THE BRIDGE: FROM RESEARCH TO PRACTICE Using English Achievement Data to Promote Immersion Education

ore than thirty years of language immersion instruction in Canada and the United States have produced an impressive body of research demonstrating its benefits to students. This research indicates that students gain proficiency in a second language, develop cultural awareness, and perform as well as or better than their non-immersion peers on English proficiency tests (Rubio, 1998). As a result of this success, new immersion programs are started every year. Today well over 300,000 students in Canada are enrolled in partial or full-immersion programs. In the United States, more than 200 K-12 immersion programs have been started since the first U.S. immersion program began in 1971. Still, the 40,000 students enrolled in U.S. immersion programs represent less than one percent of the total students enrolled in public schools in the United States (Rhodes & Lynch, 1997). It is clear that the immersion concept remains relatively unknown in this country. Even in districts that currently have immersion programs, much teacher and administrator time is spent explaining and justifying the program’s aims and philosophy. With the increasing emphasis on students’ achievement in the basic skills of math, reading, and writing, along with the development of state standards, second language instruction is not always seen as a top priority by district and state personnel. Although some forwardthinking states in the nation have included foreign language in the core curriculum, in the state of Minnesota, “World Languages” is the only optional area of the ten areas of learning required as part of the State Preparatory Standards for students in grades K-8 (Minnesota State Rule 3501). Budget concerns force district administrators to carefully prioritize instructional programs. Since 1995, at least four immersion programs in the United States have been terminated or replaced with other programs. In addition, two of the largest citywide immersion magnet schools have had to decrease the size of their programs (Rhodes & Lynch, 1997). The expansion of immersion programs into middle schools and high schools brings on issues of personnel, facility, and material costs. Indeed, expansion into middle and high school grades is too often neglected in districts and not considered a top priority. Rhodes and Lynch (1997) report that that 64 percent of all immersion schools in the country are at the elementary level, while only 22 percent are at the middle school/junior high level, and just 8 percent at the high school level. One of the most frequent questions that current and prospective parents have about language immersion education is whether or not their child will perform as well as children in non-immersion schools on English standardized tests (Bredesen & Bredesen, 1999). Research consistently shows that immersion students perform as well as or better in all subject areas in English by the time they reach fourth or fifth grade (see “Research Findings” below). The common perception that less exposure to English instruction should produce lower English test scores, however, persists. Immersion educators must be well prepared to address the concerns of parents, district administrators, and school board members by providing clear research and data to support the benefits to students of language immersion education. Student achievement in reading, writing, and math is a top priority for state and district administrators as well as for parents. Research and data focusing on immersion students’ ability to perform well on English achievement tests are crucial for promoting the introduction or the continued development of language immersion education within a school district.