The Only Catholic Dual Immersion School in Minnesota
- Risen Christ serves 1 out of every 5 elementary aged English Language Learners in the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis.
- Every Risen Christ student is Bilingual and Biliterate in Spanish and English by the time they graduate 8th grade.
Risen Christ’s comprehensive dual language curriculum provides instruction in both English and Spanish, across all academic subjects. Students spend half of the day receiving English instruction and half of the day receiving Spanish instruction, fully immersed in the particular language of instruction.
Risen Christ’s Dual Immersion model is unique because it involves students who are native English speakers and native Spanish speakers. It brings together students from different languages, cultures, racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, allowing students to learn firsthand about cultures different than their own. Grounding all academics in the Gospel teachings, students learn to embrace each other as God’s children and respect each student’s inherent dignity being made in the image and likeness of God.
By providing lessons in both languages, Dual Immersion Education ensures that English Language Learners receive the necessary support to overcome language barriers and excel academically. Neither group of students will have to forgo development in the native language or academic achievement as proficiency in a second language improves. Furthermore, our graduates possess a valuable asset – the Seal of Biliteracy Pathway Award from Boston College. This prestigious recognition highlights their bilingual proficiency and demonstrates their dedication to academic excellence for future educational and employment opportunities.
Risen Christ Catholic School is proud to be one of the fifteen Catholic elementary schools selected for the Two-Way Immersion Network for Catholic Schools (TWIN-CS), an initiative of the esteemed Roche Center for Catholic Education at Boston College. This affiliation further validates our commitment to providing an exceptional Dual Immersion that nurtures the whole child – academically, culturally and spiritually.
What advantages are there for my child in a Dual Immersion program?
- Students at Risen Christ develop full oral, reading, and writing proficiency in two languages.
- Dual Immersion programs positively affect general academic performance. Dual Immersion students achieve levels similar or higher than their monolingual peers.
- Dual Language programs show a lower rate of high school drop-out and a higher rate of college attendance, enhancing job prospects in the future.
- Students at Risen Christ develop very positive attitudes about students of other language and cultural backgrounds. They learn to embrace their own cultural heritage, while also learning and embracing the traditions of others.
- Dual Immersion students become more self-confident because they are better prepared to engage in a global society that values multiculturalism and bilingualism.
How do students in Dual Immersion programs compare academically to students in other types of educational programs?
An English Language Learner at Risen Christ is twice as likely to meet state standards than in Minneapolis public schools.
Several investigators have examined the reading and math achievement of students in dual language programs at late elementary or secondary levels to determine the long-term impact of Dual Immersion (e.g., Cazabon, Nicoladis, & Lambert, 1998; Collier & Thomas, 2004; Howard, Sugarman & Christian, 2003; Kirk-Senesac, 2002; Lindholm-Leary, 2001, 2005).
These studies showed that overall both English language learners and native English speakers made significant progress in both languages; both groups scored at or well above grade level in both languages by middle school; and both groups performed at comparable or superior levels compared to same-language peers in other educational settings.
When will students test proficient in their first and second languages?
At Risen Christ, 65% of English Language Learners who exit ELL status do so by Grade 5.
On average, Native English speakers tend to perform at grade level in their first language once they have received formal reading instruction through that language, and their achievement is at grade level in the second language typically by 5th grade.
For English Language Learners, scores are usually in the average range in their first language by second grade, but as a group they do not achieve at grade level in English until middle school.
How much of my child’s day will be spent in each language?
Risen Christ’s comprehensive dual language curriculum provides instruction in both English and Spanish, across all academic subjects. Students spend half of the day receiving English instruction and half of the day receiving Spanish instruction, fully immersed in the particular language of instruction.
| Grade & SUBJECT | ENGLISH | SPANISH |
| Kindergarten & 1st | English Language Arts Math Religion | Spanish Language Arts Science/Social Studies Religion |
| 2nd – 4th | English Language Arts Science/Social Studies Religion | Spanish Language Arts Math Religion |
| 5th | English Language Arts Math Religion | Spanish Language Arts Science/Social Studies Religion |
| Middle School (6-8) | English Language Arts Math Science | Spanish Language Arts Social Studies Religion |
The content and language allocation plan is a system that supports biliteracy development:
- The language allocation plan acknowledges that students are developing as bilinguals.
- Students receive literacy instruction in both languages everyday because you need to practice and use a language each day.
- The language allocation plan strategically integrates instruction on a programmatic level.
- To achieve the goal of biliteracy, students don’t need to learn everything in both languages, instead they need to learn things in tandem with the partner language.
“Students consolidate their ability to speak and use a language when exposure to and practice in a language focuses on one subject.”
Hamayan, E., Genesee, F., and Cloud, N. (2013) Dual language instruction from A to Z: Practical guidance for teachers and administrators. Heinemann Publishing: Portsmouth, NH.
Why is Risen Christ’s Dual Immersion program different from public schools?
Risen Christ’s Dual Immersion model is unique because it involves students who are native English speakers and native Spanish speakers. It brings together students from different languages, cultures, racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds, allowing students to learn firsthand about cultures different than their own.
Grounding all academics in the Gospel teachings, students learn to embrace each other as God’s children and respect each student’s inherent dignity being made in the image and likeness of God.
What are the characteristics of students who are successful in dual language programs?
Successful students at Risen Christ enjoy learning new things and interacting with people from different linguistic and cultural backgrounds. They understand that learning two languages can be challenging at times, but the successful student perseveres and learns to take risks in speaking and writing the second language.
Risen Christ recognizes the parent as the primary educator of their child; and therefore, parental understanding and support of the philosophy behind Dual Immersion education is important for a child’s success.
How can I help support my child in doing homework in the second language, particularly if I don’t know that language?
Risen Christ hires bilingual staff. Parents can ask questions of the teacher or their student about any project using the native language spoken at home. Parents do not need to speak both languages in order for their child to be successful at Risen Christ.
All school communications are in both Spanish and English.
If you still have questions about Dual Language Immersion, please check out these resources: