Sixth International Conference on Immersion and Dual Language Education: Connecting Research and Practice Across Contexts

Paper/Best Practice Session (1 hour)

German, English

One-Way Second/Foreign Language Immersion

Elementary (K-5)

This pilot study examines the linguistic and academic outcomes of children with reading-related problems, low intellectual ability and concentration deficits who attended German-English immersion in German elementary schools. Although the childrens' performance was affected by their cognitive or linguistic deficits, intensive exposure to the target language positively affected their L2 development.

In Germany, immersion/CLIL programs still have a distinct elitist reputation and students with cognitive and/or linguistic problems are often prevented from attending them (e.g., Apsel 2012). However, the effectiveness of any school program depends on its ability to cater for all groups of students including potential at-risk students (e.g., Genesee & Fortune 2014). In this pilot study, we will explore the linguistic and academic outcomes of such students in German-English immersion programs offered in elementary schools in Germany. The focus will be on children with reading-related problems, children with low intellectual ability and children with attention deficits. The children were selected on the basis of the results they achieved in various standardized tests (e.g., Coloured Progressive Matrices, D2-R, Hamburger Schreibprobe, Ein Lesetest für Erst- bis Sechsklässler).

Although the sample size is rather small (N = +/- 15 per group), the results of the present study indicate that these at-risk children faced the same problems as they would in mainstream programs (e.g., Fortune & Menke 2010): For example, the children with reading-related problems often had difficulties in both L1 (German) and L2 (English) reading and writing tasks and those with attention deficits and/or low intellectual ability were usually outperformed by their peers with an age-appropriate attention span or cognitive development, irrespective of whether these tests were conducted in the L1 or in the L2.

Most importantly, however, the at-risk children in the present study benefited from attending an immersion program because they could not but acquire the target language in this context and showed a progression in all tests as a function of L2 exposure. Based on these positive results, we infer that immersion programs should be accessible to all students independent of their background. This, however, requires teachers who are willing and able to adequately support these children.