Effects of two way immersion of the ethnic identification of third language students: An exploratory study

Bilingual Research Journal, Winter 1997 by Kellie Rolstad

Abstract

While two-way immersion programs have been shown to be very effective for both language majority and language minority students, their effectiveness with students who speak a home language other than those used in the classroom has not been established. Since the inclusion of such third language students in two-way immersion programs is rare, little is known about whether the effects might be positive or negative. However, a Korean/English two-way immersion program implemented in Los Angeles which includes several speakers of Spanish and Tagalog presented a rare research opportunity. Among several possible areas of concern regarding the effects of two-way immersion on third language students, differences in ethnic identification might be anticipated. This exploratory study provides and discusses indicators of positive program outcomes which relate to academic achievement, language development and ethnic identity, focusing on ethnic identification with students' own group and with others. Data were collected from students in two other programs, English mainstream and Spanish bilingual, for comparison with same school peers. It was found that the third language students fared well in academic and language development, as well as in ethnic identification, with some interesting differences. Based on these findings, it is tentatively suggested that two-way immersion may provide a better educational alternative than submersion for third language students for whom a bilingual program is not available.

Introduction

An underlying premise of developmental bilingual education is that the psychosocial, linguistic, and academic benefits of long-term primary language (L I) instruction make it an excellent educational option for language minority children, students who speak a language other than that of the national majority (Brisk, 1998; Faltis & Hudelson, 1998; Wong Fillmore & Valadez, 1988). Indeed, numerous studies have shown that LI instruction can provide greater benefits for language minority children than submersion in a socially dominant language where these children are subjected to instruction through the unfamiliar language of the majority culture (Greene, 1998; Ramirez, Yuen & Ramey, 1991; Thomas & Collier, 1997; Willig, 1985). Recently, Thomas and Collier (1997) conducted a longitudinal study of a variety of instructional methods for language minority children and found that the strongest program for language minority students is two-way immersion, a special form of developmental bilingual education in which language minority children receive LI instruction together with language majority children who receive immersion in the minority language.

The success of two-way immersion for language minority students is generally attributed to the first language support they receive in school, although this support entails far more than the sheer linguistic experiences of the students. Typically, the language, culture, and self-esteem of language minority students are under constant threat in schools and in the larger society, as these students are pressured to assimilate. In two-way immersion, a deep respect for the target (minority) language and its speakers is fostered which leads to increased self-esteem and ethnic pride among language minority students and improved intercultural relations between the two groups of students. Thus, language minority students receive not only linguistic support, but also cultural, psychological and social support in their academic development. At the same time, language majority students are immersed in a foreign language which they gradually and easily acquire, as the value of their first language and ethnic identity is never questioned.

It has been established that immersion in a foreign language is successful with language majority students (for example, French immersion of English speakers in Canada), and submersion in the majority language has been found to be largely unsuccessful with language minority students (for example, English submersion of Spanish speakers in the U.S.) (Cummins, 1979; Greene, 1998; Willig, 1985). The question remains, however, as to the appropriateness of immersion for students who are native speakers of neither the majority language nor the target immersion language, such as Russian Jewish immigrant children to the U.S. who begin kindergarten in Hebrew schools. Very little evidence for or against third language immersion can be found in the research literature.

Genesee (1988:179) warns that while immersion has been found to be beneficial for language majority students, the suitability of immersion for language minority students remains ". . . an open question, subject to empirical investigation." Further, he has cautioned that, in the context of French immersion in Canada,

... one can only make inferences about the suitability of French immersion for the third language group. Nevertheless, there is nothing in these data to suggest that French immersion would not be suitable for third language children. (Genesee, 1976:510).