CHAPTER 17

Immersion
Classrooms
MARK CHRISTIAN R. CATAPANG, MAEd
TEACHER III
ALITAGTAG NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
CONTENT:
Introduction
Language Teaching and Learning in the
Immersion Classroom
Language Strategies in Immersion Classrooms
Conclusion

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1. Particular type of language
teaching in which the target
language is the content and also
the medium of instruction

A. Immersion B. Maintenance
C. Submersion D. Transitional

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A. Immersion

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2. The goal is to integrate the
minority target language (and its
culture) into the community

A. Enrichment B. Heritage
C. Maintenance D. Transitional

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A. Enrichment

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3. This model aims to leave the
students’ native language
completely behind and fully
embrace the target language.

A. Enrichment B. Heritage
C. Maintenance D. Transitional

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A. transitional

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4. The goal of this model is to
revive a languishing indigenous
language.

A. Enrichment B. Heritage
C. Maintenance D. Transitional

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A. heritage

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Introduction

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 Immerssion
particular type of language teaching in which
the target language is the content and also the
medium of instruction. In other words, it is both
the vehicle for learning and the package that is
delivered. You learn the language by receiving
instruction in the language.

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 “
Two introductory
points.

First, it is important to repeat the

distinction between teaching a
language and
teaching through a language.

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 “
TEACHING A LANGUAGE

(teacher-centered)
Teacher provide language
instruction

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 “
TEACHING THROUGH A LANGUAGE

(learner-centered)
exploratory in nature
Language is learned through exposure

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Remember:
+ Language acquisition in the immersion
programs is mostly through the second
language being used as a medium of
instruction in 50% to 100% of the
curriculum

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 “
Two introductory
points.
Second, allied to the idea of language as a
medium of instruction is the idea of
language across the curriculum
(Corson, 1990a). This is a view that language plays
a central role across the curriculum.

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 There are three widely
accepted immersion models.
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Total immersion
In this model, 100% of the school
day is in the target language.

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Partial immersion
Half of the instruction is in the
target language, while the other
half is in the students’ native
language.

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Two-way immersion
In this model, students receive instruction in both
their native and the target language. It is different
from partial immersion, because students of
different language backgrounds are typically
combined in one classroom, accessing the same
content together.

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There are four different models
of bilingual education, based on
your program’s goals.
1. Enrichment
2. Heritage
3. Maintenance
4. Transitional

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 Enrichment
In this model, the goal is to integrate the
minority target language (and its culture) into
the community. For example, if you teach in an
English school with a large population of native
French speakers, the focus of your program will
be to make French language and culture a part
of school and classroom life.

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 Heritage
The goal of this model is to revive a languishing
indigenous language. For example, some schools
in Mexico are trying to revive the ancient
Nahuatl language spoken by the Aztecs.

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 Maintenance
In this model, students’ receive instruction in both
languages solely so that they can become more proficient
in the target language. No effort is made to deepen or
extend knowledge of the native language. With this model,
native Spanish speakers in an American classroom learn
Spanish for no other purpose than enhancing their ability
to learn English.

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 Transitional
This model aims to leave the students’ native language
completely behind and fully embrace the target language.

Provides transition towards learning the second language.

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LANGUAGE TEACHING AND
LEARNING IN THE
IMMERSION CLASSROOM

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What are the main classroom features of
successful immersion programs
the curriculum cultivate
minimum tends to be the
time the same for empathy for
second immersion a student’s
language children as for second
needs to be their
mainstream
language
used culture
peers

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What are the main classroom features of
successful immersion programs
immersion
to separate education has
languages in been built
instruction time devoted to
around the twin
the two
rather languages within
towers of
than to mix teacher
the curriculum
them during a enthusiasm and
parental
single lesson
commitment

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What are the main classroom features of
successful immersion programs
Lindholm (1990) To maintain an environment
most immersion of
teachers have to
educational and linguistic equity in the classroom,
‘wear two hats’:
immersion
and to promote
homogeneous interactions
provides an among
promoting
achievement
language
native and non-nativeadditive
English speakers, thethe
throughout most
classroom bilingual curriculum and
desirable ratio is 50%environment.
English speakers to 50% non-
ensuring second
native English speakers’ language
proficiency

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Education of teachers, the special needs of
immersion
teachers should be addressed. Methods in
immersion classroom require induction
into skills and techniques beyond those
required in ordinary mainstream classrooms.
Immersion teaching (and teacher training)
methods are still evolving and
are at a developmental stage.

