LESSON 3
The language development of immersion students is based according to two principles of the learning environment of the school: the explicit language curriculum and the implicit language curriculum. The explicit curriculum includes language arts instruction and other instruction performed during restricted periods of time. Language arts and other academic subjects are incorporated in a learning process quite formally. Explicit language arts objectives have no connection with other subjects of the curriculum.
The implicit language curriculum includes all other instruction, according to which language is considered as the medium but not the object of instruction, for example it is a medium in mathematics, science and social studies lessons. The implicit language curriculum is avoid of explicit language learning objectives. It is used to teach academic subjects in the academic content. The implicit language curriculum is effective for language development, because: 1) students use a foreign language more effectively comparing with the explicit curriculum, and 2) students use a foreign language in an authentic and meaningful context for conducive language learning. The implicit language curriculum can encourage active development. Immersion students master difficult academic material via the second language and develop necessary language skills.
The language development depends on the amount of a foreign language use. There is a great difference between students in early and late immersion programs. It was researched that in early immersion programs instruction in a foreign language started in kindergarten. In late immersion programs, it started in Grade 7 when the students are 12 years old. Early immersion programs are frequently as successful for the second language learning as late immersion programs, because late immersion students begin to leant at an older age and are more cognitively mature comparing with early immersion students. It was researched, that students' language development and the amount of time spent on learning are not connected. Early immersion students that studied a foreign language for three years and have studied 17 specific linguistic structures such as apply of prepositions, direct and indirect object pronouns and some idiomatic expressions made mistakes. With the development of the students' language skills, immersion teachers should apply more complex language and instructional activities that involve the development and apply of more complex language skills from their students. Some early immersion teachers applied a foreign language to teach different academic subjects. They restricted their language apply and language patterns; they corrected content more frequently than linguistic form. Such teachers applied strategies that were based on already developed linguistic skills. There was no further language development.
Immersion teachers should work according to instructional plans in which there is a connection between language objectives and academic objectives. Immersion teachers should determine what language skills are important for students and develop them. Academic tasks and instructional strategies are chosen for providing proper development of language skills and learning of certain aspects of the language. In language instruction, language is applied to express meaning and to teach content. Content should be connected with language instruction. The principle of the third lesson is a systematic plan that unites language and academic objectives.
Thus, we differenciate three main types of second language instruction according to which:
1. instructional approaches that combine content and language and that are more effective comparing with approaches according to which language is taught in isolation;
2. the apply of instructional strategies and academic tasks that are very effective and encourage active learning;
3. language development should be systematically integrated with academic development to achieve maximally effective language learning.
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