About

Two-way immersion, or dual immersion, has the goal of students acquiring grade-level literacy skills in both English and Spanish by the end of sixth grade. At Pacheco, we use the 90/10 model as our instructional delivery system. In the 90/10 model, students learn to read and write in Spanish first. Instruction is 90% Spanish and 10% English during the kindergarten year. English is introduced more and more over the years until children are 50% of the time in English and 50% of the time in Spanish from 4th grade on. The pedagogical advantages of the 90/10 model are self-evident. For the English only students who come in already speaking English, this helps them focus on the target language, in this case Spanish. The 90/10 model provides English-only students with a strong language and academic foundation in Spanish in the first few years of schooling, thus resulting in high levels of proficiency in both languages as English literacy instruction is introduced. As a benefit to Spanish-speaking students, studies show that children who attend bilingual schools and develop a strong foundation in their native language achieve more linguistic and academic skills in English than students who attend English-only schools. 

PROGRAM COMPONENTS

• Spanish and English are the two focus languages of the academic program.
• The K–6 program requires teams of bilingual Spanish-speaking teachers and English-speaking teachers in each grade.
• The program requires extensive collaboration and teaming of teachers in each grade level.
• Each subject area must be highly articulated from one grade level to another and team teachers must collaborate within each grade level to assure continuity of instruction and content throughout the entire school and to assure completion of the district curriculum.
• The program requires extensive home/school collaboration. Informing parents of the program prior to their children’s enrollment and on an ongoing basis is vital to the program’s success.
• The program is open to all Spanish-speaking, EL students within the City and serves as the primary language program for these students. The program also serves English-speaking students from the San Luis Obispo community, dependant upon space availability.
• The composition of students in each classroom is as close as possible to one-half native Spanish speakers and one-half native English-speakers.
• Self-review of the program is a constant, ongoing process which recognizes the need for staff to address areas that require modification. Decision-making in this process must be conducted by the entire staff or the Site Management Team.
• The program features an extended day Kindergarten program.
• The program requires continued staff development in Whole Language, Thematic Integrated Instruction, and Cooperative Learning through the Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD) Program. 

Pacheco School provides a two-way immersion program, offering SLCUSD elementary students the unique opportunity to acquire literacy in two languages - English and Spanish. This is an additive bilingual program in that students will acquire a second language, but will not be at risk of losing their first language, as they often do in traditional bilingual programs.

Two-way immersion programs bring two languages and their respective native speakers together in all academic and social aspects of the school day. By being immersed daily in the practical use of the two languages, students eventually become fluent and literate in both.

The academic focus of the program is centered on our existing Board-adopted K-6 curriculum and California content standards. Instruction is in both English and Spanish. Spanish is not a subject of instruction, but rather a vehicle of instruction. Spanish and English instruction are always kept separate to allow for maximized acquisition of both languages.

Our program is open to all students living in the SLCUSD boundaries. Students from outside the district may be enrolled through an Interdistrict Transfer, on a space available basis and pending approval from both the home district and San Luis Coastal. 

Pacheco School is a wonderful mix of language, culture, challenging standards, arts, and music. Everyone who attends or works at Pacheco School is here by choice, and that creates a unique sense of community and purpose of which we are very proud.