Two Way Immersion

The TTSD vision that “Every student thrives in school and graduates prepared to succeed”. Students thrive in our program when we celebrate their language and culture as assets, and support their growth as multilingual individuals. Success in the TWI program is defined by three main goals: 

• develop advanced bilingualism and biliteracy, culminating in the Oregon State Seal of Biliteracy; 

• foster academic achievement;

• instill socio-cultural competence “encompassing identity development, cross-cultural competence, and multicultural appreciation” (Guiding Principles of Dual Language, V.3, p.3)

These goals serve as pillars for our program. To reach these goals, we rely on evidence-based models for building biliteracy and fostering a multilingual perspective and identity.

Oregon State Seal of Biliteracy 

Each year, the Oregon Department of Education awards the State Seal of Biliteracy to recognize multilingual graduates with advanced levels of biliteracy. As multilingual students prepare for graduation, they can demonstrate their proficiency in a language other than English on a number of assessments like the International Baccalaureate (IB) test, the STAMP, and AAPPL. TTSD provides assessment opportunities to our multilingual students and support our students by applying for the State Seal of Biliteracy. TTSD’s Two Way Immersion program is designed to support students in attaining this prestigious honor.

To learn more about the requirements for attaining the State Seal of Biliteracy, please consult the criteria from the Oregon Department of Education. 

TTSD’s Two Way Immersion Program for middle school follows a 50:50 model. This means that 50% of the student day will be spent in Spanish while the other half will be spent in English. We call this plan our Language Allocation. To participate in TWI, students will take one Spanish Language Arts course, in addition to 2 content courses delivered in Spanish. Spanish content courses vary by grade level to offer students opportunities to learn in both their languages. 

What is the TTSD Certificate of Biliteracy?

TTSD’s Certificate of Biliteracy honors our amazing Two-Way Immersion students and their developing multilingualism. The purpose of TWI is to build biliteracy skills, aim for high academic achievement, and support our students’ identity as fabulous multilingual people. We want all of our students to achieve advanced levels of Spanish and English proficiency and to earn the Oregon State Seal of Biliteracy upon graduation from high school. 

Your experience in TWI so far is part of a longer journey! As you prepare to continue in TWI at high school, TTSD will award the Certificate of Biliteracy to recognize your multilingual development. As an 8th-grader, you have an exciting opportunity to pause and reflect on your growth. This task is a required element of participating in TWI; it is not a graded project in your TWI classes. 

To achieve the 8th-grade Certificate of Biliteracy, students must complete the following requirements:

1. Participate in all assigned middle school TWI courses in Spanish.

2. Successfully complete Tasks 1,2 and 3 of the Certificate of Biliteracy Portfolio. These tasks combine listening, speaking, reading, and writing in English and Spanish as an illustration of how you have grown as a multilingual person.

The Certificate of Biliteracy Portfolio is all about showing off your amazing biliteracy skills! The Certificate of Biliteracy Portfolio consists of three core tasks: 

1. Reflect on your multilingual skills

2. Reflect on what you have learned in your TWI experience 

3. Reflect on your identity as a multilingual person

Certificate of Biliteracy Task Instructions

The Two Way Immersion Program for high school currently offers up to 3 classes per year in Spanish. The TWI program at TUHS consists of a minimum of 8 total credits in Spanish. The bullets below detail courses TWI students are required to take. Additionally, TWI students will have elective options in 11th and 12th grades. 

To earn TWI graduation honors, TWI courses must include:

• Spanish Language Arts (9-12 grades, 4 credits)

• Global Studies (9th grade, 1 credit)

• Biology (9th grade, 1 credit)

• Chemistry (10th grade, 1 credit) 

• US History  (10th grade, 1 credit)

• Government & Economics (12th grade, 1 credit)

Two-Way Immersion at Tigard High School 

Updated Communication and THS Biliteracy Pathway coming soon.

TTSD’s Two-Way Immersion (TWI) program for high school currently offers up to three classes per year in Spanish. TWI students at Tigard High School need to take a minimum of nine (9) total credits in Spanish.

The following courses are required in order to earn TWI honors at graduation:

• Spanish Language Arts (9-12 grades, 4 credits)
• Social Studies
  • World History (9th grade, 1 credit)
  • US history (10th grade, 1 credit)
  • Government & economics (12th grade, 1 credit)
• Sciences
  • Biology (9th grade, 1 credit)
• At least one more credit in a class taught in Spanish

Click here for a short video presentation on what TWI in high school looks like.

Do you have questions about TTSD's elementary TWI program? Check out our FAQ for more info.