Dual Language

Our Dual Language (English/Spanish) Program at PS112 serves students from PreK through 2nd grade and is designed to nurture confident, biliterate, and culturally responsive learners during their earliest years of schooling. In our early childhood classrooms, students are immersed in high-quality academic instruction across all subject areas in both English and Spanish. Through this intentional bilingual approach, children develop strong foundational skills while also learning to communicate, think, and make meaning in two languages.

Our philosophy is grounded in the core goals of dual language education: bilingualism and biliteracy, high academic achievement, and sociocultural competence. We view students’ home languages, cultures, and lived experiences as essential assets that enrich the learning community. By valuing and building on these strengths, we help students develop a strong sense of identity, belonging, and pride in their multilingual abilities while preparing them to thrive academically and socially.

Instruction in our program follows the “rollercoaster model,” a structured approach in which the language of instruction alternates by day or subject. This model ensures students receive balanced and sustained exposure to both English and Spanish over time. Rather than translating instruction, teachers design and deliver lessons in a way that allows students to deeply engage with content in one language at a time, supporting authentic language development and conceptual understanding across both languages.

PS112 is also proud to offer Dual Language within our Nest program, providing students with additional supports to ensure access, inclusion, and success in a nurturing and responsive learning environment. This integrated approach allows students in Nest to benefit from the richness of bilingual instruction. (See our Nest program page for more details)

In our early childhood setting, learning is active, joyful, and collaborative. Through play-based experiences, hands-on exploration, and meaningful interaction, students build vocabulary, confidence, and academic skills in both languages. Our Dual Language program not only prepares students for long-term academic success, but also empowers them to become empathetic, curious, and culturally responsive members of a multilingual world.