PK - 12 Schools
Languages:
- Chinese Mandarin
PreK-K | Chandler Unified School District | District school
District school
Tarwater Elementary School
CHANDLER, Arizona 85286
Tarwater DLI Program Raises Student Achievement Across Different Subject Areas Institute Background
To prepare students to become competitive global citizens, Tarwater Elementary School started the Mandarin DLI program in 2014. The program serves more than 300 students in Grades PK–6. It uses a 50/50 model from PK to Grade 6, in which students spend half of the school day in the Mandarin classroom and half of the day in English. Though students join this program from diverse background, they are more likely to outperform their peers across all subjects in the district.
- Access
- Accountability
- Keys to Access & Accountability
Improve Access for all learners in more languages
Actively Recruit HULs
Yes
Strategies to Recruit HULs
Recruitment beyond local area/school district
Strategies to Retain HULs
- Dedicated counseling programs
Obstacles HULs Face
- None
Specific practices that are the reasons your HULs enjoy success in your program
Practice 1
High Quality Curriculum raises the results of academic achievement.
Practice 2
Well-trained dedicate teachers are able to deliver the high quality curriculum and meet different needs of the students.
Practice 3
Supportive community strengthens the program through parent involvement, STEM projects and cultural events.
Ethnic/Racial Profile of Students
Yes
Languages Added in Past 5 year
Chinese Mandarin
These were added as a result of:
- Community demand
Ethnic/Racial Profile of Students
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
Does your program make public its definition of student success?
Yes
Does your program incorporate online learning in order to increase access and/or improve learning?
- Yes
Levels of Language
- 7
Years of Language Program Offer
- 8
Assess Language Outcomes
- STAMP tests (AVANT)
- Language Portfolios
- Language e-portfolios
- Textbook provided assessments
- Content-based state tests
- Program created tests
- Teacher created tests
Receive Federal Funding
- No
Emphasize in Language Program
- Cultural Literacy
- Employment opportunities
- Global citizenship, cosmopolitanism
- Human diversity, including linguistic diversity
- Intercultural Competence
- Social inclusion
- Social-Emotional Learning
- Social justice
- Translanguaging
- Usage/immersion learning (teaching content through the target language)
Workforce Preparation Activity
No
Certain aspects of programming help ensure both Access and Accountability and merit more specific inquiry, including Teaching, Immersion Learning, and Partnerships.
Mirror Population of Staff
Yes
LEA or SEA offer
- Professional learning specifically targeting language teachers
Immersion Experience
Yes
Immersion Experience HULs
Yes
Support Students to Participate
- Non profit organizations
Program Partner with
- Heritage communities’ organizations
Explicit Example
We collaborate with local heritage schools to do cultural exchange programs and summer peer tutoring programs. It provides an opportunity for the students with different backgrounds to communicate and learn different cultures. It also helps students to maintain their proficiency to avoid proficiency decrease during the summer break.
Institution Information
Urbanicity
Suburban
Levels
PreK-K
Groups Over 10%
African Americans
Obstacles HULs Face
None
Authorized IB World School
No
Title I School
No
Second Language Requirement
Yes