Immersion teaching is meant to provide the optimal framework for authentic situations and actions. Hind Louali French School of Austin – Ecole Jean-Jacques Rousseau mentions that immersion programs are designed to allow students to learn new languages in an intuitive manner. While immersive language experiences are effective in students of all ages, they can particularly deliver remarkable results in children.
Hind Louali sheds light on dual-language immersion programs
Dual-language immersion programs are meant to facilitate bi-literacy. They help learners to develop the ability to speak, listen, read and write proficiently in two languages. A large number of these programs take advantage of young children’s propensity for language acquisition, and hence tend to start in kindergarten and follow children through elementary school. At times, they may even extend into middle or high school as well. Immersion program classes usually feature a mix of native English speakers and native speakers of the target language, no matter whether it is French, Spanish or something else.
There are especially two popular models of dual-language immersion, the 90/10 model and the 50/50 model. In the former model, 90% of instruction is conducted in the target language during the very first year and the remaining 10% is taught in English. The ratio of instruction in English to instruction in the target language goes up slightly every academic year, till it reaches 50/50. On the other hand, in the 50/50 model, coursework is half in English and half in the target language throughout the program.
Hind Louali French School of Austin – Ecole Jean-Jacques Rousseau points out that dual-language programs are one of the most effective ways for native English speakers to learn a new language. These programs promote bi-literacy, which is good for the brain. At first, learning a second language can be difficult for many. However, if one gets enrolled into a dual-language program at a young age, they would have high odds of becoming proficient in both languages quite easily. It is possible to achieve full native competence when learning a language at a young age in a linguistically rich, immersive environment. As per several studies, individuals who are exposed to two languages at an early age are likely to outperform their monolingual peers on tests of cognitive function in adolescence and adulthood. Bi-literacy helps in improving executive functions, resulting in better attention control and working memory. In the process of honing their proficiency in a second language, individuals may improve their memory, problem-solving skills and their overall ability to easily learn additional languages. Students in dual-language immersion programs hence may do better academically than their peers in traditional classrooms.
The ideal time to learn a new language is at a very young age. While toddler years would be ideal, exposure to a second language any time before the onset of puberty typically increases the likelihood of attaining proficiency. Dual-language immersion programs allow students to start early and develop their skills throughout their academic career, in order to achieve a high degree of proficiency in both languages. As dual-language immersion programs usually comprise of a mix of native speakers of both languages, students from both groups can help one another as they acquire the other language.
