MIS preschool through first grade students are taught exclusively in Spanish. Thus, at an early age our students learn a second language much the same way they learn their first—by hearing and seeing it used in a natural setting. This method, known as language immersion, benefits children academically and socially while preparing them for the global reality of their future lives: “In addition to reaping the social and economic advantages of bilingualism, immersion learners benefit cognitively, exhibiting greater non-verbal problem solving abilities and more flexible thinking.”

Formal English instruction begins in second grade so that ultimately our students gain proficiency in two languages as they learn to understand, speak, read, write and think in Spanish and English. By learning a second language at school, MIS students begin to experience the multiple perspectives present in the world and find even more ways of communicating with people from other backgrounds, cultures, and nationalities.