{"type":"rich","version":"1.0","provider_name":"Transistor","provider_url":"https://transistor.fm","author_name":"Beeverso Podcast ","title":"Redesigning Education for Biliteracy: Kirk Stinson on Building a Dual Language School from the Ground Up","html":"","width":"100%","height":180,"duration":1560,"description":"In this episode of Beyond Translation, host Ruben Arias sits down with Kirk Stinson, Principal at Jim Maples Academy in the Burton School District. Kirk shares a transparent and practical look at what it takes to build a dual language program from scratch—and why it requires far more than simply adding Spanish into an existing system.Kirk walks through the structure of their 50/50 dual language model, where students receive instruction equally in English and Spanish each day. He explains how the program has grown year by year, starting with a single cohort and expanding as students progress, all while maintaining a focus on developing bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural learners.The conversation dives into the deeper instructional shift required for success. Kirk emphasizes that dual language education is not about translation—it is about redesigning how students learn content across two languages. Through strategies like language bridging, scaffolding, and intentional rotation of instructional language, students build true competency rather than surface-level understanding.Kirk also shares key challenges, including access to authentic Spanish materials, balancing progress across two languages, and ensuring alignment across staff, systems, and district expectations. He highlights the importance of building a strong, collaborative teaching culture and maintaining a shared vision across the entire school community.Key Moments01:13 “Inside a 50/50 Dual Language Model”03:23 “Meeting Students at Different Language Levels”05:04 “The Gap in Authentic Spanish Materials”07:16 “From Bilingual to True Biliteracy”09:24 “Helping Families Understand the Value of Spanish”11:06 “Tracking Growth Across Two Languages”13:39 “Long-Term Vision for Biliteracy and Identity”16:02 “Why Dual Language Requires System Redesign”18:03 “Building a Collaborative Teaching Culture”26:05 “Advice for Schools Launching Dual Programs”Why You’ll Love This EpisodeThis episode gives a real-world,...","thumbnail_url":"https://img.transistorcdn.com/E33H3Rn0xLi5rl8DfB5zPBMQHi9QJpzZ2KkA1Wcs0Vw/rs:fill:0:0:1/w:400/h:400/q:60/mb:500000/aHR0cHM6Ly9pbWct/dXBsb2FkLXByb2R1/Y3Rpb24udHJhbnNp/c3Rvci5mbS9mM2Ix/MzNiMzEwMzIzYTBl/NGYzZDNlMDIwMjAx/ZDY2ZC5wbmc.webp","thumbnail_width":300,"thumbnail_height":300}