Research Topic: Analyze and Evaluate the benefits of Dual-Immersion Education by focusing on methods of these programs and their effectiveness
Introduction:
What is Dual-Immersion Education?
Definition: Dual Immersion programs are an additive form of bilingual education where language minority and language majority students integrated during the instructional day and are taught two languages. Dual immersion programs are also sometimes referred as a two-way immersion or dual language education.
Who it benefits from Dual Immersion Programs? Benefits all students who want to acquire a second language. Another benefit of dual immersion programs is that of community support for the education of language-minority students.
What is the background on these programs? When did it start? Where? Began in 1960s in Dade County Florida with the influx of Cuban refugees.Private bilingual schools formed to develop bilingualism for Cuban refugees. English speaking families began enrolling their children in these programs.
Body
What are the different models and methods used for Dual-Immersion Education?There are two main program models in two-way immersion education that are generally referred to as “90/10” and “50/50.” In a
90/10 model, 90% of instruction in the first year or two is in the partner language and 10% in English.
How do students and communities benefit from DI? Students in Dual Immersion programs develop very positive attitudes aboutstudents of other language and cultural backgrounds, and positive attitudes toward themselves as learners.
Are there any limitations to these programs? Who are the limitations applied to? The limitations with dual immersion programs revolve around finding teachers that are bilingual and creating an even divide between native speaking and non-native speaking students.
Are there any statistics that support the DI programs?
What local Fresno County schools incorporate the Dual Immersion program in their schools? There are three Fresno Unified Elementary school's that incorporate DI, and five schools in Parlier Unified.
Dual Immersions programs are targeted towards what group of individuals? Immersion programs are targeted to bilingual students and to native speaking students in hopes of progressing their language skills.
Has DI gained in popularity? The number of dual immersion programs has doubled since 2006.
Conclusion
Concluding statement: There are many benefits to dual immersion education. For students its acquiring a second language, becoming more culturally well rounded and aware members of the community, success in keeping up or exceeding their traditionally schooled peers.
Analytical statement: Although dual immersion programs are beneficial to students and communities, there are also limitations and room for growth within these programs such as finding qualified teachers and equally diverse classrooms.
Recommendation: Bilingual education is a great step in education reform and is gaining in popularity throughout California and the U.S. We recommend that in order for these programs to continue to grow and succeed, teachers need to be offered more relevant training, have enough resources to create successful students, more bilingual administrators need to be hired, and classrooms need to be as equally diverse as possible.
Research Topic: Analyze and Evaluate the benefits of Dual-Immersion Education by focusing on methods of these programs and their effectiveness
90/10 model, 90% of instruction in the first year or two is in the partner language and 10% in English.