Paper Session: Academic Spanish Language Development: Focusing on the Teacher
Saturday, October 23, 10 - 11 am, Room: Regents 
Michael Guerrero, University of Texas Pan American

This paper examines issues related to the development of academic Spanish among prospective dual language education teachers. Drawing from lingusitic theory, review of relevant research, research conducted by the author, and higher education practice the following questions are addressed: (1) Why must dual language teachers be academically proficient in Spanish? (2) What does it mean to be academically proficient in Spanish? (3) How does one become academically proficient? and (4) What is the role of higher education?

Paper Session: Adjusting Dual Immersion Model for Local Environment
Saturday, October 23, 10 - 11 am, Room: Presidents 
Shelly Wickwire, Beamer Elementary School
Scott Clary, Beamer Elementary School
Elva Sais, Beamer Elementary School`

Discussion will focus on expansion of existing one Dual Immersion Program from a strand within a school to a school-wide program. Presenters will discuss formal evaluation process that led to current program design. The resulting program retains a graduated model with Spanish as the dominant language during lower elementary grades but increases the amount of English instruction from the more common 90:10 model. Discussion will include other important issues such as language and curriculum mapping, and strategic grouping.

Paper Session: Best Practices in Unit Design and Reading Comprehension
Saturday, October 23, 10 - 11 am, Room: Faculty 
Iran Amin, Montgomery County Public Schools
Alicia Fuentes-Gargallo, Westland Middle School

This paper session discusses best practices in unit design to engage and motivate students, as well as strategies to enhance reading comprehension in the middle school immersion program.

Paper Session: Effective Assessment for Elementary and Middle School Chinese Language Immersion
Saturday, October 23, 10 - 11 am, Room: Northrup 
Andrew Corcoran, Chinese American International School

Teachers at the Chinese American International School (CAIS) face very real obstacles when they tried to evaluate their program and the progress of individual students. The few assessment tools available are not designed for immersion students and do not address content knowledge, an essential ingredient for immersion programs. Teachers at CAIS find that a combination of available instruments can be effective until more appropriate tools can be developed.

Paper Session: Immersion, Attitudes, and Pronunciation
Saturday, October 23, 10 - 11 am, Room: Campus 
Mary O'Brien, University of Calgary
Josée Turmaine, Calgary French and International School
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Young children enrolled in immersion programs hold a great deal of potential, yet research has shown that many finish their immersion careers with performance that falls short of native speaker norms. The goals of this study are to determine a) how children enrolled in a French immersion program (L1=English) differ from native speakers of French in their perception and production of French stress and intonational patterns and b) to determine which language use and motivational factors lead to nativelike performance.

Discussion Session: Immersion in the Middle School Setting
Saturday, October 23, 10 - 11 am, Room: Alumni 
Richard Culp, Longfellow Middle School
Helga Warren, Washington Irving Middle School

This discussion group will focus on the question of how to continue language development and learning beyond the traditional elementary school immersion setting. The presenters will discuss the development of the Fairfax County (VA) Public Schools middle school immersion transition program and the FCPS speaking and writing assessments. This presentation will be followed by a forum for middle school teachers to share experiences, teaching philosophies, ideas, techniques and concerns in an informal discussion format. Participants will benefit from an exchange of ideas and will come away with successful strategies to implement in their classrooms.