Dual Language Immersion Program Research Articles

Mandarin/English dual language immersion teachers’ understanding of translanguaging pedagogy

Translanguaging pedagogy has gained wide recognition in the field of education as an effective approach to educate emerging bilinguals. This study examines how bilingual teachers understand and adopt this approach in Mandarin/English dual language immersion programs. Four elementary school teachers employed at three different Mandarin/English dual language immersion programs in California were interviewed in-depth about their perspectives on the use of translanguaging pedagogy and their translanguaging stance in their instruction. Guided by the constructs in the Translanguaging Allocation Policy model (Sánchez et al., 2018), the analysis revealed that teachers held an incomplete understanding of translanguaging pedagogy, largely due to a lack of understanding of the theoretical basis upon which translanguaging practices are built in varying teaching contexts. Thus, the teachers mostly resorted to translations as one of their main translanguaging pedagogical practices and saw it as a means to bridge understanding across two languages. In order to support the accessibility of translanguaging pedagogy to a broader range of practitioners, recommendations for professional development and teacher training as well as suggestions for the Translanguaging Allocation Policy model (Sánchez et al., 2018) are provided.

Dual Language Immersion Programs and Student Achievement in Early Elementary Grades

This paper presents evidence of the effects of dual language immersion (DLI) programs on the academic outcomes of students in elementary grades. Leveraging enrollment lotteries from four cohorts of DLI applicants across 10 oversubscribed programs, analyses estimate the intent-to-treat effect of access to bilingual education on reading and math test scores. On average, native English-speaking students in Grades 1 through 4 who win access to a DLI program score higher in reading and math by 0.12 and 0.14 SDs, respectively. The achievement gains in test scores are realized as early as first grade.

On the Acquisition of Differential Object Marking in Child Heritage Spanish: Bilingual Education, Exposure, and Age Effects (In Memory of Phoebe Search)

Studies on school-aged children have been infrequent in research on Spanish as a heritage language. The present study explored how dual-language immersion education, patterns of heritage language use, proficiency, and age shape child Spanish heritage speakers’ production and selection of differential object marking (DOM). A total of 57 English–Spanish bilingual children and 18 Spanish-dominant adults completed sentence completion and morphology selection tasks. Results revealed that the group of heritage speaker children that produced and selected the differential object marker most frequently was the seventh and eighth grade children (ages 12–14, the oldest in the study) who had completed a dual-language immersion program. Different factors accounted for variability in each task: bilingual education and proficiency affected the production of DOM, while age affected selection. Heritage speakers selected DOM more frequently than they produced this structure. These findings have implications for theories of heritage language acquisition that emphasizes that language experience and exposure account for differences between heritage speakers and argue for the dissociation of production from underlying syntactic knowledge. The data also argue that heritage speakers may possess a bilingual alignment for DOM, whereby underlying receptive knowledge is modulated by cumulative exposure, while production depends more on bilingual education and proficiency in Spanish.

Exploring Educators’ Perspectives on Implementing Dual-Language Immersion Education Programs among Sharjah Private School Students

Since teachers and academic administrators are the main axes in the educational process, this study aimed to explore their perspectives on implementing dual-language immersion programs in Sharjah private schools. Moreover, it was keen to emphasize the importance of speaking two different languages for children’s self-efficacy, life improvement, academic achievement, and community engagement, where the child in his early life stages is more able to comprehend, memorize, and learn. The research presents a study about children that are bilingual having better social interactions with people from different cultures. Dual-language programs might raise their chances of success in the real world and in the workplace, lead to new career prospects, and provide them with the ability to travel and interact with people from other cultures. Private schools that offer dual-language instruction guarantee that students will learn the second language at a level commensurate with their proficiency in the first. Moreover, the research refers to the large population diversity represented by the different nationalities, languages, and cultures located in the UAE, which helps to achieve this implementation. Furthermore, this study shows the encouragement and support of parents for their children to achieve this goal. The scope of the research was tight where it concentrated only on the Emirate of Sharjah. It should be expanded to include the seven emirates of the UAE and reach more educators' opinions from different nationalities and different schools that follow different educational curriculums. Broadening the scope of the search and making it more comprehensive will ensure clearer and more accurate results.

