>>> IN THE MOST RECENT U.S. CENSUS, 51% OF ALL HOLYOKE
RESIDENTS IDENTIFY AS HISPANIC.
AS A RESULT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT IS THE FIRST IN WESTERN MASS TO
EMBRACE A NEW TYPE OF LEARNING AT ONE OF ITS SCHOOLS.
WE RECENTLY VISITED THE JOSEPH E. METCALF SCHOOL WHERE STUDENTS
ARE TAKING ON TWO LANGUAGES AT ONCE AND SUCCEEDING.
>> SECOND GRADERS GATHER ON THE RUN IN CLASSROOM.
IT SOUNDS LIKE A SPANISH CLASS.
[ SPEAKING SPANISH ] BUT SHE'S TEACHING SCIENCE IN
SPANISH.
THESE YOUNG STUDENTS ARE PART OF THE DUAL-LANGUAGE PROGRAM IN THE
CITY.
HALF OF THEIR TIME IS SPENT LEARNING CORE SUBJECTS, READING,
WRITING AND ARITHMETIC IN ENGLISH.
THE OTHER HALF LEARNING THE SAME SUBJECTS WITH ALL OF THE
INSTRUCTION IN SPANISH.
[ SPEAKING SPANISH ] >> I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR TEACHING
THEM CONTENT AND LANGUAGE SIMULTANEOUSLY.
SO, WHILE THEY ARE LEARNING THE SKILLS, THEY ARE ALSO LEARNING
THE LANGUAGE TO ACCESS THE STANDARDS.
>> THE DUAL LANGUAGE PROGRAM FIRST OPENED UP AT METCALF IN
2014.
THE CITY EXPANDED THE SCHOOL TO IAN WHITE SCHOOL IN 2016 AND
THIS YEAR ANNOUNCED BOTH SCHOOLS WILL EXPAND ONCE AGAIN, WITH
METCALF OFFERING PRE-K TO FIFTH GRADE AND IAN WHITE OFFERING
PRE-K TO SECOND GRADE.
>> THE FIRST YEAR THAT THE PROGRAM WAS CREATED, YOU KNOW,
IT WAS JUST THE OPPOSITE.
WE WERE TRYING TO GET PEOPLE TO BUY IN AND COME INTO THIS NEW
PROGRAM WE WERE CREATING.
AFTER THAT FIRST YEAR, EVERY YEAR SINCE THEN, WE HAVE HAD A
WAITING LIST TO GET IN.
>> AMY BURKE IS THE PRINCIPAL AT METCALF.
>> KIDS ARE SPONGES.
KIDS ARE SPONGES.
THEY HAVE AMAZED ME IN WHAT THEY ARE ABLE TO DO.
WE HAVE KIDS WHO HAVE NEVER SPOKEN A LICK OF SPANISH GOING
HOME AND SPEAKING SPANISH.
IT'S AMAZING TO WATCH HOW FLEXIBLE YOUNG MINDS CAN BE.
[ SPEAKING SPANISH ] >> YOUNG MINDS LIKE LANA LADUKE.
[ SPEAKING SPANISH ] >> DO
YOU
EVER HAVE A CHILD WHO SAYS I DON'T UNDERSTAND YOU?
>> WE DO IT THROUGH GESTURES.
I TRY NOT TO SPEAK ENGLISH TO THEM.
SO I ASK ANOTHER STUDENT TO TRANSLATE SO THEY ONLY SEE ME AS
A PRIMARY SPANISH TEACHER.
>> MAYA ARRIVED IN KINDERGARTEN SPEAKING SPANISH AND HELPS TO
TRANSLATE FOR STUDENTS WHO DON'T UNDERSTAND.
>> THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND.
I REPEAT IT.
>> WE WANT THEM TO INTERNALIZE THAT LANGUAGE.
WE WANT TO MAKE THE LANGUAGE PART OF THEIR REPERTOIRE AND
SELF AWARENESS OF THE LANGUAGE DOES.
>> ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS HOW IT WOULD AFFECT STANDARDIZED TEST
SCORES IN DISTRICTS THAT IS STRUGGLING IN THE AREA.
ADMINISTRATORS HERE AT METCALF SAY LEARNING SUBJECTS IN TWO
LANGUAGES ACTUALLY HELPS STUDENTS SUCCEED ON STANDARDIZED
TESTS.
>> THERE'S RESEARCH OUT THERE THAT SHOWS THAT WHEN A CHILD --
OR WHEN ANYBODY IS TRYING TO LEARN TWO LANGUAGES
SIMULTANEOUSLY, THAT THE BRAIN ACTIVITY IT TAKES IN ORDER TO DO
THAT IS STIMULATED AT A MUCH HIGHER RATE THAN THOSE STUDENTS
WHO ARE NOT.
>> THE STATE TOOK OVER HOLYOKE SCHOOLS IN 2015 WHEN IT WAS
DESIGNATED AS A LEVEL FIVE MEANING CHRONICALLY UNDER
PERFORMING DISTRICT.
IT HAD THE HIGHEST TEST SCORES FOR 2018 IN ENGLISH AND MATH IN
THE DISTRICT FOR THIRD GRADE AND RIGHT BEHIND THE STATE AVERAGE
ACCORDING TO THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
ADMINISTRATORS SAY 80% OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS
IMPROVED ON THE LANGUAGE ASSESSMENT AT METCALF.
THE DISTRICT IS LOOKING AT A PATHWAY FOR THESE YOUNG SPANISH
SPEAKERS TO CONTINUE TO PROGRESS AS THEY MOVE TO MIDDLE SCHOOL.
[ SPEAKING SPANISH ] >> IN THE MEANTIME, ALISSA SAYS
HER STUDENTS ARE GETTING AN EXPERIENCE MOST PARENTS PAY BIG
MONEY FOR BY SENDING THEIR CHILDREN ABROAD TO STUDY.
>> IF YOU WANT TO LEARN ANOTHER LANGUAGE, YOU HAVE TO GO ABROAD
AND IMMERSE YOURSELF IN THAT CULTURE.
HERE YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO THAT BECAUSE STUDENTS GET THE
FIRST-HAND EXPERIENCE.