Understanding Immersion Education
Spanish students visit two-way immersion school in Framingham.
On March 6, Spanish IV Honors students visited the Barbieri Elementary School in Framingham, MA. The school practices a distinctive form of dual language education known as two-way immersion and has been cited as one of the top two-way programs in the United States (by Elizabeth Howard and Julie Sugarman in their book Realizing the Vision of Two Way Immersion: Fostering Effective Programs and Classrooms). In the two-way immersion (TWI) classroom, balanced numbers of native English speakers and native speakers of a partner language - in the case of the Barbieri School, Spanish - are integrated for instruction so that both groups of students serve in the role of language model and language learner at different times.
After an introduction and presentation of the two-way program by Principal Susan McGilvray-Rivet, Montrose students observed instruction in a variety of classrooms. “The experience was very enriching for all of us,” said Spanish teacher Ms. Elizabeth Mahoney, “especially when we witnessed the ease with which the younger students spoke and understood the two languages – Spanish and English.”
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After an introduction and presentation of the two-way program by Principal Susan McGilvray-Rivet, Montrose students observed instruction in a variety of classrooms. “The experience was very enriching for all of us,” said Spanish teacher Ms. Elizabeth Mahoney, “especially when we witnessed the ease with which the younger students spoke and understood the two languages – Spanish and English.”
Following their visit to Barbieri Elementary, students enjoyed Mass at St. Stephen Parish with Fr. Paco and then a Mexican lunch at the Aztec Restaurant.
An independent school for girls in grades 6-12 guided by the teachings of the Catholic Church.