“Many of our families have moved because they are afraid”: A critical bifocal analysis of the creation of a dual language immersion program

ABSTRACT This paper examines national, state, and local factors impacting the creation of a new dual language immersion program (DLI) program in a Midwestern school district, a relatively understudied regional context. Using a critical bifocal lens and an ethnographic case study methodology, we examined two main questions: first, why was the DLI program created in the focal school district? And second, what were the most salient factors that impacted the creation and implementation of the DLI program? The findings show the significance of analyzing the role of dissimilar social factors in the context of historical and contemporary local and national circumstances when implementing educational options like DLI programs. The evidence provided by this study helps to problematize unidimensional explanations regarding equity and the role of various social actors in the decision making process in school communities. This study highlights the importance of considering local issues from more comprehensive perspectives in bi/multilingual, multiracial, and multiethnic learning contexts.

Curriculum bridging across Chinese and English instructional times in a one-way dual language education program

ABSTRACT In response to the limitations presented by restrictive language separation practices in dual language immersion programs, this study describes a curriculum bridging approach that was undertaken by a group of teachers in a one-way Chinese English Dual Language Education program to promote and build on students’ full linguistic repertoires. The present study was conducted in a public charter school where students were mostly English dominant. Focusing on language allocation decisions at different levels, we examine how teachers bridged instruction for continuity and reinforcement of students’ content and language learning across Chinese and English instructional times. The findings also reveal challenges teachers faced in the planning and implementation processes of curriculum bridging, which unearthed varying teacher assumptions about specific subject matters and pedagogical strategies. Implications for further research and suggestions for practice to more effectively utilize and build on students’ full linguistic repertoires are provided.

Counteracting Epistemicide: Social and Cultural Capital of Teachers in a Dual Language Program

This case study explored the social and cultural capital of teachers in a rural Midwestern Spanish-English dual-language immersion (DLI) program as they overcame an Anglocentric epistemological hegemony in their daily practice. Working from Bourdieu’s (1986) theory of social capital and Rios-Aguilar and Kiyama’s (2012) approach to funds of knowledge, this research demonstrated that DLI teachers faced challenges ranging from resistance by non-DLI teachers in the school afraid of losing their jobs, to a broader fear of the DLI program taking resources away from the monolingual anglophone classrooms. To overcome these challenges, the DLI teachers drew extensively on their global social networks to resuscitate knowledge systems under attack from an Anglocentric epistemology, leveraging their existing social and cultural capital to benefit the community as a whole through an authentic Spanish-language epistemology.

Language Development and the Use of Dual-Language Immersion Program

Many individuals will think that children are only able to learn how to speak and listen when they can experience things themselves. However, that is not the case, Infants can hear and begin to understand languages starting from birth. Learning a language in advance will only provide advantages for the child. They can see and watch things from different perspectives and speak for themselves. Children have a critical period when they can quickly develop a particular language and so does learning a foreign language. Dual-Language Immersion programs have been growing in the past year where children should be exposed to a foreign language starting from middle school or even elementary. Learning a foreign language will provide them with more opportunities and success in their future.

Immersion in dual-language programs does not impede children’s native language processing

Aims and Objectives: The benefits of dual-language immersion (DLI) versus English-only classrooms for minority-language speakers’ acquisition of English have been well documented. However, less is known about the effect(s) of DLI on majority-language speakers’ native English skills. Prior studies largely used accuracy-focused measures to index children’s language skills; it is possible that processing-based tasks are more sensitive to the effects of DLI experience. Methodology: Thirty-three monolingual native English-speaking children attending English-only classrooms and thirty-three English-speaking children attending English-Spanish DLI matched in age, gender, nonverbal IQ, and socio-economic status were tested twice, 1 year apart, on standardized and processing-based measures of English vocabulary and morphosyntax. Analysis: We ran linear mixed-effects models to examine the extent to which group and time would predict scores on knowledge-based measures of vocabulary and morphosyntactic knowledge, as well as accuracy and reaction times on processing-based measures of English vocabulary and morphosyntax. Findings: Results revealed comparable levels of growth in English for both groups. A subtle effect of DLI was observed on a lexical-decision task: bilinguals were slower in Year 1 but both groups were equally efficient in Year 2. These results indicate that DLI programs have minimal impact on majority-language speakers’ native-language skills in the age-range tested. Originality: This study is the first to longitudinally examine processing-based native language outcomes in bilingual children in DLI classrooms. Significance: We do not find evidence that DLI exposure carries a cost to native language development, even when indexed by processing measures. This should reassure parents, educators, and policymakers in that there are no downsides to DLI.

