Seventh International Conference on Immersion and Dual Language Education

Strand IV: Culture, Identity & Community

multiple

Pre-K
Elementary (K-5)
Middle School/Junior High
High School

International interns are not only language models, but also serve as invaluable cultural ambassadors in the immersion classroom. It is like having an in-school fieldtrip for all students.

Every year, E.E. Waddell Language Academy, Charlotte, NC, commits to host more than 30 Academic Volunteers from Germany, Switzerland, France, China, and Japan.

Over time, a complex, fine-tuned network has evolved within the school-community and with outside organizations. Every stakeholder offers different assetts and expresses different expectations: hosting families and teachers within the school community; universities and government organizations from outside the school; and the academic volunteers in between everyone. Legal, institutional, and cultural knowledge built over time to enable and facilitate this global encounter.

The presenter shares general knowledge about international intern programs, but also offers concrete insights into organizational, legal, and cultural aspects from a school perspective. The experiences from the four displayed countries can be applied to other languages and countries.