Two-Way Immersion Network for Catholic Schools (TWIN-CS)

The Two-Way Immersion Network for Catholic Schools (TWIN-CS) is a national initiative to share dual language research, ideas, techniques and resources with the goal of supporting students in becoming bilingual, bicultural and biliterate. The network's innovative design and programming enables students to maintain their language and culture, while systemically transforming schools from monolingual to multilingual modes of education.

What is Two-Way Immersion?

Two-Way Immersion (TWI), recognized nationally as the most effective approach to bilingual eduction, blends native English speaking students with peers who are native in another language. With more than 20% of the U.S. population speaking a language other than English at home, multiple approaches to educating students with limited English profriency exist. Typically, these students are provided supplemental assistance focused on English language development.

TWI differs from such apporaches in two key ways. First, TWI supports bilingualism, biliteracy, and biculturalism. English learners become fluent in both English and their native language. Second, TWI supports bilingualism and biliteracy for native English speakers as well. Specifically English language learners are not separated from their native English classmates, but instead, all students serve as language models for one another, and thus/they? become bilingual together. As such, TWI not only prepares all student participants to be bilingual and biliterate citizens in an increasingly diverse world, it deeply respects the minitority language students' identity and family cultures.

“Dual language is about so much more than language learning. The real power of dual language education is that it makes a true difference by developing empathetic, compassionate learners and human beings, which is the foundation of our Catholic faith.”
Leticia Oseguera, Principal, Mater Dei Juan Diego Academy, TWIN-CS Dual Language School, Sacramento, California

Membership in the TWIN-CS Network

Developed in 2013 by faculty in the Lynch School of Education and Human Development at Boston College, the TWIN-CS network has grown from 12 original members to 22 members today. While many schools are Spanish-English programs, the Network also has a Mandarin-English school, and one that is both Spanish-English and Mandarin-English.

Two-way immersion and dual language instruction is utilized in a number of educational settings; however, the TWIN-CS network is unique in that members work collaboratively in three essential partnerships:

Partnership with Boston College. This partnership provides continuous professional development, rigorous team training at an annual academy, national support from leadership coaches, and individualized consultation with the TWIN-CS design team faculty and staff at the Roche Center.

Learning partnership with other schools. TWIN-CS schools are encouraged to maintain learnings relationships with a leadership coach and other principals of TWIN-CS schools through professional learning communities. Each school is assigned a leadership coach and a PLC, which gather monthly to ask questions, seek advice, discuss research, explore enrollment expansion strategies, and provide support.

Leading partnership with other schools. This partnership honors the teaching that TWIN-CS teams facilitate with other Member schools. Examples include participating in regional collegial visits and webinar conversations, presenting at the annual TWIN-CS Academy, and sharing meaningful resources to support the work of dual language in Catholic schools.

TWIN-CS Program Director Elena Sada, Ph.D.

Elena Sada, Ph.D., most recently was assistant professor and director of the online bilingual education program at Eastern Connecticut University. Throughout her 20-year career as an educator, Elena has served as supervisor of ESL, World Languages, and Dual Language Programs in New Rochelle, NY, and West Hartford, CT; as a board member for Upper-West Success Academy in NYC; and as a board member of New York's Brilla Prep Schools, a charter schools network with a Catholic approach. Sada has a master’s degree in Supervision and Administration of Schools and Districts from Hunter College, CUNY; a master’s degree in Theological Studies from the University of Dallas; and a doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in Bilingual and Multicultural Education from the University of Connecticut.

Inquire about TWIN-CS

Elena Sada
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