Saint David's and the Bilingual Brain

Bilingual brains, recent research out of Northwestern shows, are sharper and more focused than non-bilingual brains. People who speak more than one language process the sounds of speech in such a way that it is easier for them to isolate specific spoken syllables. Other benefits of the bilingual brain include enhanced attention and enhanced working memory.

A recent Wall Street Journal piece noted that "people who are learning and mastering more than one language are building a more "resilient brain," one that is proficient at "multitasking" and "setting priorities."

In part, these are reasons Saint David's made the final decision to implement a full immersion foreign language program in September 2008.

Next year, with the addition of Spanish to the 4th and 5th grade curriculum, Saint David's will have implemented the final year of a five year roll-out of its Spanish Immersion program. A direct outcome of the Curriculum Initiative, Spanish will then be taught school wide from PK through the 8th grade. As the program matures and the initial cohort class (the current 3rd grade who were the first cohort to participate in the program) graduates Saint David's, our aim is that they have a fluency and proficiency in a second language.

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