Learning to Learn
Dual Language Immersion North County (DLINC) is an award-winning tuition-free charter school that values academic success for all of our TK-8 students. But academic achievements are only possible if students have a solid foundation from which to learn.
Research shows that attitudes and emotions can directly affect the success of second language learning. Acting like an imaginary wall to block learning, this “affective filter” can be lowered by creating classroom environments that intentionally nurture motivated, confident learners. At DLINC, we invest in the social-emotional learning (SEL) of all of our students - equipping them with the skills, abilities, and tools to build positive relationships, solve problems, and meet challenges with empathy and compassion.
To learn more about SEL, we chatted with DLINC’s full-time School Counselor Sonnia Soriano. Sonnia works in our classrooms to help students manage emotions and apply interpersonal skills to any challenges they may be facing.
What’s new this year at DLINC?
This year we have been working with a new SEL curriculum called “Empowering Education”. Each week I go into every single classroom and we do different activities around a lesson topic. Some are group activities, some are class discussions - it just varies every week. We work with key words in English and Spanish, and then the teachers follow up and do activities that reinforce what I introduced.
What’s an example of a SEL lesson?
The very first lesson that we did was introducing “mindfulness”. Every week when I come in, we start off each lesson with a mindful moment where we practice one way to be mindful - like how to sit and pay attention and how to breathe. We start each lesson with that and then we go into different topics.
Other topics that we’ve covered so far this year include building relationships, coping skills, gratitude, listening… there are 30 lessons and they each build on each other.
How have students and parents responded so far to your guidance and support?
Really well! When students see me on campus it’s a reminder that I am available. Sometimes when they see me they ask “can you call me out of class? I’d like to talk”. Just that check-in is sometimes what the kids need, for them to know that someone is there to support them. And my door is open. I tell the kids, if you don’t see me, just ask an adult “Hey is the counselor around? Can you tell her I’d like to see her?” They are really good about doing that, advocating for themselves.
It’s also nice because when I go into the classrooms some of the kids will ask “Can we practice breathing?” “Can we listen to a bell?” They remember our lessons and they enjoy them. It’s nice to hear that when I come into a classroom.
I’m here for parents, too. They can contact me if they just want to check in with someone who can advise and guide them to make sure they are doing the right thing with their kids. For more complex questions, I can guide them towards resources to help. Parents who are concerned about a student can contact me any time through email, phone or in person.
DLINC provides a safe, comfortable and supportive school environment which makes learning in a second language more successful. Find out more and enroll today!
About Dual Language Immersion North County
Dual Language Immersion North County is an award-winning TK-8 tuition-free public charter school serving students in Vista, CA. DLINC prepares students for bright futures in a multilingual world through a safe, respectful and nurturing small charter school environment. We offer immersion education in Spanish and English and the support to ensure student success. We partner with community organizations to take learning out of the classroom, and encourage families to be closely involved in their students' learning. Join our TK-8 tuition-free public charter school today! Enrolling Now!