Submersion as a form of language instruction involves which characteristics?

Submersion as a form of language instruction involves which characteristics?

• A. Minority language student taught entirely in majority language; first language replaced; students cannot develop cognitively
• B. Students are educated with bilingual content across subjects
• C. Submersion with pull-out ESL
• D. Students receive intensive bilingual support in all classes

Answer: (A)

Submersion places a student who speaks a minority language in classrooms taught entirely in the majority language, with little or no use of the student’s first language. The idea is basically to replace the native language in instruction, which can hinder cognitive development and academic progress because the learner has to acquire new concepts without linguistic support they already know in their home language. The other approaches describe more supportive language education. Instruction that uses bilingual content across subjects supports maintaining and developing the home language while learning the majority language. Submersion with pull-out ESL mixes English-only instruction with occasional pull-out time for English support, so it isn’t purely submersion. Intensive bilingual support in all classes is a strong form of bilingual education, not submersion.

Submersion places a student who speaks a minority language in classrooms taught entirely in the majority language, with little or no use of the student’s first language. The idea is basically to replace the native language in instruction, which can hinder cognitive development and academic progress because the learner has to acquire new concepts without linguistic support they already know in their home language.

The other approaches describe more supportive language education. Instruction that uses bilingual content across subjects supports maintaining and developing the home language while learning the majority language. Submersion with pull-out ESL mixes English-only instruction with occasional pull-out time for English support, so it isn’t purely submersion. Intensive bilingual support in all classes is a strong form of bilingual education, not submersion.