Two-way Immersion Programs Research Articles

Using Two-Way Immersion Program in Teaching English in Kazakhstan: Teachers’ View

The Program of Two-way immersion is a form of integration students from two different groups and contemporary studying of two languages and subjects on these languages. The method as a method was appeared in Canada in the early 1960s. The program of TWI adherence to the following criteria: 1. The number of students is the same in two group; 2) groups gathered into one group according to the main subjects; 3) all main subjects are taught in two languages simultaneously. Two types of TWI program: 50\50; 90\10. This qualitative study aims to examine teachers’ views on the implementation the bilingual program into educational process of Kazakhstan. The literature review showed that Two-way immersion program is one of the innovative methods within the trilingual education of Kazakhstan, that not sufficiently studied and approved. It was hypothesized that TWI program makes an effect on trilingualism of Kazakhstan. For checking the awareness of this program, it was conducted an experimental work in Karaganda Buketov University, Kazakhstan. (103 teachers from the faculty of foreign languages, within five departments: Department of foreign philology; Foreign languages department; Department of translation theory and practice; Department of the theory and practice of foreign language training; Department of the practical foreign language course)The results demonstrate that this program is not sufficiently studied, becomes relevant in the educational process and informative, as well as to create the necessary methodological recommendations. The usage of TWI program improves the system of bilingual education in Kazakhstan, expands the level of professional readiness of teachers and students, develops high levels of academic competence and motivation.

‘You’re the one that needs help’: Examining racialized bias within a Two-Way Immersion Spanish classroom

ABSTRACT This article draws on qualitative data from a Two-Way Immersion Spanish environment classroom to explore how African American students lived experiences, language, and cultural practices are regulated and/or constrained. Drawing on the theoretical framework of Bahktin’s heteroglossia and raciolinguistics, the authors present two distinct qualitative scenarios where African American students negotiate their roles, identities, and linguistic and cultural voices within their classroom. Findings showed that African American students contributed in the Spanish environment in unique ways that went unaffirmed by fellow students and the teacher. These findings suggest a need to examine how Two-Way Immersion programs, despite their goals for linguistic pluralism and integration, can also reinforce racial inequity. The authors include implications for Two-Way Immersion programs to adopt a critical and anti-racist pedagogical framework.

Models of Instruction for Multilingual Learners: Facets of the ESOL Co-Teacher Role

With nearly five million multilingual learners in U.S. schools, research is warranted for effective instruction that permits equal access to content standards through language diversification. Multilingual learners (MLs), students learning English who benefit from linguistic support to attain academic achievement, are served through models in U.S. schools that vary according to student needs and staffing capability, with English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) as the dominantly implemented format. ESOL is a federally and locally funded program that provides structured academic and linguistic support and accountability for MLs across all grade levels. The purpose of this literature review is to compare the utility and effectiveness of the four program models approved by the U.S. Department of Education to effectively teach content and language to MLs in public schools: (a) structured English immersion, (b) bilingual education, (c) dual language or two-way immersion programs, and (d) English for Speakers of Other Languages (U.S. Department of Education & U.S. Department of Justice, 2015). Furthermore, this article is intended to examine the overarching model of ESOL—the most employed model in the U.S.—and the prominent delivery format of co-teaching. Each of the models mentioned above is discussed in this paper, followed by a delineation of state and federally-approved formats of ESOL: pull-out, push-in, resource labs, sheltered classes, innovative delivery models, and co-teaching. This article concludes with an examination of co-teaching, a subset of ESOL in which a general education educator and an ESOL teacher co-plan, co-instruct, and co-assess an integrated classroom of MLs and non-MLs.

The Enlightenment of US Bilingual Education Model to Ethnic Minority Preschool Bilingual Education in China

Two-way immersion (TWI) bilingual education, as a model of strong bilingual education with distinctive characteristics and a unique way of implementation, has been widely practiced in many multi-ethnic, multilingual and multicultural countries, such as the US, and has achieved positive results. This article summarizes and analyzes the implementation mode, characteristics and limitations of the TWI program. In the light of the local conditions of ethnic minority areas in the country, this article also puts forward suggestions on the trial implementation of TWI program in pilot kindergartens in ethnic areas: strengthen national policy support and ensure the vigorous development of preschool bilingual education; stabilize and enhance the quality of bilingual teachers; promote the integration of Han nationality and ethnic minorities as well as realize the sharing of high-quality educational resources; encourage Han children to learn minority languages; develop preschool bilingual teaching resources and facilitate the construction of preschool bilingual teaching materials; and foster a good family and community environment for preschool bilingual education. In a word, bilingual education plays a pivotal role in the long-term competition of the country bearing a special function of cultivating bilingual talents. It is undoubtedly a beneficial exploration and bold innovation to attempt to pilot TWI preschool bilingual education in ethnic minority areas of China

