What is an immersion language program?
In today’s globalized world, it’s a very valuable asset to improve your communication skills, increase your cognitive abilities, and gain a richer cultural understanding. One way you can do this is by learning a new language.
Unlike a standard language class, the DUAL program is where students take various subjects with instruction in both languages and are able to be fully immersed in an environment where the second language is spoken.
Who would be interested?
There are many different types of students who join and thrive in this program. Two examples at Wilsonville High School are Katherine Vazquez-Alcala and Chloe Keith. Both have been in the Spanish immersion program since kindergarten, and plan to continue their bilingual education into college.
“I already spoke Spanish at home, but my parents put me in it (the immersion program) because it gave me the option to develop both my Spanish and English skills, which I needed to work on,” Vazquez explains. “Learning in Spanish helped me learn in English.”
Although Vazquez speaks Spanish at home and Keith’s household just speaks English, both students are extremely successful in the immersion program.
“I would recommend it for everybody,” Keith states. “I honestly wish that everybody in the entire school was in the dual program.”
How difficult is this program?
Learning a second language is very different from a first. According to a study done by the National Library of Medicine, how fast you advance depends on the age of acquisition, amount of exposure, motivation, type of learning experience, and also the degree of similarity between the two languages.
One stigma surrounding immersion programs is that those who don’t speak the language outside of the classroom will struggle more than those who do, but that’s not necessarily true.
One DUAL teacher at WVHS, Luis Gallardo, states, “Just because someone speaks Spanish at home doesn’t mean they’ll do well in the class. I think the same type of students, either in dual or English, that show up, put in the time and try will be successful.”
Is it worth it?
There are many proven advantages to being bilingual, both for your future and for your brain. An analysis done by the National Library of Medicine found that bilinguals have better multitasking and conflict resolution skills than monolinguals.
The same study proved that these effects occur at any age from childhood to old age, no matter when you learn a second language. Even seven-month-old bilingual infants showed better attention spans and improved memory.
Students who are in the program are aware of the benefits mentally, but are also looking ahead to how it can benefit them later in life.
“It gives a lot of opportunities for my future,” Vazquez explains, “I’ll be recognized as fluent in two languages and that’s good to have because jobs in the future are gonna look for people that speak not just one language.”
“I also feel like I’ve learned a lot of new skills,” Keith states, “And I’ve been able to just see the world from a different angle, and be able to communicate with twice as many people.”
So, when you think about the future, a smart way to get ahead—not only in your education or profession, but also in cultural awareness—is to enroll in an immersion program like the phenomenal one here at Wilsonville High School.