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PK - 12 Schools
Languages:
- Chinese Mandarin,French,Italian,Spanish
PreK-K | Chicago Public Schools: District 299 | District school
District school
LaSalle Language Academy
Chicago, Illinois 60614
Spanish, Mandarin, Italian, and French Accessible to all in Chicago Institute Background
LaSalle Language Academy is a public K-8 elementary school in Chicago. All students study languages on a daily basis. LaSalle offers language programming in four languages: Spanish, Mandarin, Italian, and French. Students start in their selected language in Kindergarten, and remain in the same language cohort for all nine years at the school, culminating with a variety of experiences in their eighth grade year such as international travel and hosting of international exchange students.
When Mandarin was first introduced in 2005, it was offered only as an after-school club. Since this humble beginning, LaSalle has built a strong Mandarin program, bolstered since 2016 by our partnership with the U.S. Department of State's Teachers of Critical Languages Program (TCLP). This partnership has allowed us to grow the program by staffing a dedicated Mandarin teacher at each grade level, Kindergarten through 8th grade.
LaSalle has a robust relationship with the Beijing Foreign Languages School, with whom they organize an annual exchange program. During the two-week trip to China, cultural highlights include visiting the Forbidden City, Tiananmen Square, the Summer Palace and the Great Wall. Students stay in the school dormitories during the week and with families during the weekends. Equally enriching is hosting the students from Beijing in Chicago for an action-packed two weeks. It is an intense bonding experience for all involved that support social and emotional growth in addition to linguistic growth.
To ensure that all students experience Chinese culture, the Chinese teachers offer cultural enrichment activities during quarterly Integrated Curriculum units, and also animate after-school Chinese-themed activities such as calligraphy, paper-cutting, ink paintings ping pong and other games. The school regularly organizes Chinese New Year celebrations during which the entire school is treated to spectacular performances by professional Lion Dancers.
- Access
- Accountability
- Keys to Access & Accountability
Improve Access for all learners in more languages
Actively Recruit HULs
Yes
Increase Accountability by effectively meeting all learner needs
Does your program publish description of its language program’s goals and requirements?
Yes
Does your program make public its efforts to increase HUL enrollments?
Yes
Assess Language Outcomes
- AAPPL tests (ACTFL)
- Pathways Towards the Seal of Biliteracy
Receive Federal Funding
- Yes
Emphasize in Language Program
- Employment opportunities
Workforce Preparation Activity
Yes
Certain aspects of programming help ensure both Access and Accountability and merit more specific inquiry, including Teaching, Immersion Learning, and Partnerships.
Institution Information
Urbanicity
Urban
Levels
PreK-K