REDLANDS–The Redlands school district Tuesday unveiled its new English immersion program, which calls for 80 to 90 percent instruction in English.

Bilingual teachers will be using a technique called “preview review” where each lesson is previewed in Spanish, taught in English, than reviewed in Spanish.

“Spanish is only used for clarification,” said Yolanda Contreras, in charge of preparing teachers to comply with Prop. 227’s intent to end bilingual education in California.

Contreras told board members that teachers will use gestures, graphics and other visual supplements to help students understand the lessons.

The new law took effect last week.

So far, Inland area districts have been slow to spell out plans to implement it.

In July, Riverside Unified School District said it planned to teach kindergarteners and first-graders with 60 percent English instruction and 40 percent Spanish. The plan irritated Prop. 227 author Ron Unz, who said “nearly all” English should be 95 to 98 percent.

Contreras said district administrators have scrambled to design a cohesive plan even though there was scant direction from the state.

“I’m pulling together a procedure manual that will help give us some guidelines,” she said. “And the next thing will be to start meeting with parents to see what their questions are.”

Contreras said oral and literacy tests will determine whether a child with limited proficiency in English will be placed in /an/ English immersion class or mainstreamed in a regular classrooms. Older pupils will have to score higher on tests since the content is more difficult in their grades, she said.

Superintendent Bob Hodges said the district is also planning an alternative program for students whose parents have signed waivers, allowing them to be in bilingual classes.

That plan will have to be approved by the school board at the next meeting.

But whether it will be implemented depends on how many parents sign the waivers, Hodges said.

“We’re finding that other school districts are signing up few children for bilingual classes through the waiver program,” he said.

Hodges said that could mean many parents support Prop. 227’s demand for reform in bilingual education.

In other action Tuesday, the board approved the appointment of Michael Snellings as director of students services. Snellings has been the principal at Slover Mountain (continuation) High School in Colton.



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