AT 8, HE KNOWS WHAT'S AT STAKE: 'I HAVE TO READ OR I WON'T LEARN'
Arizona Republic
September 3, 2006

AT 8, HE KNOWS WHAT'S AT STAKE: 'I HAVE TO READ OR I WON'T LEARN'
Arizona Republic, The (Phoenix, AZ)
September 3, 2006
Author: Karina Bland, The Arizona Republic Estimated printed pages: 2

Dual-language learning: Juan Sotelo

In his desk, Juan Sotelo has a new Spanish-English dictionary and a reading textbook. His teacher tells him: "Don't lose them." He swears he won't.

But, even at 8, Juan knows there is more at stake in third grade than just keeping track of his new books. He says, "I have to read or I won't learn."

Juan is nearly there, hovering just below grade level in reading. He'll likely make up the ground he lost as he struggled to learn English because he's in a dual-language class this year, meaning he'll get half of his instruction in Spanish.

Arizona law doesn't allow bilingual education. However, schools can offer dual-language classes if students already are proficient in English. It took until now for Juan to get fluent enough in English to qualify.

At his desk, Juan works steadily, sorting the week's spelling words -- "think," "smell," "head," "stick" -- by their vowel sounds.

"Very good, Juan," his teacher, Jessica Barrios, says. Juan had worried that his new teacher might be mean, but she seems nice.

Juan switches to a red pencil and looks up at the overhead projector for the answers. He got them all right, so he carefully draws a star on his paper.

CAPTION: Juan Sotelo, 8, works hard to sort out the week's spelling words in Jessica Barrios' third-grade class at Creighton.