Immersion Model

What model of immersion does AIMS use?

PK & Kindergarten: Students PK and Kindergarten participate in a 1 teacher model (self-contained) following an 80/20 model of immersion (80% Arabic).

1st & 2nd Grade: Students in 1st and 2nd grade participate in a 2-teacher model for the dual immersion program, where students participate in a 60/40 model of immersion (60% Arabic).

3rd - 5th Grade: Students follow a 3-way rotation and students participate in a 40/60 model of immersion (40% Arabic).

6th - 8th Grade: Students participate in a Languages Other Than Arabic (LOTE) model with additional Arabic support through enrichment. Students can earn high school foreign language credit after successful completion of their LOTE Arabic Courses.

What if my child struggles with Arabic?

Young children are incredibly adaptive; in fact the ease with which a young child learns a new language is impressive. Our teachers undergo rigorous training to ensure that they’re using the best practices in immersion education. In fact, many of our teachers will attend the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition’s Summer Institute, one of the premier professional development programs offered for immersion teachers. Additionally, all of our teacher are skilled elementary teachers, and through their extensive training and experience as educators have the tools to support your child’s success.

That being said, it is normal and expected, for students in an immersion program to experience a period of frustration when they first start school, because they are not used to spending a large percentage of their day immersed in a foreign language. Experience has shown that students are adaptable, and that this period of unease is temporary.