Nehemiah Kuhaulua

Ms. Terry

Senior Seminar

2 November 2019

The Benefits of Hawaiian Immersion Programs

Hawai’i is a very culturally rich place in the world. It has a special power that only

people who acknowledge the energy will experience. Our schools have Hawaiian studies where

they learn about the history of our islands from how we voyaged here to the overthrow of our

queen. Other schools have Hawaiian Immersion programs that still carry on the tradition of

speaking the native Hawaiian language along with learning the values and traditions. Although

the traditions such as dance and olis are encouraged throughout Hawai’i schools, they aren’t used

within the schools unless they have a Hawaiian Immersion program. The program allows

students to grow with the culture, to find an appreciation for their mother tongue and beliefs.

Immersion programs also present opportunities to connect with their heritage and revive a once-

dying culture, to pass down years of knowledge to our keiki. Another added benefit that all

students can gain, no matter the school they attend, is finding their academic skills and cognitive

development improving if a student is bilingual. In order to gain these achievements, I propose

that all schools in Hawai’i from K through 12 should have a Hawaiian Immersion program.

Hawaiian Immersion programs are great opportunities for children to be exposed to the

culture at a young age. It’s ideal for children to start the program in kindergarten then continue

onto middle and high school because it’s easier for them to pick up the language when it’s

spoken frequently. The curricular isn’t from the typical English courses translated into Hawaiian,

it’s taken from the ancient practices our ancestors used, passing down how our kumu’s learned
onto the students. According to the Hawai’i Department of Education, there are 24 programs

within the Hawaiian islands and amongst those 24 schools, Maui is home to seven of them. By

increasing the number of programs in each school, children from kindergarten through 12th

grade can learn Hawaiian and the more in-depth cultural aspects of Hawai’i. A huge benefit from

knowing two languages gives students the ability to understanding the relationship between the

spoken language and the written word, then transfer from one language to another (Full

Language Immersion Programs in Public Schools, 2016). Anyone can learn a chant or hula

dance, but without knowing the meaning of the words behind them, then it doesn’t hold as much

power as one thinks.

Over the past few decades, researchers have proven that students who attend immersion

programs in their early youth have a higher comprehensive ability compared to monolingual

students. Researchers Kathryn W. Bamford and Donald T. Mizokawa composed a study on a

second-grade Spanish immersion classroom and a native speaking classroom. The study proves

that the immersion focused classroom had a bigger difference in problem-solving than the native

speaking classroom (Bamford and Mizokawa, 1991). Studies also show that immersion program

outcomes appeared to support the contentions found in research that, over time, second language

learners have improved test scores, are able to think divergently and attract and maintain parent

involvement (Janice M. Cade, 1997).

Despite the many good things about language immersion, it also has its ups and downs.

Challenges include staffing, curriculum development, and program articulation. Administrators

struggle to find high-quality, licensed teachers who can demonstrate advanced levels of oral and

written proficiency in the chosen language (What the Research Says About Immersion, 2019). It

would be unwise to struggle to find suitable teachers for such programs that wouldn’t work out at
the end in certain schools. There are a handful of academics that focus mostly on STEM-based

so having an immersion program wouldn’t benefit the students who have different lines of career

paths.

Although there might be some downsides to having Hawaiian Immersions programs in

every school across the state, there’s always a silver lining. By having the programs, students are

presented the opportunity to connect with their roots, to have a better understanding of the

culture as a whole and not just the history. Along with the language, values and traditions are

being taught as well. There are elementary schoolers practicing ancient dances and speaking

Hawaiian as a first language, they aren’t just embracing their culture, they’re taking it back.

Through the immersion programs, students will not only be exposed to more cultural aspects

while also gaining academic achievements, but they’re also saving a culture that was supposed to

die out decades ago.

Bibliography

ACTFL,https://www.actfl.org/advocacy/what-the-research-shows/references-

cognitive#improves_cognitive.
ACTFL, https://www.actfl.org/advocacy/what-the-research-shows/studies-supporting.

Chen, Grace. “The Pros and Cons of Full Immersion Programs.” Public School Review, 19

May 2008, https://www.publicschoolreview.com/blog/full-language-immersion-programs-

in-public-schools.

Neason, Alexandria. “Colonialism Nearly Wiped Out the Hawaiian Language. These Public

Schools Are Bringing It Back.” Slate Magazine, 8 June 2016,

http://www.slate.com/articles/life/tomorrows_test/2016/06/how_the_ka_papahana_kaiapu

ni_immersion_schools_saved_the_hawaiian_language.html.

What the Research Says About Immersion - Tara Williams Fortune,

https://carla.umn.edu/immersion/documents/ImmersionResearch_TaraFortune.html.