ColaDaily.com – Rachel Ham
“People who pick up a storybook or math worksheet in some classrooms in Lexington School District One might do a double take. Fiction books, educational posters and even student drawings are filled with words like “rojo,” “auto-collants” and “mammifères” instead of the expected “red,” “stickers” and “mammals.” Lexington One’s Partial Immersion World Language program allows students to begin becoming bilingual by surrounding them with a new language…Teachers who see students talk excitedly in their newfound language said the benefits of becoming bilingual show up on standardized tests and in how students solve problems. “It improves creativity … and comprehension … and teaches them how to take risks as learners,” said Spanish immersion teacher Charli Kinard…Kinard said she thinks the Partial Immersion program falls right in line with the district’s mission to prepare students for their futures. “Students are open to and appreciative of diversity … and can be contributing members of society,” she said.”(more)