Sixth International Conference on Immersion and Dual Language Education: Connecting Research and Practice Across Contexts

Paper/Best Practice Session (1 hour)

Spanish, French, Chinese

One-Way Second/Foreign Language Immersion
Two-Way Bilingual Immersion

Middle School/Junior High
High School
Post-Secondary

Utah's K-12 DLI framework addresses the impending "gap" between completion of the AP Exam in 9th grade and students' post-secondary education. Our team will share the middle school DLI framework, as well as details about University Bridge Course program model offered in our high schools.

Utah's DLI program is building upon it's strong K-6 elementary, 50-50 model, to provide secondary students with two courses in 7th and 8th grade which are focused on global citizenship, deepening cultural competencies, and alignment to AP themes.  Students will take the AP Language and Culture exam in the 9th grade. This presents an impending "gap" between completion of the AP Exam and students' post-secondary education. To address this need, Utah is developing a statewide system for early college credit in the high school, where students may take one 3000-level, 3-credit course, each year.  These University "Bridge Courses" seek to support continued language development and prepare our graduating seniors to pursue bilingual college and career pathways. Our team will share details about the unique middle school courses, describe the collaboration process between the state office of education and higher education, and share the course delivery model and course structure for the first Bridge Course to be offered in the 2016-17 school year.