2. The use of two languages in school by students or by
teachers.
“It refers to approaches in the classroom that use the
native languages of English language learners (ELLs)
for instruction” (NABE, 2009).
Goals include teaching English, acculturating
immigrants to a new society, etc.
3. An English-only program where instruction is
provided exclusively in English.
Children with low English proficiency get
automatically put into ESL classes.
There are two different types of immersion programs:
“submersion” and “structure”.
Submersion program is also known as “sink or swim”
due to the lack of aid for children learning English.
Structure programs are better because it focuses in
helping kids develop strong vocabularies.
4. “Bilingual approaches to education were more effective
than English only immersion programs” (Williams,
2010).
Research has found that those programs that teaching
reading in the student’s native language and teach
English at the same time are the most effective.
Stephen Krashen and Jim Cummings both agree that
when material is presented to student in their native
language, they will learn faster .
5. Those who oppose bilingual education believe that the
best way for ELL students to succeed is to completely
immersing them in the English language.
Bilingual education is expensive.
Bilingual education leads to the segregation of non
English speakers.
In some areas of the country, the bilingual programs is
unpractical due to the number of different native
languages the students may speak.
6. Allows ESL students to learn the English language
faster, because they will be completely immerse in it.
Observing students will learn faster from their
teachers looking at their speaking styles and body
language during core subjects lessons
Children learn more efficiently when exposed to other
English speaking students, rather than only English
speaking authorities.
7. Students may not understand other native speakers in
classes, making him hard to socialize.
Students who doesn’t understand the English language
may have problems with the subjects exams and
exercises in classes.
English submersion poses the risk of a student
“sinking” rather than “learning to swim”.
8. Total immersion: programs on which all subjects in
the lower grades are taught in the target language.
Initial literacy is provided in the target language.
Partial Immersion: program in which about 50% of
the subjects is taught in the target language. Initial
literacy may be provided in the target language,
English or both simultaneously.
Two-way immersion: Use both English and another
language for instruction.
9. Sink or swim vs. being taught on native language
Total immersion on the English language vs. slow but
steady teaching from bilingual education.
Learning the proper way or not at all vs. having
teachers with low standards (ESL).
Having kids with low English proficiency with English
only students vs. segregating ELL students.
Integrating an English only lesson plan vs. adhering to
the students native tongues.
10.
11.
12. CAL. (2007). Foreign Language Immersion Programs
Features and Trends over 35 years.
http://www.cal.org/resources/digest/flimmersion.html
Chen, G. (2008). Full Language Immersion Programs in
Public Schools.
http://www.publicschoolreview.com/articles/25
Echevarria, J. & Graves, A. (2011). Sheltered content
instruction: Teaching English learners with diverse abilities
(4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Education, Inc.
NABE. (2009). Bilingual Education.
http://www.nabe.org/BilingualEducation
