Japanese-English Dual Language Program FAQs

The goals are as follows.

• District 54 will ensure the success of the whole child by providing comprehensive approaches and programming, grounded in the belief that each child deserves to be Healthy, Safe, Engaged, Supported and Challenged.
• District 54 will perform in the top 10% of all schools in reading and math growth and proficiency as measured by state and local assessments.
• District 54 will close the achievement gap for all students in reading and math as measured by state and local assessments.

The Japanese-English Dual Language Program also embraces the District 54 Equity & Inclusion Vision Statement:
In District 54, we will promote a culture of unconditional belonging in which all students, staff and community members will be treated with dignity. We will ensure high levels of access to resources, experiences and success. In District 54, we strive to ensure that all students, staff, and community members are

• Safe, welcome and cared for;
• Heard, validated and supported; and
• Represented in curriculum and staffing.

Students will be able to

• Perform academically at grade level in two languages commensurate with their monolingual English-speaking peers; 
• Use two languages comfortably and effectively in social situations appropriate for their age level;
• Communicate effectively through reading and writing in two languages at a level appropriate for their age;and
• Demonstrate an appreciation of cultural diversity and cross-cultural competence across a variety of social situations.

Japanese-learners will develop Japanese proficiency at an early age while continuing to grow in English. Native Japanese-speaking children will develop English proficiency while enriching their native language. All children will learn appropriate academic skills while developing target language proficiency. Moreover, children will develop social skills that allow them to develop cross-cultural friendships. In addition, brain research has shown that bilingual speakers have the opportunity to develop more cognitive flexibility through their bilingualism.

Since acquiring bilingual proficiency is a long-term process and available space for families is limited, parents are asked to commit to program participation for at least a full year. When a child is pulled from the program, that space is immediately made available for the next student on the waiting list. Consequently, there is no guarantee of re-admittance.

The Dual Language Program is open to all families in School District 54, with priorities in admission given to the children who live within the Dooley boundaries and for siblings of students in the English-Japanese Dual Language program. If there is more interest than available space, students will be placed on a waiting list and invited into the program as openings become available. New residents with children at any grade level may request that their children receive a language assessment to determine if the child’s English/Japanese language proficiency is at an appropriate level for entry into the program. The child’s name will be added to the waiting list. Due to the immersion nature of Japanese language instruction in the Dual Language Program, monolingual students will only be admitted at the kindergarten and first-grade levels. English-learner students will be assessed to determine the best placement for each child.

No. The dual language classes implement School District 54’s curriculum at the same rate as other classes. Through careful scaffolding and interactive approaches, children learn the academic content while developing their respective languages.

No. National studies have shown that children in dual language programs, as a group, perform as well or better than their respective peers on achievement tests in math, reading and writing. Assessment results of dual language students in School District 54 show the same outcome.

Your child will be with essentially the same group of classmates from kindergarten through sixth grade. However, grade-level teams collaborate to include all students in academic projects, field trips, daily recess and extracurricular activities. Dual language students have opportunities to interact with all students in their grade level.

Teachers teaching Dual Language classes have the appropriate State of Illinois certification to be considered highly qualified. Target language teachers have native or near-native proficiency in both English and Japanese. Dual language partner teachers work as a team to monitor the quality of instruction and to implement the most effective teaching strategies in their classrooms.

Children are taught to read, write, listen and speak simultaneously in both English and Japanese using a balanced literacy approach beginning in kindergarten. The District 54 goal for dual language and immersion programs is for all children to be reading at grade level or higher by third grade in English and in the target language. Students continue to increase their proficiency in Japanese and English as they progress through the grade levels.

We encourage families to attend our open enrollment visits at 1 p.m. February 6 or at 9 a.m. February 12. Families can find applications on our website at sd54.org/openenrollment. For additional questions, you may call the school and speak to Principal Kristine Belt at (847) 357-6250.