Bidirectional transfer of definition skills and expressive vocabulary knowledge in Chinese-English dual language learners

ABSTRACT Though Mandarin Chinese dual language immersion (DLI) has been growing rapidly in the U.S., research on this population is still rare. This study explored cross-language transfer of expressive oral vocabulary knowledge and definition skills among students in a Chinese DLI program. We found significant within and cross-language relationships of aspects of definition skills and cross-language relationships between expressive vocabulary and definition skills. Hierarchical regression revealed strong predictive association within and across languages for definition skills. Moderation analysis revealed that Chinese vocabulary knowledge had a moderating effect on the transfer of the syntagmatic aspect of Chinese definition skill to the corresponding skill in English. Educational implications and research recommendations are discussed in relation to an expanding framework of cross-language transfer.

Conceptualising preschool dual-language immersion education at Bobcat Canyon School

ABSTRACT This study examined how parents, teachers, and administrators conceptualised dual-language immersion (DLI) education and its goals at Bobcat Canyon School (BCS, pseudonym), a private preschool in the Southwestern USA where 64% students were White and 36% were students of colour. Through interviews with 15 parents, eight teachers, and two school administrators, the study exposed a conceptual confusion among the school community about what DLI education is and that BCS advertised a DLI brand without appropriate understanding and implementation. The analysis revealed that with a framework of neoliberal linguistic instrumentalism, the preschool conceptualised its DLI as an enriching context for students to obtain a cognitive, social, and academic edge. Cognitive development, social competencies, and school readiness were primary goals while bilingualism/biliteracy was a secondary bonus if achieved. The study exposed the need for the field to establish unique objectives and models of DLI at the preschool level and educate all stakeholders on the short- and long-term effects of DLI education. The study calls for promoting the historical mission of DLI in private programs and all existing DLI programs to examine their conceptual underpinnings.

The effect of early enrollment in dual-language immersion programs on children’s English reading development: findings from a 5-year longitudinal study

ABSTRACT The present study examined the effect of children’s enrollment in U.S. dual-language immersion (DLI) programs in first grade on English development across five years, using the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study, Kindergarten Class of 2011 (ECLS-K:2011) database. Propensity score matching was used to create comparable groups of DLI and non-DLI students based on students’ kindergarten reading performance and a series of student-, family-, and school-level characteristics. Growth curve models demonstrate that first-grade DLI enrollment had a positive effect on children’s English reading growth from Grade 1 to 5. Children who enrolled in DLI experienced greater improvements by Grade 5. We also found that first-grade teacher judgment was related to children’s initial reading performance but not their reading growth. Implications related to DLI programs, teacher practices, and bilingual educational policies are discussed.

Longitudinal study of Spanish Dual Language Immersion graduates: Secondary school academic and language achievement

AbstractFive cohorts of students (N = 322) who completed a K–5 Spanish Dual Language Immersion (DLI) program in an urban school district were followed longitudinally through middle and high school completion. Academic and language achievement data included English Language Arts and Mathematics scores on the Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) test for grades 3–8 and on the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP) for 11th grade, 10th‐grade cumulative high school grade point average, enrollment in and grades earned in language classes, and attainment of the California Seal of Biliteracy. The DLI students were compared to non‐DLI students who attended the same schools. Most DLI students continued with advanced level classes in Spanish in high school, and nearly half earned the California Seal of Biliteracy. Achievement results indicate that DLI graduates performed at equivalent or higher levels than non‐DLI students on standardized achievement measures for English Language Arts and Mathematics.

