The Bilingual Model

Oyster is an example of a 50/50 two-way dual immersion bilingual model. This means that students receive 50% of instruction in English and 50% in Spanish. It is different from typical ESL pull-out programs in that Spanish-speaking English language learners receive support in their first language while learning a second language. In pull-out programs, the philosophy is often "English-only." Longitudinal research has proven that students with a strong basis in their first language are more successful in learning a second language. This is why Oyster has such a strong focus on literacy in English and Spanish.

Each classroom at Oyster has two teachers: one a native Spanish speaker, and one a native English speaker. Each teacher is responsible for teaching language arts in his/her native language. Also, the teachers share the responsibility for teaching the content area subjects: math, social studies, and science. Teachers are equal partners in the classroom and plan the instructional program together, never in isolation.