Midvale Elementary dual immersion students celebrate culture

After learning songs in both Spanish and English during the past several weeks, 8-year-old Madelynn Nava Ayers and her Midvale Elementary classmates learned several countries’ dances to perform at the “Party in the USA” dual immersion program.

“I liked all of it, but learning about Mexico was my favorite,” said Madelynn. Her father is from Mexico and her mother is from America. “I liked the costumes and the Argentine ‘Chacarera.’”

Most Midvale Elementary students are like Madelynn, knowing or learning both Spanish and English. Principal Shad DeMill estimates almost 75 percent of the students are Spanish-native speakers. Dual immersion at the school means Spanish speakers learning English and English speakers learning Spanish, so most of the 760 students are bilingual, he said.

“With language comes culture and the unstated lessons of respect,” DeMill said. “Being bilingual is unique, special, something we can use throughout our lives.”

The three-day program highlighted songs, dances and facts from South America, the Caribbean, Central America, Mexico and the U.S., in both Spanish and English. Some songs the students sang included the “The State Song,” “Bomba de Puerto Rico,” and “Mexico.” They also performed “¡El Caribe.,” “Chacarera” and a line dance.

“We want to showcase the different culture, folklore and art they’re learning,” third-grade dual immersion teacher Heidi Ceballos said. “The students have fun learning about the typical food, holidays, music, culture and society of the Spanish-speaking countries.”

For 12 years, Krista Mecham has taught dual immersion.

“This is a celebration of their bilingual skills,” she said. “We look at it as the Super Bowl of what we’ve learned.”

Mecham said that teachers don’t group the performances into Spanish-speaking countries, but instead have students understand and demonstrate that each country has its own unique and rich culture.

Midvale’s model in teaching both languages promotes equality and shows the value in students’ native languages, she said.

“Not only are the identities of Spanish-speaking students respected while they learn English for survival, but the English-speaking students have the privilege of adding another language and culture to their identities,” Mecham said. “We live in a global, competitive world. By being able to communicate with more people, dual language students have the opportunity to help other people and to make great contributions to society. It helps make these students stronger citizens.”