I have been giving an oral Spanish assessment for the past twenty-three years at Mark Twain Elementary School in an effort to determine if the student is a fluent Spanish speaker. For many years we have had applications from students that were attending Crossing Borders seeking entrance into the dual language program. Over the past three years, I have noticed a significant difference in the amount of Spanish that is being retained by children coming from Crossing Borders. Both orally, receptive, and expressive oral language have drastically improved. Further-more, the children are coming in to the dual language program with the ability to read in Spanish, a basic skill that is typically mastered by the end of kindergarten. From the perspective of a dual language coordinator and a kindergarten teacher at Mark Twain, Crossing Borders has proven to be an advantageous program to be a part of.
Sincerely,
Graciela Martinez
Dual Language Coordinator
Kindergarten Dual Language Teacher
Mark Twain Elementary
Graciela Martinez – Dual Language Coordinator
