Spanish Bilingual and
Dual Language Program
MS 50 is home to a rigorous bilingual education program which has grown for more than 10 years.
Programs
Dual Language
Our Dual Language program helps all students become bilingual, biliterate, and bicultural by learning in both English and Spanish. Instruction is equitable, rigorous, and culturally responsive, with Spanish Language Arts and Social Studies taught fully in Spanish. Students achieve bilingual proficiency and grade-level mastery at the same time through collaborative teaching from content-area and language specialists, with opportunities for small-group instruction. The program leverages students’ linguistic and cultural assets to build confidence, critical thinking, and a strong bicultural identity.
Dual Language ICT
These classes follow many of the key elements of our Dual Language programs, but an Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) class is a setting where students with and without special education needs learn together, supported by two teachers—one general education and one special education—to ensure access to the same rigorous curriculum.
Bilingual Special Education (BSE) 12:1
Our Bilingual Special Education (BSE) 12:1 class is a blended-grade program for multilingual learners with IEPs who benefit from a smaller, structured setting with one certified special education teacher and a paraprofessional at all times. The class supports students in developing independence, progressing on individual IEP goals, and building strong language, communication, and collaboration skills. Through bilingual instruction, students access content in their native language while transitioning to English, strengthen foundational literacy and math skills, and gain confidence in academic abilities across disciplines—all while remaining connected to the larger school community.
ENL
A collaborative program aligned with New York State and NYCDOE standards, our ENL program helps multilingual learners gain proficiency in academic English through integrated instruction and project-based learning. We create a supportive environment where students can confidently practice their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills, ensuring they can access grade-level content and are fully prepared for academic success, including the NYSESLAT.
Bilingual Reading Intervention Support
We believe deeply in biliteracy and giving all students the tools they need to succeed. Too often, middle schoolers are still not proficient and fluent readers. We have robust reading intervention support in both English and Spanish, teaching students to decode in both languages, regardless of their prior educational experiences.
Bilingual Debate
MS 50's debate program has become a national leader in championing equity and access. Our bilingual debate team was born from the belief that no student should be excluded from the transformative experience of competitive debate. We didn't just join the conversation; we fundamentally changed it, advocating for and helping to create the dedicated Spanish language division in New York City's middle school debate circuit. This commitment to inclusion extends to the highest levels of competition, as our students have debated at nationals for many years, proving that our activism and dedication have created a lasting impact.
This activism is rooted in real-world victories and groundbreaking achievements. In a historic first, one of our policy debate teams became the first in the 95-year history of the National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) to compete at the National Championships in a language other than English. Debating with a translator, this was a powerful act of protest against the status quo. Building on this legacy, our students continue to excel. In 2025, one of our dual language students was part of our 1st place team at policy nationals and we took our third fully Spanish-speaking bilingual policy team to nationals with one student winning a top speaker award.
MS50's program has also had a profound impact on our school culture, breaking down barriers between English and Spanish speakers. We continue to fuel the wave of multilingual debate by hosting elementary school tournaments with Spanish and French offerings, hoping to see more languages represented in the future. Our large and thriving bilingual debate team proves that we're not just participating in a space; we're actively making it more inclusive, representative, and reflective of the diverse world our students live in.
Content Goal
Cultivate curiosity, literacy, critical thinking, self-advocacy, and creativity in the BSE students through exposure to high-level content and rich discussion-based classes. Students should see their lived experiences and diverse knowledge sources as an asset.
Language Goal
Foster and deepen the students’ home language and content understanding. We allow students to use their full linguistic repertoire, encouraging translanguaging throughout the day to deepen their emergent bilingualism and academic English across all 4 domains of language acquisition (listening, speaking, reading, and writing).
Timeline
Prior to 2014: Dual Language Program Began
2016: First Middle School Bilingual Debate Team in the City
2019: 1st Bilingual SPED Class at MS50
2022: 3 grades, Blended BSE Model + Intervention Work
2024: Expansion of the BSE program to include bilingual ICT
Learn More
Download our three year BSE report to learn more!
How to Enroll
When filling out the middle school application, insert these codes:
Code: K050M
District: 14K050
Resources for Families
Bilingual Families Whatsapp Group
Scan or click here to join our Bilingual families WhatsApp group in order to receive up-to-date information on important resources and more!
