Modeled after the pioneering French immersion programs developed in Canada in the 1960s, foreign language immersion programs in the United States are designed to enrich the education of native-English-speaking students by teaching them all of their academic subjects in a second language. The goal is for students to become proficient in the second…

This document is a comprehensive two-way Spanish immersion third grade curriculum. The paper highlights the Maxwell Elementary Escuela de Inmersion de Espanol, Fayette County Public Schools, Lexington, KY. It includes "essential questions," a scoring guide, and detailed instructional sequence guidelines. Detailed ideas are provided for…

This annotated bibliography of children's literature presents over 150 books, stories and songs that can be used in the French language classroom to introduce literature in French to children in Kindergarten through third grade. The selected texts (97 titles in fiction and 62 titles in non-fiction) were chosen for their age-appropriate language…

Summarizes an evaluation of an early French immersion program at grades 6 and 8. In English language skills, immersion students performed as well as, or better than, English-only program groups; in mathematics and sciences, immersion students did as well as their comparison group. Other findings are discussed. (PJM)

Discusses and compares the relative effects of a French immersion program in two different settings: a French-speaking setting in Quebec and an English setting in British Columbia. No clear-cut differences in favor of either setting were found, although students in the French setting reacted more favorably to their program. (PJM)

Examines the characteristics of teachers' language in the classroom and the use of explicit teaching behaviors in an attempt to determine the relationship between selected characteristics of formal language input and second language achievement. The language samples discussed were collected in bilingual French/English and all-French grade schools.…

A study of attitudes of English-speaking Canadian elementary school students, half of whom had participated in a French immersion program, indicated that extensive experience with another group's language led to reduction in the extensity of the language ethnicity dimension and in differences perceived between self, one's own ethnolinguistic…

The social psychological effects of total immersion and residence programs on students' attitudes toward French Canadians and French-use anxiety are assessed and compared. The results indicate that, in terms of linguistic competence, students from unilingual areas benefit most from residence programs while bilingual students benefit most from…

School failure of Spanish-speaking Mexican-origin children is complex and not attributable to language factors alone. Although dual-language immersion has promise, educators must consider possible negative effects, quality of instruction in minority languages, effects on intergroup relations, and issues of language and power. (SK)

Reviews results of an African immersion program for at-risk middle-school boys based on the premise that a nurturing environment of structure, discipline, and a cultural context will enhance the academic performance and social development. The program is a partnership between Baltimore schools and the Baraka School in Laikipia, Kenya. (MLF)

Analyzed the achievement gap between Limited English Proficient (LEP) and English proficient (EP) students in California in the context of the state's Proposition 227, which mandated English immersion programs. Analyses indicate that although scores have risen overall, the achievement gap between LEP and EP students does not appear to be narrowing…

An exploration of the reasons for the failure of former elementary school foreign language programs precedes the identification of issues that should be addressed to ensure the effectiveness of current and future programs. The three basic FLES program models, Foreign Language Experience (FLEX), sequential FLES, and immersion, are described. (CB)

Suggests the following methods for improving university-level German language education curricula: reduce skill-development time through immersion programs, adopt Zertifikat Deutsch als Fremdsprache as the proficiency standard for advanced students, and include literature from a variety of liberal arts disciplines in the reading materials for…

Class activities for French native and second-language immersion classes using the souvenir program of a 1988 Manitoba travel festival are outlined. Activities involve global manipulation of the document and specific uses for information seeking and information manipulation. (MSE)

A variety of French language classroom activities are described, including a game to familiarize immersion students with Canada; exercises using songs; a teacher-student competitive vocabulary game; communicative activities; three games to practice verb conjugations, previously learned structures, and vocabulary; and a whole-language activity…