Why Language Immersion?
According to a wide range of researchers in applied linguistics, immersion language programs are the most effective programs for language learning and retention. Most immersion students can be expected to reach higher levels of second language proficiency than students in non-immersion setting. Research suggests that immersion learners benefit cognitively, exhibiting greater nonverbal problem-solving abilities and more flexible thinking. Scholars hypothesize that the very processes immersion language learners need to use to understand the instructor’s point means they pay closer attention and think harder. These processes, in turn, appear to have a positive effect on cognitive development. Immersion language teaching is experiential, hands-on, and creates an alternative world – involving multiple senses, drawing on multiple intelligences, and departing from students’ normal routines and identities. Learner-centered approaches motivate learning and give students the courage to participate and use the language. Research shows that the cultural context students encounter in an immersion setting motivates them to strive harder for mastery in a second language and encourages them to reshape language skills and apply them in new ways. Which Language?
When selecting the language a student wishes to study at the Language Immersion Program, several factors should be taken into consideration. Most important is the student’s interest. A second critical factor is whether the student can continue studying the language after the summer is over in school, at home, or through distance-education options like CTYOnline’s language courses or the online opportunities available through the Middlebury-Monterey Language Academy. A third factor is the difficulty of the target language. A language such as Chinese can take four to five times as long to learn as languages like French and Spanish. An immersion program in a difficult language allows students to make rapid and sustainable progress that can then be complemented by regular academic-year programs. There is a critical need in the U.S. for individuals who can speak Chinese and the investment in time and energy may be worth it for the motivated student. How much will students learn?
While each student is unique and the progress on the target language depends on the participant’s effort, most students in immersion language programs can expect to learn the equivalent of one academic year’s traditional language study. During an academic year, students have approximately 180 hours of language instruction. At the Language Immersion Program, students have at least 140 hours of language instruction and another 80 hours of target language use. Students who want to seek accelerated placement in their home school should talk with their academic counselor about what documentation is needed for proper language placement. In 2008, the majority of those students who sought accelerated placement were able to bypass one year of language instruction, and in some cases even two. Mandarin Chinese
For centuries, China has been a society that has captured the imagination of Americans and Europeans. Today China is more open than ever and students can learn about Chinese culture in its varied forms from China to Taiwan, Singapore, and beyond. Students enrolled in Chinese will be exposed to both one of the world’s oldest continuous civilizations and one of the most rapidly changing regions today. Students take a language evaluation at the beginning of the program so that all students are placed at the appropriate, challenging level—beginner, novice, or intermediate. Regardless of placement, all students learn the two most challenging aspects of Chinese: characters and tones. Introductory classes begin teaching simplified characters as well as pinyin and basic character strokes and stroke orders. Communicating in Chinese opens up an exciting new world of possibilities—playing Chinese games, singing Chinese pop songs, practicing martial arts, learning brush calligraphy, making your own jiaozi (Chinese dumplings), and even performing skits based on popular Chinese dramas. French
Whether students want to travel to France, Vanuatu, Canada, Morocco, or Senegal, studying French at the Language Immersion Program prepares students to encounter the 350 million speakers of French worldwide. Students studying French will be placed in one of four levels from beginner to advanced. Students expand their horizons by combining all the fun of a traditional summer program—sports, arts and crafts, music, theatre and cooking—with the passion of living totally in the French language each day. Students take advantage of outdoor recreation, along with songs, drama, and sports, to create a mini-French environment all their own. Whether students are learning about the French fashion industry, carnival in Provence, or French films from accomplished faculty who come from all over the Francophone world, they will increase their listening, reading, speaking and writing skills through a rich linguistic and cultural mix. Students practice the skills they have learned during classroom time in exciting projects, which can include traditional French cooking, creating a news broadcast, reenacting the major events of the French Revolution, or writing and producing skits in French. Spanish
Students selecting Spanish immerse themselves in the second most widely spoken language in both the United States and worldwide. Students learn through traditional games, songs, dances, and art forms about the culture of Spain and the many countries of Latin America. Faculty members come from a variety of Spanish-speaking countries, including the United States. Students will be placed in one of four levels of Spanish and develop their Spanish language skills through a variety of activities; sports, games, cooking, film-making, and cultural programs. Whether it is the Saturday night dance party to Latin music or creating a Saturday Night Live-style spoof on the Spanish camp, students enjoy learning in the context of larger group activities. Each week students engage in projects such as photography, folkloric dance, or creating a large scale mural in the style of Diego Rivera. These projects enhance language learning and retention while helping students to appreciate the rich cultural heritage of the Spanish-speaking world. | 
