Spanish Immersion

Kalamazoo Christian offers a Spanish Immersion Program that starts with Preschool and continues through High School.

The Kalamazoo Christian Schools Spanish Immersion program was established in 2010. More than 80% of Kalamazoo Christian’s Spanish Immersion teaching staff are native Spanish speakers, and representing eight different Spanish-speaking countries. Our Spanish Immersion students score above the national average according to the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) assessment AAPPL.

The core curriculum for the English Program and the Spanish Immersion Program are the same; however, Spanish Immersion is designed to immerse students in the Spanish language while maintaining a high-quality, Christ-centered education.

Why Spanish Immersion Matters

1 Corinthians 14:10 says, “There are many different languages in the world, and every language has meaning.”

The Kalamazoo Christian Spanish Immersion Program fosters understanding, appreciation and empathy for diverse cultures and perspectives. It provide a comprehensive and rigorous academic education that goes beyond language skills by integrating cultural aspects.

Learning Spanish in a Christian school means studying God’s Word, worshiping, praying and exploring biblical concepts in a second language.

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How Spanish Immersion Works

Kalamazoo Christian’s Spanish Immersion Program an early, total, one-way immersion program, based in research.

It follows a proven method of educating children by immersing them in a second or “target” language so they become fully bilterate. The classroom environment becomes the setting for language acquisition through core subject content instruction, educational discourse and social interactions.

Immersion by Year

Preschool & Elementary School

Middle School

High School

Preschool and Elementary School
Students begin their immersion experience in preschool, kindergarten or first grade where they are taught to read, write and converse in Spanish All core subject areas are taught in Spanish. Explicit teaching of English only skills (that are not transferable), beginning in third grade, occurs through core subject areas. Kindergarten through 2nd Grade Spanish Immersion students receive 80–90% of their instruction in Spanish. In 3rd and 4th grade they receive 75% of their instruction in Spanish.
Middle School
Middle School Spanish Immersion follows a 40/60 model. At least 40% of Spanish Immersion student's classroom time is in Spanish, with slightly more than 60% in 5th grade with Spanish Language Arts, Bible and Genius Hour. 6th-8th grade students receive Spanish Language Arts and Bible.
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High School
Spanish Immersion graduates can participate in Western Michigan University's Spanish dual enrollment. By taking one Spanish course per semester, the students finish High School with most of the credits needed for a Spanish minor from WMU. These credits are often easily transferred to other colleges and universities. The Spanish courses are taught on Kalamazoo Christian High School's campus by a WMU professor.

Opportunities in Spanish Immersion

Spanish Immersion students at Kalamazoo Christian are exposed to cultural celebrations, trips, contact with exchange students and opportunities to go to other countries in exchange and host students from other countries.

Enrollment at KCS

Are you interested in enrolling your child(ren) at Kalamazoo Christian High School? We’d love to get in touch with you.

Submit an enrollment inquiry