Pre-school program helping Spanish-speaking students learn English

The Somerton School District was awarded a grant for a pre-school school development program from the federal government, including Orange Grove Elementary.

The program will help more than 120 Spanish- speaking students learn English, one of the ways these programs help students is through both language and social developments.

“Many of these children have not been exposed to the language or their parents do not speak English, so I use both languages in my classroom so both can understand,” Elisa Rouse, a teacher at Orange Grove.

Rouse said that with this unique program it helps the students learn English with different techniques including singing the ABC’s and counting.

“If they are not able to communicate & say the words probably we model for them until they get it right,” said Rouse.

Two more schools are being built in the district within the next year and Rouse hopes they can implement the pre-school program for the children.