ICAGeorgia offers our Dual Language program in English and Japanese. Students joining ICAGeorgia’s program from Kindergarten are immersed in Japanese for 80% of the day, with the remaining 20% being in English. Grades 1st and 2nd are 60/40 (Japanese/English), and Grades 3 to 5 will be 50/50. English and Japanese teachers, including ESOL and JSOL teachers, use a team teaching approach across their departments.
Research has proven time and again the benefits of Dual Language Immersion education. For example, Lindholm-Leary (Dual Language Education, 2001) found that students who speak two languages often have more mental flexibility, superiority in concept formation, and a more diversified set of mental abilities. Furthermore, Callahan, R. & Gandara, P. (The Bilingual Advantage: Language, literacy, and US labor market, 2014) found that students at Dual Language programs achieve at the same or a higher level on standardized tests compared to who are studying in a monolingual environment.
According to the Georgia Department of Education, students in Dual Language Immersion (DLI) programs experience the following results:
DLI students achieve higher proficiency in the second language than with traditional Foreign Language instruction.
DLI students perform as well as or better than English-only students on standardized tests in English, including students from a range of socioeconomic and ethnic backgrounds, as well as with diverse cognitive and linguistic abilities.
DLI students are better prepared for the global community and job markets in the 21st century.
DLI students typically develop greater cognitive flexibility, demonstrating increased attention and memory, superior problem-solving skills as well as an enhanced understanding of their primary language.
DLI students are more aware of and generally show more positive attitudes towards other cultures and an appreciation of other people.
Students from DLI programs have higher attendance rates and lower drop-out rates compared to regular programs.