Summer programs teach English language and much more

On Thursday, students in the beginning stages of learning English got lessons in literacy, math and navigating life in their new country.

Welcome to summer school at the Dual Language and Newcomer programs at Albany International Academy. They serve almost 200 students in grades kindergarten-12 who hail from all over the world and now call Albany their home.

The work going on in classrooms is as diverse as the student body. Over the course of an hour, first-graders were writing about what they want to be when they grow up and learning the words to describe feelings. Down the hall, second- and third-graders were brushing up on their math skills in a variety of activities that matched their understanding of the subject. One group of elementary students was studying Spanish literature and writing about their summer goals.

In the middle-school grades, students discussed their first day of school in a new country as they read a book called “A New Way of Speaking.” And high-school students conversed among themselves as they prepared a writing assignment.

Check out a Facebook photo album from an hour of their school day. (You don't need a Facebook account to see the photos linked in the highlighted text. A window may appear that says, "To see more from Albany City Schools on Facebook, log on or create an account,” but you can dismiss it by clicking “not now.”)

The five-week programs end on Aug. 2 with a celebration. Many of the students will continue in the Dual Language and Newcomer programs this fall at Albany International Academy.