Hebrew Language Immersion
Hebrew is a unique target language because it serves as a model of an ancient language that has been revived as a living language in modern times. Hebrew is an entrance point to learning other Semitic languages such as Arabic and Amharic. Contemporary Israeli culture fosters characteristics and skills that empower children to be active global citizens. Modern Hebrew is a relatively easy language to learn as it was designed to be taught to large groups of recent immigrants to Israel. The regular structure and syntax of Hebrew makes it both fun and relatively easy to learn!
Sela PCS is founded on the premise that fluency in more than one language develops a greater ability to communicate with and to understand other cultures.
Research indicates that in order to gain fluency in a language, students need to spend significant time in an environment saturated in the language they are learning. At Sela PCS, students receive instruction for all subjects in both English and Hebrew. By immersing students in Hebrew at key times throughout the day, we provide the greatest opportunity for Sela PCS students to graduate bilingual and bi-literate.
As a dual-language school committed to immersion, Sela PCS helps students achieve language proficiency in two languages – including reading and oral proficiency – and will set high learning standards for both English Language Arts and Hebrew Language, choosing curricula that will provide its teachers with the instructional resources to successfully develop these skills and abilities in its students.
Hebrew is a unique target language because it serves as a model of an ancient language that has been revived in modern times; it is an entrée to Semitic languages, and contemporary Israeli culture fosters characteristics and learning about the culture of a country very different from our own teaches children to be global citizens.
Because mastery of the written and spoken language is critical to success in all subject areas, Sela PCS will engage a rigorous and balanced curriculum in both languages.
PreK3 and PreK4
In the pre-kindergarten classrooms, Sela PCS uses a 50/50 immersion model, meaning that instruction takes place half of the time in English and half of the time in Hebrew, our target second language. Each early-childhood classroom will be staffed by either two teachers or one teacher and one instructional assistant, one of whom is either a primarily English-speaker and one the other a primarily Hebrew-speaker, to implement this model.
The early childhood classroom at Sela is organized as a dual-language environment. The content and activities in the classroom are focused on helping children acquire vocabulary and proficiency in both Hebrew and English that will prepare them for kindergarten.
Creative Curriculum’s educational approach emphasizes “active participatory learning.” Active learning means students have direct, hands-on experiences with people, objects, events, and ideas. Children’s interests and choices are at the heart of High Scope programs. They construct their own knowledge through interactions with the world and the people around them. Children take the first step in the learning process by making choices and following through on their plans and decisions. Teachers, caregivers, and parents offer physical, emotional, and intellectual support. In active learning settings, adults expand children’s thinking with diverse materials and nurturing interactions.
Grades K-5
Along with all public and public charter schools in the District of Columbia, Sela PCS follows the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for English Language Arts and Mathematics. In Kindergarten through 5th grade, Sela PCS builds the foundation for successful readers and writers through the use of Arts & Letters, and in math, students follow Eureka Math2.
Sela PCS bases its science curriculum from the national Next Generation Science Standards and includes a school garden component in some grades. The Sela PCS social studies program is designed around the concepts of democracy and diversity and aims to help students to make sense of the world in which they live, make connections between major ideas and their own lives, see themselves as members of the world community, and understand, appreciate, and respect the commonalities and differences that give the United States character and identity. Students also learn about Israeli Studies.
Physical Education – Physical Education is an integral part of the total education program of each student in our school. Through the medium of sport and movement all students will participate in a sequential, differentiated program that fosters each student’s personal health, fitness and safety. Through exposure to a wide variety of activities, students will gain the necessary knowledge to understand the importance of and make educated decisions around opportunities to achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Visual Arts – Students will demonstrate an understanding of the arts in relation to history and culture. They will make connections between visual arts and other disciplines. All students in grades KG-5th have Visual Arts for 45 minutes at least once per week with a Hebrew-speaking art teacher who integrates Israeli culture into her lessons.
Music – Maintaining a balance between traditional and contemporary repertoire, students are encouraged to excel at studying multiple instruments to fulfill the needs of a variety of performance pieces. KG-5th grade students receive music instruction for 45 minutes at least once per week in a dedicated music classroom. Music Theory is the study of the structure of music and we begin teaching the basics. Students learn about rhythm using percussion instruments. Students learn about harmony, melody and how to read easy sheet music as they learn to sing various songs.
Library is a time that elementary students are able to make use of Sela’s circulating library. Students will attend a library session for at least one 45-minute session per week in which they (1) receive a mini-lesson from the school librarian on grade-appropriate topic of the functioning of the library or the use of library materials; (2) have an opportunity to borrow or return books from the school’s circulating collection; and (3) have individual reading time in the library to further their desire to read for pleasure.
Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) is integrated throughout English and Hebrew instruction on a daily basis. Our STEM program prepares our students for careers that require math and science, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem solving. Our STEM program also gives students a boost through the acquisition of skills and experiences that inspires them and equips them with practical values and skills for life. Our math specialist provides support to teachers with planning STEM integrated lessons and coaching on a weekly basis comprised of targeted classroom observations and feedback focused on the implementation of STEM activities. Our teachers will integrate effective STEM classroom activities as well as assess students’ understanding on a daily basis in order to adjust their instruction to meet the individual needs of our students.
