Fact: A child's brain has twice as many synapses (connections) in the brain as an adult. The young brain must use these connections or lose them.
Young children can learn as many spoken languages as you can allow them to hear systematically and regularly at the same time. They just have a natural capacity to learn language at an early age. But if they wait until high school to learn another language, the job is much harder. Young children are eager learners and may be less self-conscious than older students, or adults, in experimenting with a new language.
Fact: Research consistently find that the immersion experience actually enhances English language development (Cloud, Genesse, & Hamayan, 2000)
The goal of language immersion is for students to become proficient in a second language and develop increased cultural awareness. But while learning a second language when they are young, students also develop greater flexibility in the way they think, better problem-solving skills, and a better grasp and understanding of their own native language.
Fact: Students in an immersion program typically perform as well, if not better, than those who are not in an immersion classroom on standardized tests.
The curriculum for the elementary language immersion program is the same as is taught in non-immersion classrooms. All students are held to the same academic standards when it comes to reading, writing, math, and science. The difference is that the instruction in an immersion classroom is 50 percent in English and 50 percent in Spanish.* Most students with special needs are also successful in immersion programs when provided with the same support they would receive in a non-immersion program.
Learning a second language at an early age...
- has a positive effect on intellectual growth and enriches and enhances a child's mental development
- leaves students with more flexibility in thinking, greater sensitivity to language, and a better ear for listening
- improves a child's understanding of his/her native language
- gives a child the ability to communicate with people he/she would otherwise not have the chance to know
- opens the door to other cultures and helps a child understand and appreciate people from other countries
- gives a student a head start in language requirements for college and increases his/her job opportunities in many careers where knowing another language is a real asset
https://dnn.csd509j.net/Portals/1/Administration/Key%20Initiatives/DLTF%20Page/Why%20DLI%20at%20young%20age%20-%20Web.pdf
Corvallis School District 509J, Oregon
*Dual language immersion programs involve the use of English and a partner language. It may be Spanish, Portuguese, German, Mandarin Chinese, etc. In the case of the Esperanza School of Language and Culture, the partner language will be Spanish.
