Pomperaug Regional
School District 15
286 Whittemore Road,
P.O. Box 395
Middlebury, CT 06762-0395
203-758-8258

STUDENTS “FLIP” OVER THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE IMMERSION PROGRAM

Over 60 Middlebury and Southbury Students Learn French and Spanish

August 8, 2003, Middlebury/Southbury—Over 60 children from Middlebury and Southbury are spending one hour each day intensively learning a new language. A pilot program, the Foreign Language Immersion Program (FLIP) was designed by Dr. Yolande Bosman, director of World Languages at Pomperaug High School, to introduce the Spanish and French languages to elementary and middle school students. The course is taught at Long Meadow Elementary School in Middlebury and runs until August 22.

“Studies show that children need to be exposed to a new language early in order to maximize the brain's window of opportunity between birth and age 11,” said Dr. Bosman. “We know that the younger the child begins studying a second language, the greater the success. Older children and adults still have the ability to learn a language, it’s just more difficult.”

Two groups--grades 1 to 4 and grades 5 to 8--are in the French program. In addition, the Spanish students are grouped by grades 2 to 3, grades 4 to 6, and grades 7 to 8. Two Region 15 teachers experienced in instructing younger children are teaching the pilot program.

Parents of the students enrolled in the FLIP program are enthusiastic about the course and have asked that it continue in the future. “Americans need to know the culture, food, and history of another country. To truly relate to those from another country, we must understand the nuances of their culture,” said Sally Janin, mother of a seven-year-old girl enrolled in the French program.

The instructors and director will assess the strengths and weaknesses of the pilot program after the course is complete. The program will be evaluated to ensure that the curriculum has the sufficient visuals, music, and movement to be engaging to the children.

“I am confident that the children will benefit from FLIP because the students are learning in an enjoyable, non-traditional manner,” said Dr. Bosman. “The children are having fun learning the culture and music of their new country, but they are also learning language skills they can use now and in the future. Today’s world is shrinking and it is terribly important to know the culture and language of another country. Americans must have the bilingual ability and cultural awareness of other people so they may be more tolerant and understanding of others.”

The 3-week-long FLIP course costs $100 per child and is being subsidized by a donation by the Region 15 Educational Foundation. “As president of the Region 15 Educational Foundation, I strongly support this course and congratulate Dr. Bosman for developing such an innovative program,” said Dr. Kenneth Paddyfote, treasurer of the Pomperaug Regional School District #15 Board of Education. “I understand the benefits of second language acquisition at a young age and I hope we can expand the Foreign Language Immersion Program to accommodate more of our students in the future.”