1. In an educational immersion model, native and nonnative English speakers, whose first language is, for example, Spanish, are taught together in the same classroom. The objective is to give the students proficiency in two languages as they interact with each other and learn. This model is said to possess the ability of ensuring high levels of scholastic success, by developing the first and languages of the class and by developing better social awareness through enhanced cultural understanding among the students. In such as model, the language learning and acquisition is basically via the method of instruction, where the syllabus is taught using two languages, English and another language. However, many might question if students with English as a first language need this kind of exposure, after all English is a universal language. It must be noted that as the world becomes globalized, it becomes increasingly important for people to acquire bilingual or multilingual skills. This is important especially to ensure that the English speaking populace has better facilities to understand and adapt to cultures around the globe.
This is also an ideal means of percolating ideas of tolerance and equality to the younger generations. Furthermore, the immersion model is superior because it is based on the concept that language can be learned most effectively when it is the medium and not the single goal of instruction. Studies across the world have proved the efficacy of the immersion model as well (Rodriguez, 2011, p. 149). Thus, assuredly, when students and teachers collaborate and put their heads together to execute academic assignments, the language skills among the students develops as does their comprehension of the information in a particular subject.
2. There has been increased concern as the statistical trends indicate an increasing number of boys losing their place in the educational system. Once the favored gender, in the western civilizations of today, the males have been left behind the females in academic achievements. In a matter of thirty years, the balance has reversed and female students have gone from being lagging academically while facing challenges and desperately seeking opportunities to being the better academic achievers (Tyre, 2006). Several reasons, such a significant increase in the number of female teachers across the western civilization, have been attributed to the problem of underperforming male students (Neugebauer, Helbig, and Landmann, 2010). Thus, is it possible that a misdirected sense of feminism has affected young boys negatively?
Another speculated reason is the obsession with “quantifiable and narrowly defined kind of academic success” (Tyre, 2006). It might seem as if the system is lacking the ability to understand the needs of the male students, and teachers might need training to understand that boys’ educational needs are different as they are “biologically, developmentally and psychologically different from girls” (Tyre, 2006). Educational scientists and sociologists propound that boys are not necessarily unable to learn because of their deficiencies, but because of the inability of the educational system to adapt to them. In fact, the “kinetic, disorganized, maddening and sometimes brilliant behaviors” can be often displayed by students, and this kind of behavior is not attained through learning but is innate to some people (Tyre, 2006).
References
Rodriguez, E. (2011). Reflections from an international immerson trip: New possibilities to institutionalize curriculum. Teacher Education Quarterly, 38(1), 147–160.
Neugebauer, M., Helbig, M., and Landmann, A. (2010). “Can the Teacher’s Gender Explain the ‘Boy Crisis’ in Educational Attainment?” Arbeitspapiere, Mannheimer Zentrum für Europäische Sozialforschung, 133, 1–27.
Tyre, P. (2006). “The Trouble with Boys,” The Daily Beast. October 28, 2012 http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2006/01/29/the-trouble-with-boys.html.
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