Spatial Perspectives on Adopting and Developing the Two-Way Immersion Program in Estonia’s Kindergartens: Resources & Risks

Etniline ja rassiline eraldatus on üsna levinud probleem mitmel pool maailmas ning liigagi sageli kohtame vastuseisu lõimumisele koolis. Seega väärivad sellisest suhtumisest erinevad juhtumid erilist tähelepanu, eriti olukordades, kus kogukonnad on elanud ranges eraldatuses juba mitmete põlvkondade vältel. Eestis, kus nõukogude ajajärgul ühiskonnas domineerinud venekeelne vähemus õppis harva ära kohaliku keele, pööras 1991. aasta taasiseseisvumine etnilise võimustruktuuri pahupidi ja asetas enamiku venekeelsetest elanikest olukorda, kus nende ainsa riigikeele – eesti keele – oskus oli kas vähene või olematu.
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Spatial Perspectives on Adopting and Developing the Two-Way Immersion Program in Estonia’s Kindergartens: Resources & Risks

Ethnic and racial segregation is a common challenge around the world, and resistance to school integration is all too familiar. Exceptions to these patterns thus merit special attention, particularly in contexts where communities have maintained high degrees of separation for generations. In Estonia, where the dominant Russian-speaking minority throughout the Soviet period seldom learned the language, (re)independence in 1991 reversed the ethnic power structure and left most Russian residents with little to no competency in the sole official language of Estonian.

Supporting literacy development in two‐way immersion classrooms (Grades 3–5)

AbstractThis paper draws from a broader research project and reports on literacy program supports and instructional strategies in two‐way immersion (TWI) classrooms (Grades 3‐5) where the partner language is Spanish. The study examined TWI classrooms in which students from multiple demographics were performing at or above the state average on reading exams and highlights commonalities across classrooms. Semi‐structured interviews, class observations, and documents such as lesson plans were used as primary sources and collected from nine teacher participants. Common literacy practices emerged during data analysis and coding. Using grounded theory for qualitative analysis, two programmatic structures emerged: (1) Spanish and English literacy intervention and (2) coordination of literacy standards across languages. In addition, a focus on fluency and utilization of on‐grade level texts were identified as instructional strategies in classrooms. After describing how these structures and instructional strategies were utilized, this paper discusses implications for further research and practical application for literacy instruction in intermediate, and elementary TWI programs.

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.

Unilateral translanguaging: teachers’ language use, perceptions, and experience in a Portuguese-English two-way immersion program

ABSTRACT This study documents the notion of unilateral translanguaging–the configuration of translanguaging spaces to disproportionately privilege a dominant language or its speakers. We analyze four teachers’ translanguaging practices in a Portuguese-English two-way immersion (TWI) program in the United States. Rather than focusing on whether and how translanguaging occurs, we highlight temporality and purpose to explore when and why participants engaged in translingual practices. Data stem from a three-year ethnographic project and include semi-structured interviews and classroom observations. We found that translanguaging mainly occurred during Portuguese lessons, during which teachers used English to give directions, discipline students, and give important announcements, linking English use to moments of high authority. English-dominant students’ translanguaging practices also tended to be more readily accepted than those of Portuguese-dominant students. Furthermore, in contrast to prior research on language status as unconscious bias, our findings demonstrate teachers’ keen awareness of practices and policies that disproportionately benefit English-dominant students. Still, structural conditions, parental power dynamics, and pressure to maintain the program left the focal teachers feeling unequipped to interrupt these practices. This research highlights how educators’ practices and perceptions of translanguaging interact with structural features of bilingual education programming as factors that may disrupt or reproduce inequities.

Promoting biculturalism and biliteracy for Vietnamese American children through cultural performing arts

ABSTRACT Under the theoretical underpinnings of language socialization and continua of biliteracy, this ethnographic case study documents how cultural performing arts, as part of extracurricular activities, promote bicultural identity and biliteracy development among Vietnamese American children. The study was set in two transnational contexts: a community-based Vietnamese heritage language school and a Vietnamese dual-language two-way immersion program, both located in a southwestern U.S. city. Data was drawn from observation field notes, interviews, teachers’ testimony, and visual records. Findings show cultural events created by and for Vietnamese Americans create affordances for dialogic teaching on culture, language play, and cultural identity formation through collaborative efforts between home, school, and community. This paper implies a need for (1) purposeful integration of cultural events held by transnational communities into school curricula and (2) an in-depth focus on the sociocultural aspects of language programs, especially among the less-commonly-taught-language groups.

