San Francisco Bay Area Organization Launches Innovative Multicultural Primary School in Arabic, Hebrew, and Persian

    BERKELEY, CA, July 28, 2015 /24-7PressRelease/ -- In September 2016, Golestan Education, the successful nonprofit located in Berkeley, California, will make yet another groundbreaking contribution to the world of children's education by launching a multilingual primary school with three separate dual-immersion language tracks-- Arabic/English, Hebrew/English, and Persian/English. The school integrates hands-on experiential learning with an exceptional academic curriculum.

In this model, students are immersed in one dual-language track (Arabic/English, Hebrew/English, or Persian/English) for the core of their learning, while also being part of one cohesive community that shares each other's company, space, and resources. They also participate in communal activities such as lunch, recess, assemblies, sports, music, and classes instructed in English.

"There is so much that brings these cultures together, and so much that we can learn from one another, and yet there are very few opportunities for celebrating our similarities," says Yalda Modabber, Executive Director of Golestan Education. "This school will provide a space for children to be immersed in a heritage language, while simultaneously offering them a place to develop a diverse community of peers."

The primary school grows out of Golestan Education's iconic Persian language immersion preschool and after school program, Golestan Kids. The program, which launched in 2008, was the first of its kind in the country-- one that successfully combines full-Persian language immersion with a hands-on approach to a rich curriculum.

While the Golestan Kids school is based in Berkeley, California, the school's teaching model has resonated with people globally. From the San Francisco Bay Area, to Toronto, to Nepal, and beyond, educators and individuals from over 50 communities have sought consultation and support to implement the Golestan model in their communities.

Golestan Education will open the doors of the new multicultural primary school in September 2016.

Established in 2008, Golestan has been using its preschool and afterschool programs as a model for helping other communities of all languages to create their ideal learning environment across the country and abroad. The organization also produces teaching materials and provides support to educators and parents in their efforts to raise bilingual children.

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