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Gov. Markell touts state's language immersion program in weekly message

Gov. Jack Markell emphasized the value of the state’s language immersion program in his weekly address.

The program started four years ago with in a handful of schools.  Now, the first set of participating students is heading into fourth grade – and Markell says the program will continue to expand.“Next year we’ll grow from 2,100 to nearly 3,000 students. We’ll reach three new kindergartens, meaning nearly ten percent of Delaware kindergarten students will participate," said Markell. "And, we will ensure that students’ language proficiency doesn’t drop off when they reach middle school by allowing them to take courses in subjects like social studies and science in their immersion language.”

Markell says foreign language skills are increasingly necessary in an interconnected world where economic and job opportunities often rely on communicating with people whose first language isn’t English.

That’s why Markell says his goal – through this program - is to make Delaware the most bilingual state in the nation.

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Full text of Gov. Markell's weekly address:

All of our young people deserve access to the best possible education and training for their futures. That means supporting them in reading, writing, math, and science, and helping them acquire key skills for jobs in growing industries. But, we must not overlook the value of language learning.

 

In today’s interconnected world, our economy and individuals’ job opportunities increasingly rely on the ability to communicate with people whose first language isn’t English. It’s why, four years ago, we started our world language expansion program with a few hundred kindergartners learning half of their subjects in Mandarin Chinese or Spanish. That continues through elementary school and we aim for them to be proficient in their second language by fourth grade, ready begin advanced courses and/or start a third language. Next year, our first immersion students will enter fourth grade, and their progress has been amazing. They are children like Abigail LaMotte from the Caesar Rodney School District. Recently, when the LaMotte’s traveled to China to adopt a child, Abigail went along to meet her new sibling. She impressed everyone as a translator, helping with basic travel needs and the adoption process itself.

 

To give more children the same opportunities as Abigail and her peers, I’m pleased to announce our program’s expansion. Next year we’ll grow from 2100 to nearly 3,000 students. We’ll reach three new kindergartens, meaning nearly ten percent of Delaware kindergarten students will participate. And, we will ensure that students’ language proficiency doesn’t drop off when they reach middle school by allowing them to take courses in subjects like social studies and science in their immersion language.

 

Our goal is to make Delaware the most bilingual state in the country. Doing so will create incredible opportunities for these students, and it will keep Delaware moving forward.

 

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