Seven Reasons Why Immersion Schools Do Actually Work

A few decades ago, it was common to overhear a parent represent their childrearing philosophies with something along the lines of “…Charlie is happy, and that’s all that matters.”
Today, American parents of all ethnicities are putting substantially more care and thought into their children’s education and overall development.
There is perhaps no better sign of the times than the fast-growing popularity of immersion programs that have sprouted up all throughout the US.
What is an immersion program?
An immersion program is an alternative academic program in which students — generally K-8 but sometimes high school — are instructed in traditional academic subjects by teachers using two or more different languages. By most definitions, an immersion program must “immerse” the child in the foreign language at least 50% of the time, at least in the earliest years of formal education.
To some parents, immersion schools don’t make a whole lot of sense:
- “Won’t the challenge of learning in two languages hurt my child’s performance in core subjects like math and science?”
- “Won’t my child’s native language skills suffer?”
- “Isn’t it just a fad?”
What follows is an introduction to why immersion schools are actually wonderfully beneficial to children.
We’ll start with the basics.
1. Learning languages makes children smarter
This one might be obvious, but it’s an important basis for immersion schools.
When a child is put in an environment that requires him or her to adopt two entirely different systems of communication as part of the standard curriculum, it does wonderfully positive things for the child’s cognitive development.
(Basic, right?)
2. Early childhood is the best time to learn languages
It’s well understood that there is a critical period for cognitive development, typically before age 12 or puberty, during which children have an uncanny ability to master languages.
3. Knowing and using different languages enhances cultural understanding and appreciation for diversity
American society today isn’t always the cultural melting pot many of us were led to believe as children. We don’t all homogenize into a single type of human being with one shared culture. Further, our country’s large immigrant populations ensure that cultural diversity is here to stay.
When a child learns a foreign language, he or she gains not only a better understanding of the people and culture associated with that language — but also an appreciation for culture and diversity in general.
This open-mindedness can be critical to preventing the development of harmful prejudices in your child.
4. Academic proficiency is enhanced
Many academic studies have shown that students in immersion programs perform as well or better than students in traditional programs in standardized measures of English and math.
5. English (native language) proficiency is enhanced
Contrary to the misconception offered near the beginning of this article, studies (including this one from RAND) show that students in immersion programs are more likely to be English proficient by the 6thgrade than their non-immersion peers.
6. Students are guaranteed to be challenged
Because an immersion school’s curriculum is taught in two languages, one of which a student is still learning, there will always be a tangible element of challenge present in immersion programs. This can be particularly important for high-achieving students who might otherwise get bored of traditional education programs.
7. Being fluent in multiple languages is good for a child’s future employment prospects
It may seem early to be thinking about your child’s employment prospects, but if you’re reading this article, I have no doubt you’ve already considered the following.
In the medium to long term, the economy will continue to globalize. And, it’s no longer just the largest multinational enterprises that need people capable of communicating with and working with people throughout the world. Even startups and SMBs are increasingly relying on foreign companies for some aspect of their business operations.
Developing advanced language capabilities, for example in Mandarin Chinese, will be extremely advantageous, making your child exceptionally qualified for some of the best jobs in the future.
The times, they are a-changin’
Putting your child in an immersion school used to be a difficult parental decision that would often be shrouded in misconceptions, doubt, and sleepless nights.
Now, with the abundance of empirical evidence and widespread emergence of such programs throughout the US, immersion schools have quickly become a go-to play for parents wanting the best for their kids.
Chinese School Finder operates the largest free online directory of Mandarin immersion programs in the US, with more than 250 schools/programs listed.
Originally published at chineseschoolfinder.com on August 31, 2018.