A Comparison of Fourth-Grade Students Taught in English-Only Classrooms and Spanish-Only Classrooms in the Same District

Language immersion programs are becoming more available as a form of school choice in both private and public education in the United States and beyond. While there is research on the benefits of immersion education regarding overall intelligence, there is still much skepticism as to why parents would place their child in an immersion program vs. a traditional program where all academics are taught in English. This study presents the data from two schools in the same school district in a Midwest state that took the bold move to create a stand-alone one-way Spanish full immersion school. The analysis show that students educated in the immersion program scored statistically better than their similarly situated peers on the Smarter Balanced Assessment in mathematics and the Measure of Academic Progress in mathematics and reading. The analysis also showed the students educated in the immersion program performed better than their similarly situated peers on the Smarter Balanced Assessment in English language arts and the ABC District Writing Assessment, but statistical significance was not found. While this study is based upon a one-way full immersion program, the findings may also apply to dual and two-way immersion programs where similar results may be achieved for English Language Learners educated in their native language as well as in English.

Reading Achievement in A Dual Language Setting: An Examination of English Language Learners at the Elementary Level

Dual or two-way immersion programs utilize two languages of instruction to promote bilingualism and biliteracy. This study examined the impact of dual language instruction on the reading achievement and language acquisition of English language learners (ELL) at the elementary level in a public school district in a Midwestern state. The school population included 778 students in which 400 students were enrolled in the dual language program (327 ELL, 73 English) and 378 students were enrolled in a traditional setting (225 ELL, 153 English). A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the means of reading scores of dual language and of English-only students with no statistically significant effect found. A factorial two-way ANOVA was conducted to compare the means of reading subtest percentile scores, and statistically significant differences were found at the .05 level for the Prereading/Early Reading and Instruction subtests. The results of this study support the implementation of two-way, or dual language models of instruction for school-aged native-English and emergent bilinguals.

Gauging the Adequacy of Translanguaging Allocation Policy in Two-Way Immersion Programs in the U.S.

ABSTRACT This critical assessment examines the tension that has recently evolved between translanguaging advocates and advocates of two-way immersion programs. Translanguaging advocates have called for a reframing of language allocation practices and the incorporation of translanguaging pedagogy into these programs. At issue is that two-way immersion programs, through careful language allocation or separation practices, have empirical longitudinal support attesting to their effectiveness. The question then becomes whether this long-standing language separation practice ought to be abandoned, modified, or remain intact. To shed light on this matter the author attempts to gauge the theoretical, empirical and pedagogical merits of translanguaging with special reference to two-way immersion programs. The author concludes that translanguaging theory is still evolving and empirical longitudinal research to support translanguaging in two-way immersion programs is lacking. Moreover, it is unclear how the use of translanguaging pedagogy in these programs might better meet students’ needs that are already being met through exemplary practices. The author concludes that there is not sufficient reason to either abandon or modify the use of language separation in two-way programs at this time.

Kindergarteners’ perceptions of belonging and inclusion in a two-way immersion classroom

ABSTRACT Little systematic attention has been paid toward belonging for young children, particularly in contexts of diversity that are regularly part of school settings. Two-Way immersion (TWI) programs provide one educational context ideally suited for exploring the constructs of belonging and inclusion in linguistically and culturally diverse settings. This study explores how kindergarteners articulate a sense of belonging in a socio-linguistically diverse international Two-Way immersion school. Focus groups were conducted with kindergarteners about what they would need to fit in and belong. Findings reveal that these kindergarteners recognize the utility of language but do not segregate peers by language group. Language proficiencies were articulated as a procedure for being able to ‘do school.’ They appear to experience language diversity as a ‘de facto’ context and something to manage procedurally. Comments on friendship-making also express the importance of conforming to concrete social interpersonal norms; friendship as compliance to social norms and procedures of asking someone to be your friend and being nice. A consideration of inclusion as the negotiation of belonging in this diverse context allows us to consider the specific ideas and solutions of these kindergarteners as a shared project of belonging in which they all work to enact inclusion. (250)

Creating fertile grounds for two-way immersion: gentrification, immigration, & neoliberal school reforms

Bilingual Two-Way Immersion (TWI) programs are becoming increasingly popular in the United States, especially amongst white, non-Hispanic, middle-class English speaking-parents (Valdez et al. in Urban Rev 44:601–627, 2016). While they are growing in numbers and popularity, researchers caution against the challenges and inequalities that they face (Cervantes-Soon et al. in Rev Res Educ 41:403–427, 2017) making it important to understand how and why these schooling options are coming about. Through the ethnographic study of one TWI program that was created within a Philadelphia public school in 2014, I show how it was neoliberal school reforms, a movement of gentrifying parents to improve schools, and a steady flow of Spanish-speaking immigrants to the area that created the fertile grounds for this TWI bilingual program to come about. I argue for the importance of understanding the processes that already create unequal positions for various social actors, and through this analysis problematize bottom-up language policy making when it is undertaken under the conditions of neoliberalism and competitiveness.

