French immersion, a relatively new concept in second language teaching in the sixties, is well known in Canada today. Generally developed for Anglophones wanting to become bilingual, the program has tended to serve the needs of the English-speaking middle class. The question then is posed as to what must be done in order to offer the same kind of…

This article discusses the two main types of trilingualism, individual trilingualism and societal trilingualism, or multilingualism. Research directions in third language learning are also noted. (CLK)

A description of an immersion program for 6-year-old anglophone children modeled on "les classes d'accueil" for immigrant children. The program of intensive instruction in oral and written French is outlined. This school district has found this type of immersion superior to the usual kind. (The text is in French.) (AMH)

Describes and assesses the general direction of French immersion research and establishes the need for more qualitative and theoretical approaches to research in this field. The areas of particular interest include (1)language learning environment; (2) children's language learning strategies; (3) classroom communication; (4) effective teaching…

Argues that the research on language immersion and subject-matter teaching indicates that the immersion approach is a feasible and desirable alternative to traditional skills-based instruction for college-level foreign-language programs. (Author/CB)

Compares two different types of bilingual education programs--the Canadian immersion programs, designed primarily for foreign language enrichment, and the European School bilingual education program, designed primarily for language maintenance. Achievement scores for both approaches were comparable, pointing to the importance of environment and…

This study evaluates the quality of the teaching in an English immersion program on a South Pacific island. Naturalistic versus rationalistic language acquisition is discussed. The language proficiency of nonnative English speaking teachers is tested and related to the children's language proficiency. (MT)

A bibliography of tests designed for both English and French second language programs in Canada gives bibliographical details, specifies the target audience (core French, French immersion, French native language), describes the test structure and content, and provides a target-audience index and directory of distributors. (MSE)

Modeled after the pioneering French immersion programs developed in Canada in the 1960s, foreign language immersion programs in the United States are designed to enrich the education of native-English-speaking students by teaching them all of their academic subjects in a second language. The goal is for students to become proficient in the second…

This document is a comprehensive two-way Spanish immersion third grade curriculum. The paper highlights the Maxwell Elementary Escuela de Inmersion de Espanol, Fayette County Public Schools, Lexington, KY. It includes "essential questions," a scoring guide, and detailed instructional sequence guidelines. Detailed ideas are provided for…

This annotated bibliography of children's literature presents over 150 books, stories and songs that can be used in the French language classroom to introduce literature in French to children in Kindergarten through third grade. The selected texts (97 titles in fiction and 62 titles in non-fiction) were chosen for their age-appropriate language…

Summarizes an evaluation of an early French immersion program at grades 6 and 8. In English language skills, immersion students performed as well as, or better than, English-only program groups; in mathematics and sciences, immersion students did as well as their comparison group. Other findings are discussed. (PJM)

Discusses and compares the relative effects of a French immersion program in two different settings: a French-speaking setting in Quebec and an English setting in British Columbia. No clear-cut differences in favor of either setting were found, although students in the French setting reacted more favorably to their program. (PJM)

Examines the characteristics of teachers' language in the classroom and the use of explicit teaching behaviors in an attempt to determine the relationship between selected characteristics of formal language input and second language achievement. The language samples discussed were collected in bilingual French/English and all-French grade schools.…

A study of attitudes of English-speaking Canadian elementary school students, half of whom had participated in a French immersion program, indicated that extensive experience with another group's language led to reduction in the extensity of the language ethnicity dimension and in differences perceived between self, one's own ethnolinguistic…