On a personal level, I am someone who really enjoys other languages and cultures. If you have tried to learn another language, you might have the experience of getting to that point where you realize, "if I was ever going to speak this language well, I should have started as a young child."

I believe that at least some experience with other languages from an early age makes learning languages easier. I was probably quicker picking up Japanese as a teenager because I had learned some German as a young child, and I was probably a better Turkish learner because of my prior language experience. And my Spanish now fits into a well-worn language groove.

However, I know I won't get as far in any language as a child could who started at preschool in an immersion program. And I want that for my children.

In addition, my children have a bilingual parent (my wife) and they have an opportunity to gain and maintain a fluency that opens doors in culture, education and work opportunities.

In DCPS, I believe that the immersion programs are an indication that folks are trying hard to do something extraordinary. Cynics can say it is oriented toward addressing language deficits, but I really believe that bilingual programs benefit students, whatever their home and target languages are.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get why people think it's important; I don't understand why some people seem to think it's the most important.

I'm 9:20, and I agree entirely. For my family, it comes naturally to be multicultural. But I do think a lot of parents force the issue when it really doesn't fit and they can't support it at home. I've heard that there's a lot of attrition in the immersion programs once actual schoolwork starts because the language acquisition overwhelms the academic learning, and parents who don't speak the language can't help. It does feel a little trendy at times, but so do a lot of the other models.

I'm 9:23. Everyone in our family learned a 2nd and/or 3rd, 4th language that wasn't supported at home. Believe it or not, this is how most of the world learns another language, at school (usually from nonnative speakers).

Yes, but you learn as part of a curriculum, not as the predominant factor. I learned Spanish in school, so I get it. But if I was taking 90% of my instruction in Spanish and my homework and textbooks were in Spanish, that would have made things complicated for my parents. Immersion and instruction are very different.

" ....they can't support it at home." You did not just say that!!!
I have learned 6 languages besides my mother tongue and the 6 languages were not "supported" at home. I can speak and write in 5 of them. I can't speak Latin because it's dead and I lost my German, but did pick up Spanish instead here in US.
I must tell you that most of my classmates speak 3-4 languages and none of them because they have a parent who speak another language. The languages were offered since grade 1 and many more offered in high school. Languages are really not as hard as they seem. One just has to start early enough to "get them".

the benefits of being bilingual

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZANBvuS_iDU

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get why people think it's important; I don't understand why some people seem to think it's the most important.

I'm 9:20, and I agree entirely. For my family, it comes naturally to be multicultural. But I do think a lot of parents force the issue when it really doesn't fit and they can't support it at home. I've heard that there's a lot of attrition in the immersion programs once actual schoolwork starts because the language acquisition overwhelms the academic learning, and parents who don't speak the language can't help. It does feel a little trendy at times, but so do a lot of the other models.

I'm 9:23. Everyone in our family learned a 2nd and/or 3rd, 4th language that wasn't supported at home. Believe it or not, this is how most of the world learns another language, at school (usually from nonnative speakers).

Mixed race family.

I think the lack of language choices in American schools makes language immersion attractive. I don't know many Americans who can speak another language unless they have a parent who is from another country. Many say that they took Spanish or French in high school, but learning it in high school is not quite the same as starting it much earlier.
I'd choose language immersion given the choice as I don't think it is a big deal in terms of extra work for a child. It's not like American kids are busy learning geography, history or even science unless STEM.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I might ask why it bothers you that other people have different priorities than you do.

Was just curious.

And also because my kid is high on the MV wailist even though we threw it in as the 12th choice.

Anonymous wrote:I get why people think it's important; I don't understand why some people seem to think it's the most important.

I'm 9:20, and I agree entirely. For my family, it comes naturally to be multicultural. But I do think a lot of parents force the issue when it really doesn't fit and they can't support it at home. I've heard that there's a lot of attrition in the immersion programs once actual schoolwork starts because the language acquisition overwhelms the academic learning, and parents who don't speak the language can't help. It does feel a little trendy at times, but so do a lot of the other models.

I'm bilingual. Everyone in our family is bilingual but not all in the same languages. We are immigrants to the US and move back and forth from our native country. Knowing another language well enough to function and hold a job in another culture seems natural and normal.

Our kid attends an immersion school and learns a language not known in our family but we think it will give him more opportunities and expose and further his understanding of another culture as only knowing the language can.

I get why people think it's important; I don't understand why some people seem to think it's the most important.

Anonymous wrote:I might ask why it bothers you that other people have different priorities than you do.

Was just curious.

Grew up in a bilingual household in a part of the country that speaks both English and Spanish interchangeably. I like the confidence of being able to move through the world able to communicate with more people. I want my children to do the same. It's honestly not about future career prospects or anything like that; I just think life's more fun when your world is a little bigger.

I might ask why it bothers you that other people have different priorities than you do.

Why is it important to you? I don't get it.