Where we are and where we ought to be: The need for research-based assessments for dual language immersion learners

ABSTRACT In this paper, we address a lack of assessments of partner language development in dual language immersion (DLI) programs. We propose several important considerations that are necessary for the creation of research-based assessments of partner language development in DLI programs, focusing on Spanish as an example. We first discuss what these assessments need to test, concentrating on different areas of language that have proven to be challenging for heritage speakers and second language learners of Spanish, both of whom are students in these immersion programs. Next, we discuss how to assess these students through the use of implicit and explicit tasks and by measuring production and comprehension separately. We also advocate for embracing students’ translanguaging practices. Finally, we discuss why we need to assess partner language development. We propose that designing assessments that are simple to interpret will allow teachers, linguists, and policymakers to benefit from the data that they provide. For example, assessments of partner language development can contribute to assessment literacy and the creation of learning standards for bilingual schools. We argue that these considerations are essential for bringing DLI education to where we ought to be in the 21st century.

Equity traps in the deselection of English learners in dual language education: A collective case study of school principals

ABSTRACT Indiana dual-language immersion (DLI) programs have grown exponentially in the last 5 years as a result of state policies, related state funding, and increasing pressure for public schools to have a specialized presence amidst school choice provisions. Principals work with their communities to identify the DLI model they will adopt, student constituencies they will target and how equity is constituted. We define equity as institutional structures, supports, and practices that prioritize and center the needs of historically marginalized groups, namely English Learners (ELs), to ensure that they have opportunities of educational access and outcomes, including their right to preserve and develop their native language. Using a collective case study, we examine the equity discourses among one-way and two-way DLI principals to define the ways in which dual language is understood and how that informs decision-making. Using the conceptual lens of “equity traps,” we identify the overt and subtle mechanisms that propagate or constrain equity for historically marginalized groups, like ELs. Implications suggest the need for a structural examination of the concrete and abstract ways equity is trapped within DLI programming. A matrix is furnished to guide principals and DLI stakeholders in their preparation for DLI programming, centered on equity.

Bilingual investments of dual-language immersion program alumni

ABSTRACT The article explores bilingual investments of dual-language immersion program alumni through an intersectional narrative analysis. Focusing on the experiences of bilingualism of six alumni, we investigate how they continue to be invested in bilingualism, the factors that shape their self-positionings as bilinguals, and the extent to which race is implicated in their experiences as bilingual speakers of Spanish and English. The analysis revealed that investment is not always agentive and is obligatory, and habitual – less conscious linguistic behavior. While individual efforts sustain bilingual investment, biculturalism requires a collective practice. Bilingual experiences are racialized, and raciolinguistic ideologies at home school, and society at large shape alumni’s bilingual investments. Across all findings, we discuss individual and collective similarities and differences among Hispanic/Latinx and White alumni. The article ends with implications for future research and practical recommendations for designing equitable bilingual programs.

Oral narrative development of Mandarin Chinese dual language immersion learners

ABSTRACT This study explored the development of oral narrative retell proficiency among Mandarin Chinese-English dual language immersion (DLI) learners in Utah. The study compared the younger and the older DLI learners’ oral narrative retelling production in order to provide information regarding the Mandarin narrative developmental trend of the DLI learners. A total of ten first graders and ten fifth graders who spoke English as their native language from a Mandarin DLI program in Utah were involved in this study. Oral narratives were elicited via retelling a story. MANOVA tests were run to detect any significant differences at the macrostructure and microstructure levels of the participants’ narratives. The results showed significant differences in the older learners for many macrostructure and microstructure features; however, certain components in both macrostructure and microstructure features remain at similar levels. The results could be explained by children’s typical progress in oral narrative development (e.g. progressing from word level through sentence and story formation), the DLI curriculum, and the difference between the Chinese and English language features.