A review of Korean/English and Mandarin/English dual language programs in the United States

AbstractThe benefits of dual language immersion (DLI) instruction, both in one-way and two-way immersion programs, have been widely documented through empirical studies spanning nearly five decades. In the U.S. context, most research to date on DLI education has been based on Spanish/English programs, which offer instruction in two Indo-European languages that share many typologically similar features. In light of the fact that there has been a growing trend in programs of other language combinations, such as Mandarin and English, it is necessary to understand how different partner language combinations in DLI programs may impact students’ learning outcomes. Thus, by surveying research on Korean/English and Mandarin/English DLI programs, this paper examines how DLI programs that operate in languages with significantly different linguistic typologies and different scripts affect students’ academic achievement and their development of bilingual proficiency. Based on the studies reviewed, areas for further research to advance our understanding of how DLI programs in English and Korean or Mandarin can effectively and efficiently develop students’ bilingualism/biliteracy and academic achievement are proposed.

Racial integration through two-way dual language immersion: A case study

Despite increasingly diverse public school enrollment, students across the U.S. are still segregated by race and poverty, and English learners (ELs) often experience triple segregation by race, poverty, and language. Two-way immersion (TWI) programs may create racially integrated learning environments, by offering a dual language model that balances native English speakers and speakers of the partner language. Through semi-structured interviews, observation, and document analysis, this qualitative case study examined how a Spanish TWI program facilitates integration in a rural elementary school. Findings show that students from different backgrounds may have equal status in mutually beneficial environments, can become bilingual and bicultural, and may experience lifelong benefits. Implications include the need for increased federal, state, and local funding to support districts using TWI to achieve integration as well as a federal language policy that promotes TWI.

Remixin’ and flowin’ in centros: exploring the biliteracy practices of Black language speakers in an elementary two-way immersion bilingual program

ABSTRACT This paper draws on qualitative research that examines the biliteracy practices of Black Language (BL) speakers in an elementary, two-way immersion (TWI), dual-language bilingual program, using Raciolinguistics as a theoretical lens. Specific questions that guided the study addressed the features of communicative contexts where BL was utilized and the linguistic features of BL that were shared in these multilingual spaces from the students. Findings demonstrated that BL speakers exercised student agency often as they utilized BL in a variety of roles and contexts despite restrictive language policies. Implications for educators working with BL speakers in TWI programs are shared.

Culturally relevant pedagogy in two-way immersion classrooms

ABSTRACT This paper draws from a broader research project and reports on a qualitative case study that investigated instructional practices in grades 3–5 Two-Way Immersion (TWI) classrooms where the partner language is Spanish. Using Culturally Relevant Pedagogy (CRP) as the theoretical framework, the purpose of this study was to examine the degree to which CRP is utilized by TWI teachers. Semi-structured interviews, class observations, and documents such as lesson plans were used as primary sources and collected from nine teacher participants. Findings show that building a culture of academic success was prevalent across all classrooms. While there were some evidence of instructional strategies promoting cultural competence, culturally relevant literature and topics were limited. Across all classrooms, a focus on socio-political awareness was absent. After providing insight on how classroom instruction engaged components of CRP, this paper addresses implications for TWI programs and action steps to ensure all tenets of CRP are utilized.

Bilingual student perspectives about language expertise in a gentrifying two-way immersion program

ABSTRACT The two-way immersion dual language education program design includes the use of language labels to identify students as either the English speaker or the speaker of a language other than English. This paper examines four focal student and two teacher interviews to consider the ways in which the idea of a ‘language expert’ transpired during individual student retrospective interviews. Data include video and audio recordings of student and teacher interviews, classroom observations of student interactions during their kindergarten, first and second grade years. This study draws from a raciolinguistic perspective to explore how power operates in sites where the categorization of language and race are negotiated. A distinctive goal of this paper includes understanding the ways in which students were perceived by their peers and classroom teachers as language learners in order to understand how power relations operated as the school demographics were changing. Findings indicate that race was entwined with social class and language in the ways students perceived one another. Implications for teacher education programs include raising an awareness of how teachers can both mitigate and shift power relations in culturally, ethnically and linguistically diverse contexts.