FULL IMMERSION-INTENIVE COURSE

What is Language Immersion?

Language immersion is basically a method developed to teach people a second language, in which
the language being taught is used specifically for instruction purposes.

Immersion programs that exist today actually originated in Canada in the 1960's, when middle-
class English speaking parents campaigned for their children to be taught French through the
experimental technique of language immersion. This enabled tutors to try and teach their students
about specific French culture and traditions and to help them appreciate and understand them.

Unlike more traditional language teaching programs, where the language is taught simply as a
subject to be learned, language immersion focuses more on the second language being a tool
which is used to immerse the student completely within the subject.

In the US in 2005, there were approximately 317 dual language immersion programs in place
within elementary schools with a vast choice of languages. There are mainly three different types
of language immersion that are primarily dependent on which age group the students fall into. The
first stage is Early Immersion, where students begin to learn their second language between the
age of 5 or 6. The second stage is Middle immersion, where students begin learning their second
language around the age of 9 or 10. And the final stage is Late Immersion, which is typically the
most popular, where the students learn between the ages of 11 and 14.

Types of language immersion can also be characterised by the total time students spend in the
program. Altogether, there are typically five different types of language immersion that are based
on the extent of the immersion. Firstly, there is Total Immersion, which is where students spend
100% of their class time in the foreign language. The goal of Total Immersion is to encourage
students to get used to using their second language casually and within spontaneous conversation,
rather than planned sentences that are learned off by heart. The second type if Partial Immersion,
which is where 50% of class time is spent learning the language. The main focus of Partial
Immersion is to teach students about the culture of the country whose language they are studying.

Thirdly, there is two-way immersion, also known as dual immersion, where half of the student
population consists of people who know two or more languages. In two-way immersion, class time
is split in half, each half focusing on one of the two languages. This method encourages the two
sets of children to interact and teach each other so that they all eventually become bilingual. In
FLES (Foreign Language in Elementary Schools) programs, 5-15% of class time is spent in the
foreign language, and the rest of the time is devoted to learning the language itself. The main
goals of FLES programs are to achieve accuracy and proficiency in listening and speaking, and to
acquire a thorough knowledge of the cultures of that country.

Finally, there are FLEX (Foreign Language Experience) Programs which consist of short but regular
sessions over a certain period of time. Although only 1-5% of class time is spent using the foreign
language, the main goal of FLEX programs is to spark an interest within children about foreign
languages so that they may continue on in further education to learn that language.
Although research into language immersion programs has shown that children who enter Early
Immersion programs at the age of 5 or 6 tend to 'lag behind' for the first few years only, statistics
show that encouraging children to learn about cultures other than their own and become bilingual
appears to promote a more positive attitude towards multiculturalism.

What is an Intensive course?

Intensive English courses are full time as standard, usually between 22 and 30 hours per week of
English study in a classroom environment. Spending this much time every week intensively
speaking, thinking and working in English, these courses develop language skills very efficiently
over a short period of time, and are very popular with both students and adults.

These courses are often offered in the UK and USA, where the student benefits from being
surrounded by English also outside the classroom, making the course even more intense.

There are many different types of intensive English programs, divided both by age, profession and
level. Some schools offer programs for business, and you can also find courses based on a
particular business sector. These programs practice the skills and language needed specifically for
that area; examples are English for law, medicine or aviation.

There are also a number of intensive English courses for university students which work on
academic English skills and vocabulary, and courses preparing students for English exams such as
the IELTS or the TOEFL, which are required for entry into university in English speaking countries
like the UK and USA.

Intensive English course for beginners

For a beginner, an intensive course can really kick start your learning and get you from complete
beginner level to being able to use the language, which will let you carry on practicing on your
own. Getting past the first hurdle is often the greatest challenge, and being guided through it by
an experienced teacher is of enormous benefit.

Will I learn English faster on an intensive course? According to this report from the Faculty of
Educational Studies, 30 students who engaged with a one month intensive English course
completed their assigned levels and passed - all students reaching a higher level of English
competence. This study was on an intensive course of 120 hours per month, or 30 hours per week,
equivalent to more than half of the English lessons an average foreign learner will have in a full
academic year. These types of courses are offered by some English language schools in the UK and
abroad. Intensive English courses will be of particular benefit for complete beginners as you can go
from being a non-speaker to a practicing communicator in a short time span.