chance to know.
• Opens the door to other cultures and helps the child understand and appreciate people from other countries.
• Gives the child a head start in language requirements for college.
• Increases job opportunities in many careers in which knowing another language is a real asset.