Educators have generally believed that foreign language instruction should begin in kindergarten or earlier to promote optimum oral language development (e.g., Abbott, ; Curtain & Dahlberg, 2010; Rhodes & Pufahl, ; Rosenbusch, ; Swender & Duncan, ). This article describes two Spanish programs in the Westport (Connecticut) Public Schools district: their new, long‐sequence K–8 program and the short‐sequence Grade 5–8 program it replaced. A five‐year study examined students' oral and listening comprehension proficiency levels in each program at the end of Grades 5 and 8. Results at these grade levels were compared to determine program effectiveness. Students who began in kindergarten attained statistically higher proficiency levels than those who began in Grade 5. This longitudinal study strongly supports school‐based language instruction beginning in kindergarten.

The population of limited English proficient students is growing. Some of these students also lack core academic skills and knowledge in their first language. To assist recent immigrant students, newcomer programs have been implemented. This article describes the rationale for such programs, types of programs available, and their various features.Many school districts face increasing numbers of middle-and highschool-aged immigrant students with limited proficiency in English. Many of these students also have limited literacy skills in their primary language, often as a result of limited formal schooling. Newcomer programs are designed to address the unique needs of these students. The goals of newcomer programs are to help students acquire beginning English language skills along with core academic skills and knowledge, and to acculturate these students to the U.S. school system. Some programs have additional goals, such as developing students' primary language skills and preparing students for their new communities. This article focuses on newcomer programs at the middle school and high school levels.Newcomer programs that have been identified to date vary in their definition of newcomers. Most include students who are recent arrivals to the There is considerable variation in the organization of newcomer programs. Many are programs-within-a-school, often found in the home school (by designated attendance area) of most, if not all, of the newcomer students. Students in these programs may also participate in some regular school activities outside the newcomer program, such as physical education and art. Upon exiting the newcomer program, students often remain at the same school to continue their studies in the regular program. Other newcomer programs are in separate locations; students exiting these programs then transfer to their home schools. Still other newcomer programs are located at district intake centers, where all English language learners are assessed and placed. For those designated as newcomers, the intake centers offer special, short-term courses before the students enter one of the regular schools in the district. In some districts, the newcomer center has been established at a single centralized site that serves all eligible newcomer students; in others, there are several newcomer centers that serve eligible students in designated sectors. In a few districts, not all newcomer students can be served due to limited resources. Theoretical Rationale for Newcomer ProgramsEnglish language learners who are recent immigrants are often at risk of educational failure or early dropout due to underdeveloped first language literacy skills, limited English language skills, or weak academic skills. The needs of these students often surpass the resources of English as a second language (ESL) or bilingual programs. Generally speaking, newcomer programs are designed to prepare immigrant students to participate successfully in a district's language support program. Several specific and often overlapping considerations ...

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