| As recent attention and validation has been directed toward Foreign Language and the National Foreign Language Standards that call for communicative competence, many schools are turning to dual language education (also known as two-way immersion) to strengthen second language proficiency among students in the United States. Despite the increased number of dual language education programs that are implemented each year in the United States, Snow (1990) points out that educators are not prepared for the intricacies of two-way dual language as they have emerged from Second Language Acquisition (SLA) theory. This case study attempts to fill the gap in research on incorporating dual language methodology and instructional design in the preparation of current and future language educators. This case study thus intends to illustrate ways in which observation of second language teaching within the two-way dual language classroom can inform teacher preparation in the field of Foreign Language Education (FLE).;This study describes Spanish language instruction for English dominant children in a two-way dual language classroom through an ethnographic approach of participant observation. The year long observation describes how a dual language kindergarten teacher provides comprehensible input and creates opportunities for English native speakers (ENSs) to produce output in Spanish. Equally important is how the teacher assesses and plans for her students' Spanish language development. Participant observation, field notes, audio and videotapes, questionnaires and interviews were the data collection procedures used in this study.;The teacher in this case study provided comprehensible input to ENSs in Spanish through the use of a variety of instructional strategies, which she supported by creating opportunities for interaction with the input provided. The instructional strategies identified as implemented by the teacher are consistent with what research recommends for second language teaching and learning (Echevarria, Vogt, & Short, 2000; Lightbown & Spada, 1990; Salomne, 1991; Snow, 1990).;The teacher proved to be a talented, intuitive educator who relied mostly on mental language planning and interactive decision making for assessment (Anderson, 1976; McCutcheon, 1980; Shavelson & Stern, 1981). However, the mental language planning paid attention to language objectives in content lesson, and thematic units, but it would have benefited from a systematic, spiraling language plan that incorporates documented planning and assessment for second language growth, as recommended by current language education research (Curtain & Pesola, 1994; Genessee & Upshur, 1996; Graiser, 1998; Swain, 1996; Swinney, 2001). |
