Dual Language & ESL Programs
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If you have questions about Dual Language and ESL programs, please contact Enrique Castro at ecastro@nssd112.org.
Dual Language Information Night
Is your child starting kindergarten in 2025-2026? Are you interested in the Dual Language Program or know others who may be?
Join us for our upcoming Dual Language Information Nights, and help spread the word! These sessions will provide an in-depth look at the program and guide families through the pre-registration process for incoming kindergarten students. We’re hosting two separate events:
- January 14, 2025
- 7:00 p.m. at Northwood Middle School (945 North Avenue)
- This event will be in English, but there will be a Spanish interpreter in attendance.
- January 16, 2025
- 7:00 p.m. at Oak Terrace Elementary School (240 Prairie Avenue)
- This event will be in Spanish only
2025-2026 Registration Dates
Kindergarten registration for the 2025-2026 school year will open on February 3, 2025. At that time, you will also have the option to apply for the Dual Language Program.
Dual Language Program
The District 112 Dual Language Program, which has been running for more than 25 years, is a Spanish and English immersion option available for students from preschool through eighth grade. The program is designed to develop academic and cultural competence, as well as bilingualism, starting in kindergarten. In Dual Language classrooms, approximately half of the students are Spanish speakers and half are English speakers, and they are taught by specially trained bilingual teachers. Reading and writing are introduced in both English and Spanish from kindergarten, while math is primarily taught in English with connections to Spanish in grades K-5. Science and social studies are integrated with language arts, providing context and authentic language learning experiences for all students.
The program’s goals are to help students achieve high levels of proficiency in both languages, maintain high academic achievement, and develop positive attitudes toward language and diverse cultures. Parents are encouraged to participate in classroom and after-school activities.
Students are encouraged to stay in the program from kindergarten through eighth grade to achieve these goals, maintain a continuous educational plan, and preserve the language balance essential to the program. Dual Language students also have opportunities at the middle and high school levels in District 113, where they can earn the Illinois Seal of Biliteracy and the Highland Park High School Dual Language Seal.
In addition to the Dual Language Program, the district offers comprehensive ESL services across all schools. For more information, you can review the program FAQ and other resources on this page, or learn more through the Bilingual Parent Advisory Committee (BPAC).
Dual Language Lottery
Annually, North Shore School District 112 holds a lottery for students who wish to participate in the Dual Language programs in kindergarten and first grade.
- To be eligible for the kindergarten lottery, all families must complete the pre-registration process and provide the required proof of residency. Pre-registration forms will be available at a later date.
- To be eligible for the first grade, families must fill out and submit an application. Applications will be available at a later date.
To be considered for Dual Language in the lottery pull, pre-registration and the application must be completed by the deadline, which will be announced soon. Applications received after the deadline will be placed on the waiting list in the order they are received.
Priority placement is only available to families who complete the pre-registration and application by the announced deadline. Priority placement will follow this order:
- Student has siblings currently enrolled in the Dual Language program
- Student attends the Early Childhood Dual Language program at Oak Terrace
A date for the lottery will be shared soon. Families selected to participate in Dual Language from the lottery will have seven days from when they receive their communication to accept or decline placement in Dual Language. All applicants will receive communication on their application status following the lottery pull.
Additional Dual Language Questions and Answers
- What is the Dual Language Program?
- Why does the district offer a Dual Language Program?
- Who is eligible to participate in the Dual Language Program?
- What are the advantages of enrollment in the program?
- What percentage of the instruction is in Spanish?
- What does a typical school day look like?
- Is the curriculum different?
- Does Dual Language differ from ESL?
- How does a teacher qualify to be a Dual Language teacher?
- How does the registration for the program work?
- Who is eligible to enroll?
- What schools offer the Dual Language Program?
- Where do Dual Language students go to middle school?
- What happens when my child goes to middle school?
- Does Dual Language continue at Highland Park High School?
- Will my child's education suffer in the program?
- Will my child progress through the general education curriculum at a slower rate than children in traditional classes?
- Will my child fall behind in basic skills, such as reading, writing and math because of the second language?
- Who can I speak to about the Dual Language Program?
- Can I still enroll my child in Dual Language if they don't speak Spanish?
- Will my child have the same classmates every year? Will that lead to social isolation?
What is the Dual Language Program?
Why does the district offer a Dual Language Program?
Who is eligible to participate in the Dual Language Program?
What are the advantages of enrollment in the program?
What percentage of the instruction is in Spanish?
What does a typical school day look like?
Is the curriculum different?
Does Dual Language differ from ESL?
How does a teacher qualify to be a Dual Language teacher?
How does the registration for the program work?
Who is eligible to enroll?
What schools offer the Dual Language Program?
Where do Dual Language students go to middle school?
What happens when my child goes to middle school?
Does Dual Language continue at Highland Park High School?
Will my child's education suffer in the program?
Will my child progress through the general education curriculum at a slower rate than children in traditional classes?
Will my child fall behind in basic skills, such as reading, writing and math because of the second language?
Who can I speak to about the Dual Language Program?
Can I still enroll my child in Dual Language if they don't speak Spanish?
Will my child have the same classmates every year? Will that lead to social isolation?
2024 Dual Language Information Night
Overview: District 112 Dual Language Immersion Program
In an effort to celebrate and promote this special instructional program, we have created this video narrated by Northwood Middle School 6th-grade student Rafael Pickle (narrated in Spanish with English subtitles).
Overview: District 112 Dual Language Immersion Program
In an effort to celebrate and promote this special instructional program, we have created this video narrated by Northwood Middle School 6th-grade student Rafael Pickle (narrated in Spanish with English subtitles).
Dual Language Instruction in Kindergarten
This video shows literacy instruction in a kindergarten dual language classroom. It focuses on learning to read in both languages and student engagement.
Dominican Republic Capstone Trip Documentary
More than thirty 8th-grade Dual Language students and chaperones went on a service learning trip to the Dominican Republic. This trip was a capstone to their District 112 Dual Language experience.
Dual Language Kindergarten Teacher Ms Ashley Servin
Meet112 episode featuring Dual Language Kindergarten Teacher Ms. Ashley Servin.