New Curriculum COLLTS, Is Helping Pre-K Students Destroy Language Barriers

by Sophia Schmidt

Learning a second language is an intimidating task. In the United States, it is often faced by high school students who could care less about the intricacies and usefulness of speaking a second language (in this country). The morsels that manage to seep through are quickly forgotten a short time after the semester’s end; often replaced by something deemed more useful (by said student). However, COLLTS, (Cultivating Oral Language and Literacy Talents in Students), is a brand-new curriculum aiming to improve dual language learning for students. 

Dual language learners are a cresive population in American school systems. The opportunities for strengthening their language skills often lack resources and the outcomes are underwhelming for the students. Learning a language is foundational to the rest of a student’s educational experience, anything less than a sturdy and well-maintained foundation will result in a lack of language proficiency. Yet, COLLTS, is here to change all that.

COLLTS curriculum is specifically curated for Pre-K children and uses a combination of children’s literature and a multitude of teaching guides to steer children through the second language obstacle. Created by the Center for English Learners at the American Institutes for Research, (AIR), this program consists of books and other materials to create an excellent learning experience for the young student. 

A top priority within the curriculum is to enhance a child’s ability to understand and retain a second language. A great way to do this is providing foundational and pre-reading skills, oral language proficiency, background and conceptual knowledge. COLLTS is offered in three separate kits, English, Spanish, and English and Spanish. These kits include teaching guides, writing activities, and children’s books published and provided by Bebop Books. The books chosen for this curriculum are great extensions-as they are-engaging, flow with the teaching guides, and display diversity and representation.

AIR has done homework of their own for the creation of this curriculum. A recent study conducted by COLLTS in a Head Start program showed that students taught using the dual language curriculum displayed remarkable improvement in their language proficiency skills over the students that did not receive the dual language curriculum. An unfortunate problem faced by dual language learners was the lack of adequate resources to improve language speaking and understanding skills. AIR witnessed this lag and decided to create a program that would equip teachers and parents with the proper tools to enhance their students' learning. Fear not, these outstanding kits are now available on their website, “The Open Book Blog”. If interested, fill out the form on the webpage and prepare for a revolutionary approach to dual language learning. SS