Students Believe that Two Languages are Better Than One

Some students believe that two languages are better than one, and are willing to get up early in order to receive the full benefit.

Morning traffic from her Temescal Valley home can cause Mariah League to be late for class at Roosevelt High School in Eastvale. So she gets up at 5:45 am to ensure that she leaves on time to arrive and not be late. She wants to excel in two languages. “It’s definitely worth it because it will help me in the long run,” said the 15 year old sophomore.

League is one of many Inland high school students who are developing dual fluency in English and Spanish through dual language immersion. Native English speakers are placed in a class with English language learners, and instructed in their classes in English and Spanish.

Dual language immersion is commonly offered in elementary schools, and later expanded to high schools. Finding it in a high school as a stand alone program is unusual. Challenges to high school dual language immersion programs include finding qualified teachers, difficult course work, and transportation and scheduling.

After experiencing success in lower and middle grades, some Inland school districts expanded it to high school in response to requests from parents and students.