What is Advocates for Language Learning?

Advocates for Language Learning, A.L.L., is a non-profit 501(c) volunteer organization that supports and fundraises for the benefit of the bilingual education of students in Saddleback Valley Unified School District’s award-winning Dual Language Immersion Program, also referred to as the Spanish Immersion Program. We are proud that all proceeds generated through donations and fundraising go directly to benefit the students. The funds raised by A.L.L. provide valuable resources for each immersion student in grades TK-12, ensuring the greatest educational advantages as bilingual citizens in two of the world’s top three languages. Your child directly benefits from A.L.L’s fundraising efforts in several ways:

• Spanish library books and classroom materials
• Cultural field trips
• Senior Recognition Celebration Recognition pins and cords for 6th, 8th and 12th grade promotions
• Special family events, including Dia de Muertos, Festival de los Niños, and our new Carnival Family Event
• DELE Exam costs for high school students in need. This exam is the official accreditation of the degree of fluency of the Spanish language, issued and recognized by the Ministry of Education and Culture of Spain.

For more information about A.L.L., email info@allsvusd.org.

How do I join A.L.L.?

Parents of students enrolled in the Immersion Program are automatically members of A.L.L. As an inclusive organization, we welcome English and Spanish speaking members, and meetings and events include translation in both languages. We also welcome support from our community for this incredible program. Tax-deductible donations and event sponsorships are popular ways our community participates.

What is the language immersion program in Saddleback Valley Unified School District?

The multi-award winning SVUSD Dual Language (Spanish-English) Immersion Program began in 1991 and is designed to provide English-speaking and Spanish-speaking students an exciting, enriching, and challenging educational opportunity. Students learn to collaborate, communicate, and think critically in all academic content areas in both Spanish and English. By the end of twelfth grade, students have obtained the bilingual skills and multicultural competencies needed to succeed in our global society and economy. 

Goals and Benefits:

• Develop high levels of proficiency in English and Spanish so that students are fully biliterate and bilingual.
• Ensure academic excellence in the two languages as outlined in California State Standards.
• Cultivate an understanding and appreciation of other cultures, and strengthen positive connections among students, their families, and the greater global community.
• Develop flexibility in thinking through problem solving, conceptualizing, and reasoning in two languages.
• Empower parents to actively participate in their child’s education.

How do I know if I am eligible to register my child in the Dual Language Immersion Program?

The optimal classroom population is half native English-speaking students and half native Spanish-speaking students. Saddleback Valley Unified School District’s Dual Language Immersion Program is an option for all students of families that reside within our district boundaries, including the following cities in southern Orange County, CA:

• Foothill Ranch
• Laguna Hills
• Lake Forest
• Mission Viejo
• Rancho Santa Margarita
• Trabuco Canyon

Because the program is located on the campuses of Olivewood Elementary (TK), Ralph A. Gates DLI Elementary, Los Alisos Intermediate, and Laguna Hills High Schools, students living in the boundaries designated to attend those schools receive first priority. If your student resides anywhere in Saddleback Valley Unified’s boundaries and you would like to enroll your student in the SVUSD Dual Language (Spanish-English) Immersion Program, you will need to apply for School Choice through the SVUSD website. If SVUSD is not your home district, there is a process to apply to the Dual Language (Spanish-English) Immersion Program. You will need to complete an Inter-District Transfer request. Complete this Interest Form to receive more information about the DLI program.

How do I register my child for the Spanish Immersion Program?

Because the program is located on the campuses of Olivewood Elementary (TK), Ralph A. Gates DLI Elementary, Los Alisos Intermediate, and Laguna Hills High Schools, students living in the boundaries designated to attend those schools receive first priority. If your student resides anywhere in Saddleback Valley Unified’s boundaries and you would like to enroll your student in the SVUSD Dual Language (Spanish-English) Immersion Program, you will need to apply for School Choice through the SVUSD website. If SVUSD is not your home district, there is a process to apply to the Dual Language (Spanish-English) Immersion Program. You will need to complete an Inter-District Transfer request. Complete this Interest Form to receive more information about the DLI program.

How much of my child’s day will be taught in Spanish?

The Dual Language Immersion Program is a challenging and rigorous academic program in which Spanish is used as the primary language of instruction in the younger grades. SVUSD implements a 90/10 immersion model in which kindergarten and first grade students receive 90% of daily instruction in Spanish and 10% in English. The percentage of English instruction increases as seen below.

Will learning so much in Spanish limit my child’s knowledge of English?

Not at all. In fact, students in language immersion programs often score higher on standardized testing reading in English than those students who are only taught English. Early in the language immersion education, students may be able to read better in one language than the other. However, this is a normal part of learning to read, and by fifth grade, the majority of immersion students read at or above grade level in both languages.

What are the benefits of my child participating in the program through twelfth grade?

Immersion students graduating from high school are bilingual and biliterate. They have taken two AP Spanish courses that can be applied for college credit and have had an opportunity to earn an additional diploma from ISA. Graduating seniors also receive special recognition from SVUSD and the Orange County Department of Education. All students completing the DLI program can include the achievement of participation in the Dual Language Immersion Program on their college applications.

Can my child start in the Dual Language Immersion Program at any time?

Students may enter the program in TK, Kindergarten, and First Grade. Students  in kindergarten and first grade are admitted into the program through a priority system. English speakers may enter into first grade up to the end of the first trimester depending on space availability. Spanish speaking students and bilingual students may be admitted at any grade based on assessment results.