How Teachers and Leaders Facilitate Integration in a Two-Way Dual Language Immersion Program

Background/Context: Public school enrollment in the United States is becoming increasingly racially and linguistically diverse; however, school segregation continues to intensify across the nation. Within this context, two-way dual language immersion (TWI) programs, which intentionally strive to balance English learners and English speakers, may create a natural opportunity for integration. Research Question: How do teachers and leaders facilitate integrative interactions among students of different racial and linguistic groups in a TWI program? Research Design: This qualitative, holistic, single case study explores the TWI program at Silverthorne Elementary School (pseudonym), a K-5 traditional public school in the southeastern United States. Silverthorne is in a rural community on the outskirts of a large metropolitan area that is a new immigrant destination. At the time of data collection, Silverthorne’s TWI program was in its seventh year of implementation. Participants include 12 teachers, one guidance counselor, and one school leader. We conducted semi-structured individual interviews with all participants, observed eight classrooms, and analyzed supplemental documents. We used inductive coding and ultimately generated four themes to describe how TWI teachers and leaders facilitate integration. Findings: Silverthorne’s TWI program provides an opportunity to facilitate integration among students from different racial and linguistic backgrounds. The nature of these integrative experiences is shaped by the structure of the TWI program, the teachers’ conceptualizations of diversity, the teachers’ pedagogical and curricular decisions, and the school leader’s support of the TWI program. Conclusion: Although teachers and leaders in the Silverthorne TWI program have promoted integration in numerous ways, they also have missed important opportunities to facilitate greater integration. Nonetheless, this TWI program illustrates the potential of TWI to provide opportunities for students from different racial and linguistic backgrounds to learn together in a truly integrated environment. Findings suggest the need for enhanced professional development regarding how to facilitate integration in diverse classrooms as well as future research to understand how, if at all, integration is considered when districts and schools are designing and implementing TWI programs.

Contributions of Oral Narrative Skills to English Reading in Spanish-English Latino/a Dual Language Learners.

The study examined the contributions of Spanish and English oral narrative skills to English reading among 95 early elementary dual language learners (DLLs) from Spanish-speaking homes in the United States. This sample of first- and third-grade DLL children attended Spanish-English dual language immersion programs and received language and literacy instruction in both English and Spanish. All participants completed a storytelling task in both languages and two English reading tests in decoding and reading comprehension. The story narratives were analyzed for microstructures (number of different new words, lexical diversity [D], mean length of utterance, subordination index [SI]) using the Computerized Language ANalysis program. The narrative samples were also evaluated for macrostructures (i.e., discourse-level features) using the Narrative Scoring Scheme. Grade, English D, and Spanish SI significantly predicted English reading. Grade level was the strongest predictor of the three for both decoding and comprehension. However, Spanish SI was more robust than English D for decoding whereas English D was a stronger predictor than Spanish SI for comprehension. Young DLL children's oral narrative skills in English as well as in their home language Spanish contributed to their English reading outcomes. The study further specified the contributions of narrative elements to different reading skills. Microstructural elements appeared to play a stronger role in English reading than macrostructural elements for DLLs in dual language programs in early elementary grades. The results provided support for the simple view of reading and the linguistic interdependence hypothesis. The results also implicated that maintaining young DLL children's home language skills may be beneficial, rather than harmful, to their English reading development.

Auditory Processing of Non-speech Stimuli by Children in Dual-Language Immersion Programs.

Perception of low-level auditory cues such as frequency modulation (FM) and rise time (RT) is crucial for development of phonemic representations, segmentation of word boundaries, and attunement to prosodic patterns in language. While learning an additional language, children may develop an increased sensitivity to these cues to extract relevant information from multiple types of linguistic input. Performance on these auditory processing tasks such as FM and RT by children learning another language is, however, unknown. Here we examine 92 English-speaking 7–8-year-olds in the U.S. and their performance in FM and RT perceptual tasks at the end of their second year in Cantonese or Spanish dual-language immersion compared to children in general English education programs. Results demonstrate that children in immersion programs have greater sensitivity to FM, but not RT, controlling for various factors. The immersion program students were also observed to have better phonological awareness performance. However, individual differences in FM sensitivity were not associated with phonological awareness, a pattern typically observed in monolinguals. These preliminary findings suggest a possible impact of formal language immersion on low-level auditory processing. Additional research is warranted to understand causal relationships and ultimate impact on language skills in multilinguals.