Dual language immersion (DLI) is a type of instructional model in which students typically learn both their home language and English in the classroom. Omitted from this bilingual education model are deliverables inherent in the model itself; student language proficiency, cognition and cultural understanding.
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A DLI program includes instruction in both languages. The balance of the two can differ but in general, the target language (the one being learnt) will be increased over time.
Early Start: Children who enter DLI at the kindergarten or first-grade level.
Delayed Immersion: DLI starts in middle school or high school.
Impacts of dual language immersion
So DLI students have improved language skills, both in their home language as well as the target language.
Cognitive Advantage: Studies indicate that being bilingual boosts cognitive abilities like problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity.
Cultural Understanding: DLI students gain a better appreciation for other cultures.
Strong Academic Performance: DLI students typically have higher academic achievement in content areas compared to their monolingual peers.
Mercantilist Benefits: We live in a globalized culture; resulting from this expansion, there are definitely huge economic benefits to being bilingual.
Challenges and Considerations
Although DLI provides a lot of advantages, we should also be mindful of its challenges:
Teacher qualifications: The DLI tracks use only certified teachers who are proficient in both languages.
Support from Parents: DLI programs also need parental support and participation.
Curriculum Development: It can be challenging to develop a high-quality, balanced curriculum in two languages.
Assessment: This is a key point when it comes to being bilingual and planning correctly bilingual programs, as measuring success regarding the proficiency of any language on this planet needs some special tools and techniques in order to assess academic outcome in both languages.
Looking Ahead — In Favor of Dual Language Immersion
As the world we live in becomes increasingly connected, hopefully so will demand for a dual-language education. Studies provide evidence of many benefits associated with DLI, and this has resulted in more countries making the move to implement such programs.
