Mandarin Program
Welcome to the Tarwater Dual Language Immersion Program!
At Tarwater Elementary School, we believe that preparing students for the future means giving them the tools to connect with a global world. Our Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Program offers an exceptional educational pathway where students don't just learn a second language—they live it.
Through our nationally recognized immersive 50/50 model, students spend half of their instructional day learning in English and the other half learning in their target language (Mandarin Chinese or Spanish). From Kindergarten through 6th grade, our dedicated educators teach core academic subjects—including math, science, and literacy—integrated directly with language acquisition.
The Tarwater Advantage: Our immersion students develop high-level bilingualism, biliteracy, and cross-cultural competencies, all while mastering the same rigorous academic standards as their peers.
Why Choose Immersion at Tarwater?
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Academic Excellence: Research consistently shows that immersion students develop advanced problem-solving skills, greater mental flexibility, and strong academic performance across all subjects.
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Cultural Connection: Language and culture go hand-in-hand. Our program fosters deep global awareness, empathy, and appreciation for diverse perspectives.
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A Lifelong Gift: In an increasingly interconnected world, fluency in English and a second language opens doors to future academic, travel, and career opportunities.
Whether you are a current family looking for program resources or a prospective parent exploring the best educational fit for your child, we invite you to explore our community. Join us at Tarwater, where we are raising the global leaders of tomorrow, one word at a time!
How to Register Your Child
Take the First Step: Register for Tarwater DLI
Choosing the Dual Language Immersion pathway is an exciting decision that sets your child up for a lifetime of global opportunities, cognitive growth, and cultural appreciation. Whether you are enrolling a rising kindergartener or exploring a pathway for an older student, we are thrilled to welcome your family into our immersion community.
Spaces in our Mandarin immersion classrooms are highly sought after, and enrollment is processed on a first-come, first-served basis.
- Please complete this form for the DLI school of your choice. A staff member from the school will reach out to you to follow up.
2. If residing outside of Tarwater Elementary School boundaries, please complete an Open Enrollment Application.
Frequently Asked Questions
The Immersion Experience
How does the 50/50 model work daily? Your child will have two excellent teachers: one who instructs entirely in English for half the day, and one who instructs entirely in the target language (Mandarin) for the other half. Core subjects are split logically between the two. For example, math and science might be taught in the target language, while social studies and English language arts are taught in English.
Will my child fall behind in English or core subjects? Not at all. Decades of research show that while immersion students may experience a temporary, minor lag in English reading mechanics in the very early grades (as they map out two language systems), they catch up completely by 3rd or 4th grade. In fact, immersion students typically outperform their monolingual peers on standardized tests in reading and math by the upper elementary years.
Home & Family Support
We don’t speak the target language at home. Can our child still succeed? Yes—in fact, the vast majority of our DLI families do not speak Mandarin at home! Our teachers are highly trained to use gestures, visuals, props, and songs to make the language completely comprehensible to beginners. The program is designed assuming the student has zero background in the language on day one.
How can I help my child with homework if I don’t understand it? Homework is designed to reinforce concepts your child has already learned in class, so they should be able to complete it independently. Your role at home is to provide a quiet workspace, encourage good study habits, and support literacy by reading to your child in English (or your native home language). Strong literacy skills in your home language easily transfer over to their second language!
Eligibility & Admissions
Can older students join the program, or is it only for Kindergarteners? Because the language builds sequentially year after year, the primary entry point is Kindergarten. Students wishing to enter the program in 1st grade or later must demonstrate age-appropriate proficiency in the target language through a language assessment conducted by our staff.
Is transportation provided for students outside the Tarwater neighborhood? Bus transportation is generally provided for students who live within our specific school attendance boundaries. Families enrolling from outside Tarwater boundaries through open enrollment are typically responsible for their own daily transportation. (Please check with the front office for the most up-to-date routing options).