Dual Language
What is Dual Language Instruction?
A comprehensive educational model that focuses on student strengths and provides access to all areas of instruction in two languages, Spanish and English.
Benefits of Dual Language Instruction:
The research is clear!
Academic Achievement: Students in DLI programs often outperform their peers in reading, writing, and math.
Skill Development: Bilingual children develop better executive function skills, such as planning, organization, and attention control.
Global Citizenship: Being fluent in more than one language exposes children to different cultures, fostering greater empathy, open-mindedness, and appreciation for diversity.
How it Works as RSD:
RSD values multilingualism. Over 60% of our multilingual learners speak Spanish at home, so DLI expansion focuses on Spanish and English biliteracy. We partner with families to build culturally aware bilingual readers, writers, and communicators ready for college, career, and global engagement.
When all or most students in the classroom use the same language at home, that is a one-way model. Currently, this is RSD’s model. This could change as the district expands the DLI program to more schools.
Language allocation is how much instruction happens in each language.
Instruction begins 90% in Spanish at first to support foundational literacy skills, and gradually shifts to a 50/50 balance by fourth grade. Literacy skills learned in one language strengthen skills in the other!
| Grade | Spanish | English |
| Kinder | 90% | 10% |
| 1st | 80% | 20% |
| 2nd | 70% | 30% |
| 3rd | 60% | 40% |
| 4th + | 50% | 50% |
The Three Pillars of Dual Language Instruction
Bilingualism and Biliteracy
High Academic Achievement
Socialcultural Competence
Reynolds is Expanding Dual Language Instruction!
Reynolds School District (RSD) acknowledges that Dual Language Instruction (DLI) is one of the most effective models for serving students who are English language learners.
Alder Elementary School: Kindergarten - 5th Grade
Davis Elementary School: Kindergarten with 1st Grade starting this fall
Hartley Elementary School: Kindergarten starting this fall
