Education: "Immersion" Classes

[DJFuji]

I work in IT with the educational system and a coworker and i were talking about this new "immersion" class thing where students are immersed in a dual language environment where the students learn both english and another language early on in the classroom. Supposedly it's not for foreigners to not have to learn english, but it's for all students to have the opportunity to learn different languages.

My opinion is that the average american has such a poor command of the english language that more time and effort should be spent on that before anything else. If this immersion thing hinders development of English in any way, it should be tossed. Sure, diversity and speaking second languages is important, but not at the expense of learning english. I would rather speak one language and speak it well than speak 3 languages poorly.

Opinions?

 

[scarpent]

One of the best way to learn your native language is to learn a foreign language.

 

[sunzt]

Learning other languages gives you a better understanding of the English language believe it or not.

 

[Bryophyte]

My daughter is in bilingual school. Half time English only, half time Spanish only. My son went to a Spanish immersion school for kindergarten. They are 100% Spanish immersion, no English spoken for the first few years. We moved and he didn't have that opportunity up here available.

I think it's really good to start learning languages while you're young. The average American kid doesn't take any foreign languages until it's too late. As you get older, it gets MUCH more difficult to learn other languages.

 

[Woodie]

It's a good thing. Wish we had it here. At least my son started learning another language at 3rd grade. (Spanish would not have been my first choice, but it's better than nothing).

 

[UglyCasanova]

Always a good idea to teach them young. They learn much faster, and being able to speak a second language is always a plus. I wish they would start teaching more mandarin instead of spanish though.

 

[Bryophyte]

I'm ok with it being Spanish because learning *any* second language is good for intellect and makes it easier to learn subsequent languages, and because it's honestly the one language that the kids would be able to find someone to speak with the easiest (lots of Spanish speakers around here). Well, besides German, we have relatives who are German who live nearby.

 

[UglyCasanova]

Originally posted by: Bryophyte
I'm ok with it being Spanish because learning *any* second language is good for intellect and makes it easier to learn subsequent languages, and because it's honestly the one language that the kids would be able to find someone to speak with the easiest (lots of Spanish speakers around here). Well, besides German, we have relatives who are German who live nearby.

Yup, I'm just saying that China is quickly turning into an economic powerhouse, not Mexico. I'm all for them learning any language though.

 

[DJFuji]

I wonder what the statistics say about how learning a second language affects your primary. If learning a second language inhibits the primary in any way, shape, or form, i dont think it should be taught. Americans are bad enough at english as it is.

 

[imported_LoKe]

I've been attending a French school since day one and I'd like to consider my English wel developped. The school offers an English class, of course, but the rest is in French. Like others have said, when learning a second language you get a better understanding of your own.

 

[Antisocial Virge]

I was in french immersion for two years starting in grade 7 so it was called late immersion. After the first school day everything besides english, gym was in french. No english was allowed at all. You learn it fast enough but at a cost. Take science for example, you learn the parts of a plant in french but never in english so your hosed if you ever have to do anything with it in english. Its probably fine if you move to another country and you're learning a new primary language but for any other reason it just sucks.

 

[vi edit]

Young children can pick up other languages in a snap. It's really kind of scary how quickly they learn compared to the difficulties you have when traditionally taking foreign languages in middle school or high school.

Young children are like sponges in that regard. They in a developmental stage in their own language and dialect. They haven't developed any habits yet or been forced into a way of speech or thought. It's the perfect time to introduce a second (or more) languages.

The nice thing about learning Spanish is that once you have it down, it's not that hard to pick up Italian or French since they use many of the same rules, Italian in particular.

 

[DJFuji]

The issue here isnt whether young kids can pick up languages faster. Its whether learning a second language hinders development of the first.

 

[Gooberlx2]

I wish they'd done that when I was a kid. I'd love to know a few other languages...just no time right now to learn.

 

[dawnbug]

Originally posted by: DJFuji
The issue here isnt whether young kids can pick up languages faster. Its whether learning a second language hinders development of the first.

Originally posted by: scarpent
One of the best way to learn your native language is to learn a foreign language.

Originally posted by: sunzt
Learning other languages gives you a better understanding of the English language believe it or not.

I know people whose children are in German immersion schools, and they have no problem with their English.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Originally posted by: DJFuji
The issue here isnt whether young kids can pick up languages faster. Its whether learning a second language hinders development of the first.

I think what many people are saying is that it not only doesn't hinder, but actually enhances one's ability to learn the first.

 

[vegetation]

I would assume that schools that teach dual languages probably have a better teaching staff on hand, and an administrative layer that isn't full of useless people. That may contribute to the overall better education.

 

[Mokmo418]

I had my education mostly in french and a lot of private classes in english (around here, public schools should make us near bilingual french-english but they just suck at it) You make a lot of links about what's in common/not in common. The few german classes i took were nice too as i was finding the meaning of a lot of stuff from the french and english i knew. I even found myself reading a little dutch and understanding enough to get the general meaning.

 

[LuNoTiCK]

I think it's great. It would have been great if I was on one, and was bilingual.

 

[DrPizza]

Originally posted by: DJFuji

Opinions?

My opinion isn't an opinion: Your opinion isn't supported by research; in fact, the opposite is supported by research. These types of classes and bilingualism actually result in a better grasp of each language. I've been dealing with research on this stuff all semester in a grad class.

 

[LtPage1]

Originally posted by: sunzt
Learning other languages gives you a better understanding of the English language believe it or not.

99% of my english grammar i learned in my middle school spanish classes before it was ever brought up in my english classes.

 

[0roo0roo]

probably good for children where parnets are very involved...like beating them if they don't get a's not so good for mainstream. theres enough on the plate as it is.