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of DLI, they become an invalu- Foreign Language Center’ at the • Resources: You will need
able resource to anticipate and University of Maryland. STAR- instructional materials in the
overcome challenges and to more TALK grants fund summer world target language. Suggested
fully ensure the integration of the language learning programs as Spanish resource: https://
program with other district initia- well as professional development estrellita.com/ Suggested
tives, projects, and instruction. programs for world language Mandarin resource: http://
○ http://newjersey.gov/ teachers. This can be a powerful mandarinmatrix.org/
education/bilingual/policy/ tool for teacher training if you are Conclusion
DualLanguageGuidance.pdf beginning a program in a critical
○ https://sites.google.com/ language. STARTALK grants sup- As our international consultant said,
wwprsd.org/dual-language- port programs for students and “They don’t seem to know it is in Chi-
immersion/home teachers of eleven critical need nese; they just think this is how you do
○ http://www.utahdli.org/ languages. (https://startalk.umd. Kindergarten!” However, the benefits
edu/public/)
• Personnel and Professional • Cost: The cost of an immersion extend far beyond school. In fact, the
students are successfully transfer-
Development: The teachers are program is minimal compared ring their learning into the world at
what make or break the program to the benefits. https://www. large; two quick anecdotes: A parent
and, thus, you need to identify and newamerica.org/education-policy/ who does not speak Chinese shared
train faculty members who are edcentral/new-study-examines- recently that her child surprised her
outstanding world language AND costs-dual-language-immersion- by striking up a Chinese conversation
elementary teachers. It is worth programs/ with another child. Another surprised
the cost of some knowledgeable his parent by ordering water in Span-
trainers with DLI experience to help • Additional personnel: You will not ish in a restaurant. Dual language
establish a successful program. likely need to increase the total immersion programs have profound
https://asiasociety.org/education/ number of your kindergarten staff academic benefits, but most important-
professional-development because DLI does not increase ly, they have the potential to connect
• Federal Grants: STARTALK is the overall number of students, but people in unexpected ways. Multilin-
Instructional Assistants, when well
a federal grant program funded trained and fluent in the language, gualism opens up new worlds of op-
by the National Security Agency are vital in the early grades. portunity and connectedness.
and administered by the ‘National

References
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Bamford, K. W. and Mizokawa, D. T. (1991). Additive-Bilingual (Immersion) Education: Cognitive and Language Develop-
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Educational Viewpoints -65- Spring 2019