Dual Language Immersion
What is Dual Language Immersion?
Dare County Schools is excited to offer the Dual language immersion program in Spanish. Dual language immersion provides an attractive option for all parents who want to offer their child with the competitive advantage of being able to speak two languages fluently. Parents wishing to enroll their child in the program must start during the child's kindergarten year. Once enrolled, students spend from 50 to 90 percent of their day fully immersed in the Spanish language with a highly qualified, native Spanish-speaking teacher. The results are amazing! Within months, students in the program begin to develop conversational Spanish speaking ability!
Children who learn in two languages benefit from high academic achievement, language proficiency, increased critical thinking skills, increased cognitive development and greater cultural sensitivity, according to recent studies.
Our Partnership with Participate, the Language Immersion Experts
Built on more than 25 years of supporting language instruction and solid experience in implementation and support of dual language programs, Participate provides a comprehensive framework to develop high-quality dual immersion programs. Each of our dual language teachers receives intensive support to ensure that our scholars are exposed to the most recent research-based instructional strategies.
Immersion Program Features:
- Teachers from Participate receive continuous support, coaching and training. These native Spanish-speaking teachers were selected through a rigorous and highly competitive process. Rest assured, once in the program, your child will have a highly qualified teacher.
- Resources for parents and students, i.e.: homework help, free Spanish language classes for parents.
- All of our Spanish Immersion teachers make a commitment to live in the surrounding communities.
- Standards-aligned curricular content, grade-level material recommendations and suggested curricular maps.
- Parent and community outreach resources.
DLI Program Handbook
Frequently Asked Questions: Program Overview
What is a Dual Language Immersion class?
In a Dual Language Immersion (DLI) classroom, the target language (Spanish) is not taught as a subject; it is the language through which instruction is delivered. Students master grade-level curriculum objectives in all subject areas while becoming highly proficient in a second language.
Native English-speaking students benefit from the academic rigor of learning content through another language. English phonics instruction is included in Kindergarten and First Grade, and formal English Language Arts instruction begins in Grade 2 in 90/10 programs. Students develop bilingualism, biliteracy, and biculturalism, achieving near-native fluency in the target language.
What is language immersion education?
Language immersion programs are designed to help students become proficient in a second language while mastering academic content. Language is the medium of instruction rather than a separate subject. Research shows that integrating language learning into the standard curriculum is the most effective way for children to acquire a second language.
Goals and Benefits of Dual Language Immersion
What are the goals and benefits of a DLI program?
Students in Dual Language Immersion programs:
- Develop strong proficiency in both their first and second languages
- Become bilingual and biliterate
- Achieve academically at or above grade level
- Build higher-order thinking and problem-solving skills
- Develop multicultural competencies and intercultural relationships
- Cultivate appreciation and respect for diverse languages and cultures
Benefits for English-dominant students: English-dominant and native English-speaking students develop Spanish while continuing to grow in English. Research shows they achieve the same or higher levels in English compared to peers in English-only programs.
Benefits for Spanish-dominant students: Native Spanish speakers develop English while strengthening their home language. They also achieve at the same or higher levels in English than peers in other instructional programs.
All students develop strong academic and social skills, positive attitudes toward multilingualism, and the ability to build relationships in a multicultural world.
Program Models
What does a Dual Language Immersion program look like?
Dare County Schools (DCS) offers two DLI models, as defined by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI):
Two-Way Immersion (50/50 or 90/10)
- Enrolls approximately 50% native English speakers and 50% native speakers of the target language
- Instruction is delivered in both English and Spanish
- Language use may alternate by day, subject, or time of day
- Models vary by school and grade level (e.g., 90/10 in early grades transitioning to 50/50)
Full Immersion (90/10)
- Primarily serves students from English-speaking homes
- Instruction is delivered almost exclusively in Spanish in early grades
- English Language Arts begins in Grade 2 or later
- Students achieve bilingualism, biliteracy, and near-native fluency in Spanish
Program Availability
How many DLI classes are offered in Dare County Schools?
The number of Dual Language Immersion (DLI) classes offered is based on school size, student demographics, and family interest.
- All Dare County elementary schools offer DLI classes in Grades 1–5, with the exception of Cape Hatteras Elementary School, which does not offer DLI in Kindergarten or 1st grade due to insufficient enrollment.
- Program models (Full Immersion or Two-Way Immersion) vary by school and are determined by student demographics and enrollment interest.
Kindergarten DLI Classes for the 2025–2026 School Year
- Kitty Hawk Elementary School
No Kindergarten DLI class due to insufficient enrollment - First Flight Elementary School
No Kindergarten DLI class due to insufficient enrollment - Manteo Elementary School
Kindergarten: 1 section of Two-Way Immersion (50/50) - Nags Head Elementary School
Kindergarten: 1 section of Two-Way Immersion (50/50)
Class Size
What is the class size for DLI classrooms?
- The goal is a maximum of 25 students per DLI section. DLI classrooms are exempt from state K–3 class size requirements.
- Beginning in the 2025–2026 school year, DLI Kindergarten classes at Manteo Elementary School and Nags Head Elementary School will have a maximum of 24 students.
Enrollment and Transfers
How do I enroll my child in Dual Language Immersion?
- Families interested in DLI must select the DLI option during Kindergarten registration by June 1.
- DLI applications are part of the Kindergarten registration process
- Applications open each spring and are accepted on a rolling basis
- If applications exceed available seats, an unweighted public lottery is conducted
What is the deadline to transfer into DLI?
- Students may transfer from the waitlist into DLI through December of 1st grade, if space is available
- Transfers from other DLI programs are considered based on space and program size
- In 50/50 programs, native Spanish speakers may be placed based on proficiency and availability
Are siblings given preference?
Yes. Students with older siblings currently enrolled in DLI receive enrollment preference.
Contact Information
For questions or additional information, please contact:
- Your child’s teacher or school principal
- Mora Velázquez
ESL / Dual Language Immersion Coordinator - Phone: 252-480-8888, ext. 1932
- Email: velazquezmo@daretolearn.org