Woodhull Dual Language Students Excel on State Exam
Fifth grade students who participated in the dual language program at Woodhull Intermediate School in the Huntington School District have a lot to be proud of this summer. The group sat for the New York State Spanish Language Proficiency Exam (SLP), a state assessment offered to students at the end of 8th grade, and produced some very impressive results.
“All of the students passed the SLP, receiving grades considerably higher than the minimum 65 passing grade,” said Carmen Kasper, district director of foreign language and ESL/ bilingual programs. “In fact, ten out of the fourteen students in the class scored between 90 and 100. The SLP results clearly demonstrate that the students have achieved a high level of Spanish language proficiency. A passing score in this assessment gives the students one high school credit in foreign language.”
The Woodhull fifth grade dual language students include Santiago Alzate, Emily Biblow, Tyler Burton, Leah Butz, Samuel Dejoie, Leslie Gonzalez, Jeffrey Granados-Chavez, Isabelle Harman, Jack Kitzen, Caroline Moore, Henry Moreira-Lucana, Lily Morris, Melissa Paredes, and Maralin Ulloa-Palma. Their teacher, Cinzia Reeves, “worked tirelessly to get the students prepared for this test,” Ms. Kasper said. “We wish to thank her and the other dual language program teachers who prepared these students since kindergarten for their hard work and dedication.”
Students in the dual language program are immersed in the Spanish language from day one. “This bilingual literacy-rich environment fosters a whole language approach to learning,” Ms. Kapser said. “The students use their reading and listening comprehension skills daily in all academic areas. They are constantly reading, writing and discussing various topics in social studies, science and math so they are held accountable for their academic language as well as their social language in Spanish.”
The Woodhull School students were given practice exams to prepare them for the format of the state assessment. The exam is comprised of listening, reading and writing sections as well as a verbal component which is administered individually prior to the actual exam date.
“During all the practice exams, the students demonstrated strong listening and reading comprehension skills and the results offered a great opportunity for their teacher to plan lessons that focused on meeting the students’ specific needs,” Ms. Kasper said.
The dual language program has become quite popular with both students and their parents. The School Board elected to continue offering it even after the loss of a state grant that helped defray some of the expenses associated with it.
“It’s a program that helps make Huntington unique,” Superintendent John J. Finello said.
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