Spanish Dual Language

In a two-way Spanish immersion model, classrooms are a mix of English-speaking students and heritage Spanish-speaking students, allowing students to learn both languages together in the classroom. Studies have shown that dual immersion is mutually beneficial for heritage English speakers and heritage Spanish speakers.

Both groups experience faster acquisition of the other language, support one another's learning of English and Spanish, and students demonstrate higher academic achievement by Grade 5. Studies suggest that concepts learned in two languages are learned more deeply and better retained. The program is also open to students who speak heritage languages other than English or Spanish.

Spanish Dual Language Core Principles
The program is guided by three fundamental principles that align with Edina Public Schools' mission and vision:

a.    Culture: Developing positive cross-cultural attitudes and global understanding
b.    Language: Building bilingual and bi-literate proficiency in Spanish and English
c.    Academics: Fostering academic proficiency in both languages while encouraging creativity, curiosity, and critical thinking

Spanish Dual Language at Countryside Elementary

• We offer two Spanish Dual Language classrooms per grade level in Kindergarten through grade 5.
• Students become bilingual and bi-literate while mastering both Spanish and English.
• We use research-based best practices to teach languages at a high level while delivering academic content.
• Spanish is spoken 80% of the instructional day in kindergarten and first-grade classrooms, with English gradually increasing through grade 5. This allows students to develop strong bilingual abilities while mastering academic content in both languages.
• Our highly qualified and fully bilingual staff have diverse cultural and language backgrounds.