2007-06-21 21:11:08 · 9 answers · asked by Matthew T 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
"Immersed" would mean that he/she is heavily exposed to a another language.
However, based on the results of studies of bilingual children 4 years is not a good time to immerse a child into a different language. It would harm child's development. Wait a year and do it after child reaches age of 5. If children are heavily exposed to another language between ages 2-4 it harms their development, and often times they mix both languages for a long time. At the age 2-4 children develop abstract thinking in a language they know.
2007-06-21 21:21:22 · answer #1 · answered by punasilva 6 · 3⤊ 3⤋
In Hawaii, we have "immersion" schools. All of the immersion schools in our state are Hawaiian Language Immersion schools. These schools are just like any other elementary school that a child would attend, except Hawaiian is the only language that is spoken. This way, children become considerably fluent in Hawaiian (which is extremely rare these days). Parents send children to these schools when they want that child's first language to be Hawaiian.
Children shouldn't be taught english at home and simultaneously be enrolled in an immersion school of another language. This will confuse the child. Therefore, programs encourage parents to (learn that particular language if they don't know it and) use the immersion school language at home.
If the child has already learned the base of another language (such as english,) it is better to wait until the child is 5, probably more so 6, before introducing another language.
Getting back to the question, the term "immersion" just means that the child is completely surrounded by an environment that uses that particular language. It usual encorporates much of that particular culture into the cirriculum also.
2007-06-22 04:33:43 · answer #2 · answered by athena24 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
In Canada, it means that the school work is taught IN that language (French, possibly English in parts of New Brunswick), rather than the child simply being taught the language as a language.
50% immersion would mean that for 50% of the day or week or possibly month, the language of instruction is French and the other 50% it's English.
2007-06-22 06:40:49 · answer #3 · answered by Goddess of Grammar 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most times it wuld mean a limited experience, such as a one day immersion into the foreign language. Possibly a few high school students would come into the classroom and teach a few words to the four year olds.
2007-06-22 04:16:07 · answer #4 · answered by Me 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It's sort of a crash course. That is the only language spoken in class. A 4 year old will learn a second language very quickly that way. It is a good thing.
2007-06-22 04:20:48 · answer #5 · answered by toetagme 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
That means that they are in a class where only the language is spoken. It can be a great way to learn a language at any age.
2007-06-22 04:13:35 · answer #6 · answered by San Diego Art Nut 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means that the language spoken is all he hears, or can use.
2007-06-22 06:32:39 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means that they are heavily exposed to the language.
That they are drenched in it, it is all around them, that is what they hear.
2007-06-22 04:13:54 · answer #8 · answered by lana62727 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
all classes and everything else is only in that language no bilingual education
2007-06-22 04:16:19 · answer #9 · answered by dan h 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