If you answered Edmonton, Alberta in Canada, you’re either Canadian, a regular reader of this blog or an immersion junkie. Edmonton has a population of about 1 million people and its school system has multiple “alternative” programs. In fact, almost every school in the district it home to at least one. Because Canada is an…

The state of Utah has the nation’s most comprehensive Mandarin immersion program, which is statewide and coordinated through the state Office of Education.  Here’s a story about one of it’s more than 28 junior high schools. From: The Daily Universe   Utah junior high schools integrate language immersion students Alana Holzer didn’t understand a word…

Dark side of school immersion programs From: The Standard-Examiner For the last eight years, 11 elementary schools of 60 in Davis School District, four in Weber School District, and two in Ogden School District have incorporated dual immersion programs with Spanish, Chinese, or French. To many, it is one of the highlights of the school’s…

This is a preschool program, so not a full immersion program. But if it proves successful and popular, the district might expand it.  From: Channel 8 COMSTOCK TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — Come next fall, the English spoken by 3- and 4-year-olds, many who have barely learned their ABCs, will mix with the sounds of Mandarin…

Sonya Hendren shares these homework videos from the school her son attends in Sacramento,  the Mandarin Immersion Program at William Land Elementary. Last year, in 1st grade, the teacher had the students record videos as homework, in order to check their individual pronunciation,  as it would take too long during class. The readings were mainly…

From New America Foundation By Ingrid T. Colón Sept. 28, 2018 Dual language immersion (DLI) programs—where students are given academic instruction in two languages—are becoming increasingly popular due to the economic, cognitive, and academic benefits bilingualism may confer on students. Because DLI programs offer specialized instruction, it’s often assumed that they cost more to implement than…

From The Juneau Empire By Ben Hohenstatt Monday, January 7, 2019 By February, Juneau could have a childcare program entirely in Lingít. Haa Yoo X’atángi Kúdi is Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska’s new “language nest,” an immersive program intended to help revitalize the Tlingit language of Lingít. After four years…