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Immersion Education at Twin Cities German Immersion School
"Immersion is the most effective foreign language learning method in the United States, bar none."
Dr. Tara Fortune
Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition
University of Minnesota |
Immersion education begins with the assumption that all children can learn more than one language if they are exposed to that language in a regular and systematic manner. Immersion educators understand that language development occurs in conjunction with other aspects of a child’s development. In our immersion program, German is considered not only one of the core subjects of the curriculum but also the vehicle by which all other knowledge is learned. As such, it is integrated into the fabric of the school, touching all areas of study. German language instruction at Twin Cities German Immersion School is authentically communicative, interdisciplinary and linked to real world communities where the language is spoken.
Most students will start at Twin Cities German Immersion School at one of two levels: 5-year old Kindergarten and first grade. All instructional time is 100% in German. We introduce reading in German in first grade, and add English reading and Language Arts in third grade. By middle school, English instruction will be expanded into some additional subject areas, while German will be maintained for the majority of the school day.
Research has shown that the most intensive immersion experiences, where nearly all contact with school personnel, including support staff, is in the target language, and English Language instruction is no more than a couple of hours a week, provide the best foundation for strong performance on standardized tests of English Language competency. In other words, formal instruction in English can start late in the elementary sequence and can be limited to very little instructional time per week without any harm to a child's ability to communicate well in spoken or written English. Indeed, the more grounded a child's instruction is in the foreign language, the better chance he or she has of performing at a superior level in both English Language Arts and other content areas.
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