WOODLAND — Fourth-grade students enrolled in the Dual Language Program at Columbia Elementary School break down cultural barriers through language and social connection by collaborating with Spanish-speaking students in Puerto Rico using Zoom teleconferencing software.
The collaborative projects between Columbia Elementary and Puerto Rico not only serve to enhance the language skills of the students, but they also help the students understand and appreciate different cultures.
“We focus on three pillars for our Dual Language Program: developing bilingual and biliteracy skills; maximizing grade level achievement; and developing sociocultural competence,” said Maria Rodriguez, a bilingual fourth grade teacher at Columbia Elementary. “By interacting with other cultures, our students grow and develop the skills to adapt and thrive in an increasingly global community.”
Woodland’s Dual Language Program has been a success, with native Spanish-speaking students from Guatemala, Mexico, Honduras, and other Spanish-speaking countries learning to communicate in both English and Spanish, as well as helping teach their English counterparts how to speak Spanish.
“We pair each native English speaker with a native Spanish speaker so the two students can help one another learn their native language,” said Rodriguez.
Woodland’s Dual Language Program starts in kindergarten, with students learning both languages by spending half of each day learning in English and the other half in Spanish. Students experience the benefits of bilingualism, which has been shown to have cognitive, academic, and social advantages for young children.
“Studies also show that bilingual children perform better on tests for executive functioning, which includes skills such as attention, memory, and problem-solving,” said Rodriguez.
The benefits of bilingualism extend beyond childhood, too. As the Dual Language students progress through their academic careers, they will have an advantage in the job market and in social situations.
“In a world where more and more jobs require bilingualism, these students will have an edge over their monolingual peers,” said Rodriguez. “They’ll also be able to communicate with a wider range of people and better-understand different perspectives.”
The collaboration between Woodland and Puerto Rico is just one example of how language learning can enhance cultural understanding and bridge divides. It’s a small step, but an important one, in creating a more connected and understanding world.
