Dual Language Program

For more than 50 years, the Brockton Public Schools have proudly offered a dual language program that empowers students to pursue their education in multiple languages and prepares them for lifelong multilingual fluency.

Today, BPS has three dual language offerings allowing students to pursue their learning in English and one of French, Spanish and Portuguese.

The Amitiè (French), Unidos (Portuguese) and Juntos (Spanish) two-way immersion programs are all based at the Manthala George, Jr. Global Studies School.

Mission

The BPS Dual Language programs are collaborative learning communities that promote the growth of both English and one additional language, empowering students to become active and successful members of a global society.

Vision

The vision of BPS Dual Language programs is for all students from diverse cultural backgrounds to become bilingual, biliterate and multicultural

Benefits of Being Bilingual

Cognitive: Develop strong thinking and problem-solving skills

Social-Emotional: Build community connections, create strong relationships and embrace empathy

Global: Participate in the global community and pursue unique academic and career opportunities

About Amitiè - Friendship Through Language

The Amitiè program is Brockton Public Schools' French-English immersion program, which was first launched in 2018. Through the Amitiè program, students spend half of their academic time learning in French and the other half in English.

Students read, write, listen and speak in French and English across all of their subject areas -- language arts, math, science and social studies.

The program also engages students on the broader context of the French language by celebrating French heritage, history and culture.

Families are invited to take part in their students' dual language journey through celebrations of French and Haitian holidays, activities and multicultural community projects.

Why French?

French is of the most commonly spoken family languages in Brockton
French is the 5th-most widely spoken language in the world
French is the official language of 29 countries around the world and is the first language of approximately 8 million people in North America
French is spoken fluently as a second language by 6-11 million Americans
French is the root of half of all basic English words
French is an influential language in the diplomatic space and many international organizations, including the United Nations, European Union, the International Olympic Committee, the Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders

About Juntos - Together, Side by Side

Juntos is Brockton Public Schools' Spanish-English two-way immersion program serving grades K-5 at the George School.

Through the Juntos program, students spend half of their academic time learning in Spanish and the other half in English.

Students read, write, listen and speak in Spanish and English across all of their subject areas -- language arts, math, science and social studies.

The program also engages students on the broader context of the Spanish language by celebrating Spanish and Latin American heritage, history and culture.

Families are invited to take part in their students' dual language journey through celebrations of holidays, activities and multicultural community projects rooted in the Spanish-speaking world.

Why Spanish?

Spanish is one of the major family languages spoken in Brockton and Massachusetts
Spanish fluency is a sought-after skill by employers, institutions, service providers and schools across the U.S.
Spanish is the second most widely spoken language in the world, with an estimated 427 million people who are able to speak the language
Spanish is the official language in more than 20 countries
Spanish is spoken by 41 million people as a first language and studied as a second language by 18 million more in the U.S.
Spanish is the most commonly studied second language in the U.S.
Spanish is recognized as one of the six official languages of the United Nations and the European Union and is prevalent within the World Trade Organization, the Organization of American States and FIFA

About Unidos - United in Language

Unidos is Brockton Public Schools' Portuguese-English two-way immersion program serving grades K-5 at the George School.

Through the Unidos program, students spend half of their academic time learning in Portugese and the other half in English.

Students read, write, listen and speak in Portuguese and English across all of their subject areas -- language arts, math, science and social studies.

The program also engages students on the broader context of the Portuguese language by celebrating the history and culture of

Families are invited to take part in their students' dual language journey through celebrations of holidays, activities and multicultural community projects rooted in the Spanish-speaking world.

Why Portuguese

Portuguese is one of the most commonly spoken home languages in Brockton and Massachusetts
Portuguese is the fourth most spoken language in the world
Portuguese is spoken by 260 million people worldwide
Portuguese is the most spoken language in the Southern Hemisphere, including in Brazil which is the seventh largest economy in the world
Portuguese is an official language of key organizations like the International Monetary Fund, the African Union, the Common Market of the South and the Organization of American States

Kellie Jones Director of Bilingual Education

Email Kellie Jones

How to Register

To enroll a student in the Dual Language Program, please complete the Dual Language Lottery Request Form during the annual kindergarten registration period. You can find additional information about kindergarten registration at bpsma.org/enroll

Students are accepted through a lottery that takes place every May for the upcoming school year.

Students' names are added to the list based on the order their name is drawn in the lottery and enrolled until classes are filled.

Seal of Biliteracy

The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages by high school graduation. Students must meet criteria that are indicative of their proficiency. At the elementary and middle school level, students are eligible for the Pathways to Seal of Biliteracy Awards in recognition of significant steps toward biliteracy, biculturalism and bilingualism from kindergarten into high school.

Pathway Awards are conferred in grades 5 and 8, and students continue their foreign language studies in high school in order to be eligible for the Seal of Biliteracy.