English Immersion

Immersion Programs for English-Speaking Children

Language immersion programs for English-speaking children, in which students learn a new language as they study academic subject matter through the new language and through English, have been established as highly effective. After 6 years in such a program, English-speaking children can be expected to perform at or above grade level in their academic work and can typically read, write, and speak a foreign language. In the French programs in Quebec that are often cited, children receive 90% to 100% of immersion language instruction the first year, which then decreases yearly while instruction through English increases, until the proportion reaches 50/50 by fifth or sixth grade. Parents are cautioned that they must expect their children to remain in these programs for a minimum [Page 260]of 6 years, because learning a new language takes many years. Despite the lengthy time commitment, immersion programs appeal strongly to English-speaking parents who are eager for their children to attain fluency and literacy in another language as an educational enrichment.

English Immersion in the United States

English immersion, as it is implemented in the United States, follows a different approach. Supporters of English immersion argue that young children can learn English quickly and easily and can then turn their attention to academic learning. In California, Arizona, and Massachusetts, where English immersion has been legally mandated, children are expected to learn English within 1 year and then exit the program. When pressed for evidence to support the use of this 1-year, monolingual program model, English immersion advocates typically cite the success of the 6-year, bilingual immersion programs. Conflating these two very different programs leads to considerable confusion over the education of English language learners (ELLs).

The controversy surrounding the best ways to educate ELLs is not likely to be resolved merely by clarifying the pedagogical differences between foreign-language immersion programs and the English immersion programs as currently implemented. Nevertheless, a clear understanding of what immersion is and how it is meant to work constitutes an essential first step.