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Spanish Bilingual Program

A.E. Cross is a 7-9 Spanish Bilingual site. Resources from the south International Spanish Academy (ISA) are often shared between schools and administrators at both sites are in frequent communication.

International Spanish Academy

¿Quiénes somos? Our school is an International Spanish Academy! The International Spanish Academy program is an educational initiative of the Ministry of Education of Spain that complements the Calgary Board of Education's vibrant Spanish Bilingual Program by connecting schools from across Alberta and the United States. It provides students with opportunities to acquire and maintain language skills in Spanish and English and develop global citizenship through rich intercultural encounters.

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Last modified on Mon., Oct. 23, 2023 at 11:24 AM

Spanish Bilingual Program (K-12) at the CBE

The Spanish Bilingual Program provides students with the opportunity to acquire the basic skills for speaking, reading, writing, listening and communicating in both English and Spanish at a young age. It is a program in which Spanish and English are used as the languages of instruction, beginning in kindergarten or Grade 1 and continuing to Grade 12.

Registration

Students entering kindergarten or Grade 1 can register. Previous Spanish experience is not required and parents do not need to know the language.
Students with previous Spanish language experience may start the Spanish Bilingual program at other grade levels. In the case of alternate entry points, the student, parents and principal of the designated school will meet to determine a personalized plan for successful entry.

Benefits of Learning Spanish

Expands the intellect
Teaches responsible citizenship
Develops enhanced feelings of self-esteem and pride in having acquired an additional language
Strengthens English literacy skills
Encourages the joy of lifelong learning
Promotes exploration, understanding and appreciation of the cultures of the Spanish-speaking world and contributes to multilingualism and multiculturalism
Allows students to compete internationally
Provides students with more choices for advanced education and career options
Broadens students' cultural life through access to literature, art, music and theatre in another language

Benefits of the Spanish Bilingual Program

In elementary, a 50/50 split in instructional time between English and Spanish allows students to build fluency in both languages. Children learn to understand and respond appropriately in Spanish in a range of everyday situations.
Students who wish to take the DELE, an internationally recognized Spanish language credentialing exam, have the option to do so through the Instituto Cervantes.

Languages of Instruction

From kindergarten to grade 6:

Spanish Language Arts and Math are taught in Spanish
English Language Arts is taught in English
Other subjects are taught in English or Spanish or bilingually as determined by schools

From grade 7 to 9:

Spanish Language Arts and Math are taught in Spanish
English Language Arts is taught in English
Other subjects are taught in English or Spanish or bilingually as determined by schools

From grade 10 to 12:

Spanish Language Arts is taught in Spanish
Other subjects are taught in English or Spanish as determined by schools

Visit the CBE website to help determine whether or not the Spanish Bilingual Program (K-12) is right for your child and for information on language credentialing.