ERIC Number: EJ989435
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2012
Pages: 13
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0143-4632
EISSN: N/A
English Immersion Schools in China: Evidence from Students and Teachers
Cheng, Liying
Journal of Multilingual and Multicultural Development, v33 n4 p379-391 2012
Research has demonstrated that second language immersion is an effective means of facilitating primary school students' second language acquisition without undermining their competence in their first language. Despite the rapid growth of Chinese-English bilingual programmes in China, limited empirical research has been conducted thus far by which to evaluate the programme effectiveness in relation to students' academic achievement, their cognitive development and the teaching and learning processes with regard to teacher education. This article presents evidence from several related empirical studies recently conducted in three schools affiliated with the China-Canada-United States English Immersion (CCUEI) project. These studies focus on three broad categories of findings: first, on student academic achievement represented by English (L2), Chinese (L1) and mathematics (both literacy and numeracy); second, on cognitive predictors of English reading and listening achievement of these immersion students; and third, on immersion teachers who teach within the context of Chinese-English bilingual education. These combined results present a complex developmental picture of students' academic achievement and cognitive development; and an insight into the teachers who teach within the context of an aggressive fast growth of Chinese-English bilingual programmes in China. (Contains 2 notes, 1 table and 1 figure.)
Descriptors: Academic Achievement, Bilingual Education, Learning Processes, Foreign Countries, Native Language, Chinese, Bilingualism, Second Language Learning, Immersion Programs, Cognitive Development, Elementary School Students, English (Second Language), Program Effectiveness, Mathematics Achievement, Predictor Variables, Elementary School Teachers
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Canada; China; United States
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A