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Eanes ISD

Middle School Spanish Program

After the successful completion of six years of the elementary Spanish immersion program, middle school students are able to enroll in Spanish 2A in 6th grade and Spanish 2B in 7th grade.  The program is no longer considered an immersion program at this point as the students are enrolled in a Spanish class.  They are not receiving core content instruction in Spanish.

After the successful completion of Spanish 2A and 2B, students are awarded credit for both Spanish 1 and Spanish 2 and will have earned the required credits for Language other than English credits needed to graduate from high school. 

 

FAQs

What is the model for Spanish 2A and 2B?
Spanish 2A and 2B are courses specifically designed for Eanes ISD immersion students.  Since the program has changed over the years, the District is able to ensure the course remediates skills in which the students struggle and accelerates where the students show proficiency.  A student who has been in an immersion program typically has well developed listening and speaking skills but needs more explicit instruction in areas such as grammar.  The awareness and appreciation of the Spanish language and cultures will continue as an integral part of the curriculum.  The majority of the class is taught in Spanish beginning the first day.

What is the goal of Spanish 2A and 2B?
Students who successfully complete Spanish 2A and 2B will be prepared to take Spanish 3 in 8th grade.  Students who wish to continue their Spanish studies can then take AP Spanish 4 in 9th grade and continue through their high school career.

Is Spanish 2A and 2B offered at both middle schools?
Yes.

How are 6th grade elective choices impacted if a student wants to take Spanish 2A?
Students in 6th grade typically enroll in the Wheel (drama, art and computer), a music elective, and state-required PE.  Students who wish to be in Spanish 2A must determine if this class is in lieu of the Wheel or music elective.  However, students may also request a PE waiver which enables them to take the Wheel and a music elective.  See next question. 

Can students get a PE waiver in 6th grade so they do not have to give up a traditional elective?
Yes.  As of the 2024-25 school year, 6th grade students who are enrolled in Spanish Immersion (or an intervention class) will be eligible to request a PE waiver.  This allows students to remain on campus for three (3) elective classes and complete five (5) hours per week of physical activity outside of school hours in a program that is of high quality and well supervised by appropriately trained instructors to earn PE credit.  

Can my student wait until 7th grade to enroll in Spanish 2A?
No. Spanish 2A is only offered to 6th grade students who have completed an immersion program.  Staff believe that not receiving language instruction for an entire year with the cohort of students with whom they have been instructed would be detrimental to progress.  If a student does not want to take Spanish in 6th grade, the student may enroll in Spanish 1 in 7th grade.  

Can you offer a “Zero hour” for incoming 6th grade students? 
Spanish is considered a core class. Eanes ISD administration does not feel it is developmentally appropriate for a sixth-grade student to take five core academic courses and three electives beginning at 7:30 am and ending after 4:00 pm. Offering a zero hour also interferes with teacher schedules, staffing and transportation. Currently a zero hour is also not offered at Westlake High School.

Can a core academic class be taught in Spanish as a continuation of immersion?
For Spanish Immersion students to continue on their pathway of gaining high school credits for Languages Other Than English (LOTE) during their secondary Spanish Immersion experience, the following criteria must be met:

  1. the student must be enrolled in a course that covers LOTE TEKS,
  2. the course must be taught by a teacher that has obtained a LOTE Spanish EC-12 certification and
  3. the student must demonstrate proficiency on the course TEKS. 

Core classes taught in Spanish can only award a student credit for the course they are enrolled in, and not a LOTE credit. For example, a student would not receive a credit in Texas History and Spanish, they would only receive a credit for Texas History.