• Bilingual pupils do better in exams, report finds
• The Evidence Speaks Well of Bilingualism's Effect on Kids
• Earlier is Better
• Two Languages are Better than One
• The 'bilingual effect' says that when it comes to language, more is more
• Being Bilingual Could Protect Your Brain
• About Immersion Language Learning
• What is language immersion education?
• "Foreign Languages: The Scales Tip in Favor of Starting Early" by Gladys C. Lipton, Education Week, March 1st, 2000
• "Brain Development Study May Provide Some Help for Educators" by Gargi Talukder, www.brainconnection.com
• "Lesson Plans, Pain" by Doug Belden, Saint Paul Pioneer Press
  September 4th, 2005
• "Give Kids an Edge, a Foreign Language" by David Yepsen, Des Moines Register, June 19th, 2005
• "Half of Europe's Citizens Know 2 Languages" Associated Press
  October 11th, 2005
• "German Studies Bring Cultures Together" by Lily Langerud, Saint Paul Pioneer Press, October 11th, 2005
• "Improving Students' Capacity in Foreign Languages" by Miriam Met
  
  
  
  
   

   

Immersion Language Learning

What parents want to know. A summary

· Students become proficient in the target language and develop increased cultural awareness while reaching a high level of academic achievement.

· Students develop proficiency in the target language by hearing and using it to learn all of their school subjects rather than by studying the language itself.

· In foreign language immersion programs, the regular school curriculum is taught in the immersion language for at least half of the school day.

· In partial immersion programs, instructional time is divided equally between English and the immersion language throughout the elementary grades.

· In full immersion programs, teachers use no English at all in the early grades. In Grade 2, 3, or 4, teachers introduce English language arts and reading for one period per day and gradually move toward an even distribution of English and the immersion language by Grade 5 or 6. In the secondary school grades, immersion students typically have access to at least two course offerings in the immersion language, most often in social studies and language arts.

· Immersion education adds knowledge about a new language and culture while building on a child’s English language skills and knowledge of U.S. culture.

· In the early years, immersion teachers realize that their students will not understand everything they say. They use body language, visuals, exaggerated facial expressions, and expressive intonation to communicate their meaning.

· From Pre-K through 3^rd grade students naturally use more and more of the immersion language. To draw students into using the language, teachers often use songs, useful phrases, chants, and rhymes and carefully structure the day with familiar routines.

· Immersion programs are the fastest growing and most effective type of foreign language program.

· Most immersion students can be expected to reach higher levels of second language proficiency than students in other school-based language programs (Met, 1998).

· Becoming bilingual opens the door to communication with more people in more places, and many parents want to provide their children with skills to interact competently in an increasingly interdependent world community.

· Immersion learners benefit cognitively, exhibiting greater nonverbal problem-solving abilities and more flexible thinking (see reviews in Met, 1998). Learners need to pay more attention to make sense of the teacher’s meaning. This makes them pay closer attention and think harder. These processes appear to have a positive effect on cognitive development.

· The positive cognitive benefits that come with bilingualism (Cummins, 1981) require a high level of language proficiency in the target language.

· Immersion students achieve as well as or better than non-immersion peers on standardized measures of verbal and mathematics skills administered in English (Cloud, Genesee, & Hamayan, 2000; Genesee, 1987).

· The immersion experience actually enhances English language development research shows.

· Full immersion students’ English development may lag temporarily in reading, word knowledge, and spelling while instruction is occurring exclusively in the immersion language.

· This discrepancy disappears however after a year or two (Genesee, 1987). It is important for parents to understand that this lag is temporary and to be expected.

· Children develop initial literacy in the immersion language in full immersion programs, . Many cognitive processes transfer from one language to another (Cloud, Genesee, & Hamayan, 2000).

· When the immersion language differs significantly from English literacy skills developed in one language will not necessarily transfer to the other language.

· The results are much better, when the first and the target language are closely related (English and German are close siblings, both being Germanic languages)

· Students demonstrate fluency and confidence when using the immersion language only after 2 or 3 years in an immersion program.

· Their listening and reading skills are comparable, but native-like to those of native speakers of the same age. Achieving high levels of oral and written proficiency in the target language is a long-term process.

· Research findings on the effectiveness of immersion education hold true for a wide range of students, including those from diverse socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds (Genesee, 1992).

· Children with language-based learning disabilities. Research on this topic is scant. Some researchers and immersion practitioners argue that children whose first language acquisition is seriously delayed or who struggle with auditory discrimination skills may be overtaxed in a language immersion program (see review in Genesee, 1992).

What can I do to support my child’s immersion experience if I don’t speak the second language?

· Parents should communicate with the teachers. They should become well informed about immersion education, make a commitment to keep their child in the immersion program, and support their children’s use of the immersion language outside the school context.

· Immersion education offers an exciting opportunity for students to reach high levels of academic achievement and to acquire strong proficiency in English and another language. Parents who are interested in immersion for their children should become as well informed as possible about this program model.

 

You find the full article and references at  http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/0304fortune.html

What is language immersion education? Core Characteristics of Immersion Education Additive bilingualism with sustained and enriched instruction through the minority language and the majority language is promoted Subject area instruction through the minority language occurs for at least 50% of the school day during the elementary school years Teachers are fully proficient in the language(s) they use for instruction Support for the majority language is strong and present in the community at large Clear and sustained separation of languages during instructional time What is the difference between foreign language immersion and dual language immersion programs in the U.S.? In addition to the core and variable characteristics cited above, the following two main program types are currently found in the US: one-way (foreign language immersion) and two-way (dual language immersion). Each of these program types are further distinguished by the characteristics identified below: Distinguishing Characteristics of One-way (Foreign Language) Immersion Programs Foreign language immersion programs are sometimes referred to as partial versus full/total immersion Student population consists of majority language speakers with limited to no proficiency in the immersion (minority) language, e.g., English speakers in U.S. schools Exposure to the immersion language takes place primarily in the classroom and school The immersion language may target a more commonly taught language (e.g., German) Distinguishing Characteristics of Two-way (Dual Language) Immersion Programs   Dual immersion programs are sometimes called: two-way immersion (TWI), bilingual immersion, dual language immersion, two-way bilingual, Student population consists of majority language speakers and minority language speakers with dominance in their first language and home language support for this language A 1:1 ratio is ideally maintained for these two language groups, but a minimum of one-third of each language group (i.e., a 2:1 ratio) is essential An academically challenging learning environment is provided to bring children from two different language groups together to learn from and with each other in an integrated setting Instruction through the minority language is viewed as an enrichment experience for all, not as remedial or compensatory education for the language minority students in the program The languages of instruction will involve both the majority and a minority language.