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Language Immersion Schools in Mexico
Four Choices about Instruction
By Linda and Eric Langner - The Language Immersion School, Veracruz - August 2007
Photos by Jesus de Avila

[Last month Language Immersion Schools were described in general. This month important considerations about instruction will be discussed].

Language Immersion Schools share a common goal, but differences, large and small, are found among them all. Here are six choices about instruction. It takes only a little extra time to find a school that’s a great fit for you. 

[1] Traditional Instruction or Non-Traditional Instruction
The beginning point is deciding between traditional and non-traditional instruction.  Traditional instruction is what you typically find in a college or high school classroom.  It has lots of variations, but all variations are essentially the same. 

It’s characterized by sitting in rows, listening to the instructor, taking notes, responding now and again to questions, completing in-class exercises, and doing homework.  Variations include sitting in a circle, using handouts instead of a textbook, and doing group-work and projects. Traditional instruction is the time-tested, old-fashioned approach known so well by everyone.

Many U.S. colleges and universities have summer immersion schools in Mexico. The classes offered are the same as offered on the institutions’ U.S. campuses. The content is fixed, and the instruction is traditional. As with summer school anywhere, the classes move at high speed. And as with all traditional instruction, content is designed to be easy to test.

Some non-affiliated immersion schools employ traditional instruction. They offer a number of levels each containing predetermined content. They’re found in larger cities, in business areas with hotels close-by. Their involvement with the student is limited to class hours. Most commonly they offer four hours of class a day. In schools using traditional instruction, there is very little time to practice speaking.

Non-traditional instruction is found in many forms.  Good non-traditional instruction is very focused, highly energetic, organized, clearly delivered, engaging, and most importantly has students participating as active learners. Outings are common.  Teacher presentation is less formal and more personal. A good deal of time is given to speaking Spanish, to developing conversation skills. Non-traditional almost always is directed more toward spoken language. (Traditional is almost exclusively written language.)

Some students prefer the orderliness and firm structuring of a traditional classroom.  Many students, on the other hand, find non-traditional to be more fun and more engaging, and a better environment for learning.
 
[2] Large-Group Instruction or Small Group Instruction
Group size is another personal choice needing consideration. Traditional school is organized around a large-group setting. Staff-student ratios are all over the place, but 1 to 30 is common. Immersion schools using traditional instruction often hold the ratio to 1 to 20 or even 1 to 15. 

Some non-traditional settings also use large group sizes, but sizes are more likely to be as low as 1 to 10. This begins to accommodate a stronger emphasis on speaking.  More time is built into each class for conversation practice. Large-group, non-traditional tends to have some but few outings, and conversations centers around what’s going on in school or around what students may have done the afternoon before. 

Non-traditional, small-group-size, usually capped at 1 to 4, is a totally different setting.  High levels of flexibility become available and individualization is possible. Teachers have far closer connection to the students and pace progress accordingly. With fewer students it’s easier to move faster. Topics of interest to all can be found, and so engagement is greater. 

Everyone gets more talk time, and talk now becomes truly conversational. The setting is less structured and even more relaxed. There’s more time to meet everyone’s needs. 

There is also a far greater variety of teaching approaches available to instructors. One of the greatest benefits is that outings are easy. Language can be practiced, conversation can be carried on, in lots of real places and in real situations. Much of the artificial talking practice that happens in large group instruction is replaced with true, actual, useful conversation. 

More can be asked of the student in small-group instruction, more progress can be made, and conversational skills can skyrocket.

Single-language instruction or dual-language instruction is another choice.  It’s almost always only a question in non-traditional small-group settings.  And again which is best is that which is best for you.

[3] Single-Language Instruction or Dual-Language Instruction
Some schools choose to do everything in Spanish. (Initial orientation and office and financial matters are the exception). Vocabulary is developed solely in Spanish.  Meaning is built upon prior vocabulary learned. Parts of speech, verb tenses, conjugating verbs, sentence structure, all are presented in Spanish. In many single-language schools, teachers are not allowed to speak even one word of English.

The notion is that by functioning only in Spanish one learns more naturally (as a child learning his or her first language). The thought is that through repetition, visuals, memorization of patterns and etc, an understanding of grammar and syntax will be automatic.

Dual-language instruction is more common.  Vocabulary is learned in bilingual fashion.  Many students have forgotten a good deal of the grammar they learned in prior years, and grammar is reviewed in English. Then Spanish grammar is explained. The explanation of Spanish grammar is given in English so that language isn’t an impediment to understanding what’s happening. 

Schools using dual-language say that a great deal of time is saved by explaining in English.  It’s hard to understand anything in a language you don’t understand, they go on to say. Once an idea is explained in English, the schools then immediately go into Spanish to put the ideas to use and to practice with them.

By getting ideas understood more rapidly and with the faster growth of vocabulary, the dual-language users argue, there’s more time for speaking and learning to carry on conversation.

Single-language or dual-language instruction can be a confusing issue. Those who enjoy academic purity in language tend toward single-language instruction. Reports from those who have done both tend to support the idea that understanding is faster with dual-language. Those who want to learn to speak as fast as possible tend to choose dual-language.

[4] Textbook Spanish or Spanish in Context
A final huge choice in instruction is textbook Spanish or Spanish in context. Traditional schools, especially those owned by U.S. universities tend to be textbook driven. A certain amount of material must be covered and tested. Textbooks are designed to fill time available (usually a semester of fifty minute classes meeting three times a week). 

Textbook units are often designed to fill a week or two weeks. Major ideas are accompanied by lesser important ideas so that the week or two week period is full of material. Ideas are practiced by doing the exercises in the text. The learning experience is usually confined to the classroom’s walls.

Language in context takes you out into the community. Schools using language in context teach essential grammar and sentence structure. As fast as they can they teach you the basics needed for conversation. Classroom work is non-traditional, and lots of outings are included. 

The good schools have you out and about usually from the very first day. You walk around the neighborhood, go to the old city center, shop in the open-air market.  You’ll see fascinating things and be in fascinating places.  There’ll be lots to talk about.  You’ll go out and about with a native Spanish speaker. 

The miracle of immersion will happen.  You’ll just start talking.  The people around you will be speaking Spanish.  If you’re a beginner, you talk in phrases, and you’ll soak up vocabulary. If you’re intermediate or advanced, you’re speaking skills will soar. When you’re doing language in context, students and teachers alike report, you almost automatically begin to talk.

Non-traditional, small-group-size, immersion schools tend to make by far the greatest use of the immediate community and the surrounding area. Their flexibility allows them to take you on outings to places that are of particular interest to you. Often they teach you to use buses so you can travel on the weekend. You’ll use your Spanish, whatever your level, because you have to, and you want to, and because it fun. 

Fun is immersion school’s great advantage. If you’re having fun, if you’re engaged, if you’re dazzled and involved and participating you’ll learn Spanish at an amazing rate. 

Choosing a language immersion school that fits you is easy enough to do. Be clear about you goals.  Some are geared toward learning to read and write. Others, while including reading and writing, are focused of getting you speaking. Search the web for schools. Some good search words are SPANISH IMMERSION SCHOOLS and IMMERSION SCHOOL MEXICO. 

Good schools explain who they are and how they do things. Take a few minutes to work your way through the choices about instruction. You’ll find a school that fits you just right.

© Linda and Eric Langner, 2007

• Linda and Eric Langner own and operate The Language Immersion School, Veracruz, Mexico.  They’re always happy to answer questions.  You can email them at info@veracruzspanish.com and visit them at www.veracruzspanish.com.

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