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LANGUAGE STRATEGIES IN
IMMERSION CLASSROOMS

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Immersion education is based on the idea that:

first language is focus is on the

replicative content and not
acquired relatively
process the form of the
subconsciously language

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LANGUAGE STRATEGIES IN IMMERSION CLASSROOMS

EARLY STAGES ELEMENTARY

no
formal language learning classes,
although simple elements of grammar
such as
verb endings may be taught informally
SCHOOLING
formal consideration may be given to the
rules of the language (e.g. grammar and
syntax)

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 “
Immersion also tends to assume that
the earlier a language is taught the
better.

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Immersion classroom
In the first stages in Early Immersion classrooms, a
teacher typically concentrates on listening and
speaking skills. ‘Oral skills are given more
importance in kindergarten to Grade 3; reading
and writing skills, even though started as early as
Grade 1, are stressed in Grades 4 to 6’ (Canadian
Education Association, 1992)

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Immersion classroom
Students are not made to speak the immersion
language with their teacher or with their peers
in the initial stages. Children will initially speak their
first language to each other and to their teacher,
without any objection or reprimand. Immersion
teachers do not force children to use the
immersion language until they are naturally willing
to do so.

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Immersion classroom
Early insistence on the immersion language may
inhibit children and develop negative attitudes to
that language and to education in general. Over
the first two years, immersion children develop an
understanding of the immersion language and
begin to speak that language, particularly to the
teacher.

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caretaker speech
The language used to communicate with
the child at these early stages is often
called caretaker speech

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Immersion program
For the first year or two in immersion education, the
vocabulary will be deliberately limited with a simplified
presentation of grammar and syntax. The teacher may be
repetitive in the words used and the ideas presented,
with the same idea presented in two or more different
ways.

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Immersion program
The teacher will deliberately speak slowly, giving the
child more time to process the language input and
understand the meaning. This tends to parallel the talk of
mother to child (motherese) and foreigner talk (a person
deliberately simplifying and slowing down so a foreigner
can understand). During this caretaker stage, the teacher
may be constantly questioning the child to ensure that
understanding has occurred.

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Immersion
The focus of immersion classrooms is
typically on real, authentic communication,
tasks, curriculum content and creative
processes (e.g. Bernhardt, 1992)

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Snow (1990) provides a list of ten specific techniques that tend to be used by
experienced and effective immersion teachers.

Providing plenty of contextual support for the language being used (e.g. by
body language — plenty of gestures, facial expressions and acting).

Deliberately giving more classroom directions and organizational advice to

immersion students.

Understanding where a child is at, thereby connecting the unfamiliar with the
familiar, the known with the unknown. New material is linked directly and
explicitly with the child’s present knowledge and understanding.

Extensive use of visual material. Using concrete objects to illustrate lessons, using pictures
and audio-visual aids, giving the child plenty of hands-on manipulative activities to ensure
all senses are used in the educational experience.

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Snow (1990) provides a list of ten specific techniques that tend to be used by
experienced and effective immersion teachers.

Obtaining constant feedback as to the level of a student’s understanding.

Diagnosing the level of a student’s language.

Using plenty of repetition, summaries, restatement to ensure that students

understand the directions of the teacher.

The teacher being a role model for language emulation by the student.

Indirect error correction rather than constantly faulting students. Teachers

ensure that the corrections are built in to their language to make a quick and
immediate impact.

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Snow (1990) provides a list of ten specific techniques that tend to be used by
experienced and effective immersion teachers.

Using plenty of variety in both general learning tasks and in language

learning tasks.

Using frequent and varied methods to check the child’s level of understanding

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 conclusion
Immersion methodology attempts to ensure high levels of academic
proficient language development in both languages, empathy for two or more
cultures, and thus an additive experience.
• Language separation is preferred to the concurrent uses of language.
• Teacher enthusiasm and parental commitment are important ingredients in
effective immersion approaches.
• Policies for when to introduce formal attention to the home language,
comprehensible communication in the immersion language, plentiful
feedback, attitude to language errors and interlanguage are needed in
effective immersion
classrooms
Thank you!!!

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