ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Walk through the halls of the city's public schools and it's easy to see how diverse the community is becoming. The Anchorage School District is officially a 50/50 district, meaning 50 percent of students are of an ethnic minority. More than 4,000 of these students speak a language other than English at home.
William Tyson Elementary in Mountain View has the highest percentage of bilingual students in the district. The school also employs the most bilingual tutors, who teach the languages that will be key to these students' success in the future.
Ivette Egoak teaches phonetics, a subject that's tricky enough for any kid, but especially those who are learning English as a second language.
One of her students, Samoa-born Tolupene Matau, must learn English to perform well in American schools, Anchorage's in particular. And that's where bilingual tutors come in.
"Often, they get frustrated, but you try to always be positive," Egoak said.
There are six tutors at the school. Egoak speaks Spanish. Others speak Thai, Lao, Hmong and more.
In all, more than 200 students speaking 17 different languages at William Tyson Elementary depend on these tutors. The parents of those students rely on ESL instructors, whose jobs include after-school work.
"We do a lot of translating at home. We go outside, we speak to the parents," Egoak said.
There is also cultural submersion instruction. Thai tutor Naruepone Maleenuan, known as "Mr. Lollipop" to those who can't pronounce his name, helps kids adapt to cultural differences while maintaining their native traditions and language.
"The more you learn, the more you can get smart in the future, you can help your own family and you can help your country too," Maleenuan said.
Experts agree it's easiest for students to acquire second languages when they begin at a young age. As they grow and develop, English comes easier and for them to understand and speak freely.
SPANISH is the most widely-spoken language in the district, with more than 1,200 speakers. Samoan and Hmong follow Spanish, with around 700 speakers each.
Since there isn't a tutor for every language, sometimes it's a matter of taking extra time with kids, going over the lesson again, and using body language or gestures to help kids understand as best they can.