Developmental Bilingual Education:
The Escuela e Instituto El Alba The Dawn Elementary and Secondary School is a private, international-type bilingual school that employs the “developmental” model of dual-language bilingual instruction, whereby students are taught content material as well as language arts in both English and Spanish, in a mainstream context, from Kindergarten through High Schoo
l. Upon graduation, the student will have developed a high-school-level proficiency in both languages and receives a “titulo de graduación that allows entry* into the Universidad Nacional Autonóma de Honduras as well as private universities in Honduras and other Spanish-speaking countries. At the same time, the graduate is awarded a High School Diploma that permits entry into universities in the United States, Canada and most other English-speaking countries*. Since graduating its first high school class in 1987, El Alba has had many graduates admitted to institutions of higher learning in Honduras as well as the United States, Canada and other countries. Many of these have secured academic scholarships at these institutions and have graduated with honors.
“El Alba” often utilizes “English-as-a second-language” techniques for facilitating acquisition of English by Spanish-first-language students. However, such techniques are integrated into the mainstream context of grade-level or high-school specialty courses. The mainstream curriculum is modeled after requirements established in the United States for a High School Diploma, as well as those established in Honduras for a Título de Graduación. For example, a course in United States History is among those required for the high school diploma, whereas a course in History of Honduras is required for the título de graduación. Fortunately, many classes -such as mathematics, science and art, fulfill requirements in both curricula.
* providing one meets academic and other university requirements.
