The English immersion programme in the German-speaking part of Switzerland sees various school subjects being taught at upper secondary school level through the medium of English. The aim of this study was to ascertain how the language needs of teachers are currently being met, what language problems teachers have and how future teachers could become more proficient before starting to teach immersively.
The aim of this study was to ascertain how the language needs of teachers are currently being met, what language problems teachers have and how future teachers could become more proficient before starting to teach immersively. A qualitative action research study in the form of lesson observations and semi-structured interviews with eight purposefully selected immersion teachers from four different schools produced the following results. Teachers were more or less compelled to decide for themselves what action was required to advance their level and stressed the inadequacy of the Cambridge Proficiency Exam when it came to improving subject-specific and classroom English. The most common language problems cited by immersion teachers encompassed speaking spontaneously and using classroom English. Even though these experienced teachers were now comfortable with their language level, they stressed the need for the following in order to improve teachers' language proficiency before joining the programme: language support not only at the start but also throughout the programme, shadow-teaching opportunities in the Anglosphere, attending specific courses on classroom English, and going on their own immersive language stay extending over several months. Thus, I propose that the educational authorities should adopt a more structured evaluation, testing both general and classroom English and provide consequent training recommendations. In addition, teachers should have access to an English teacher or assistant whom they can contact primarily for proofreading and receiving feedback on lessons.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- INTRODUCTION
- IMMERSION EDUCATION
- BACKGROUND AND DEFINITIONS
- CLIL VERSUS IMMERSION
- ORIGINS OF IMMERSION PROGRAMMES IN CANADA
- TYPES OF IMMERSION
- THE SPREAD OF IMMERSION INTO SWITZERLAND
- APPROACHES TO TEACHING IN IMMERSION SETTINGS
- CORE FEATURES OF IMMERSION
- RESEARCH IN SUPPORT OF IMMERSION
- CHALLENGES OF IMMERSION TEACHING
- SHORTCOMINGS IN STUDENTS' PRODUCTIVE SKILLS
- LACK OF IMMERSION TEACHERS
- IMMERSION TEACHER TRAINING
- LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR IMMERSION TEACHERS
- LANGUAGE DEMANDS OF ENGLISH IMMERSION TEACHING IN SWITZERLAND
- SUMMARY
- BACKGROUND AND DEFINITIONS
- DESIGN OF THE STUDY
- METHODS AND METHODOLOGY
- QUALITATIVE ACTION RESEARCH
- LESSON OBSERVATIONS
- SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
- PURPOSIVE SAMPLING
- SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS
- SUMMARY OF PARTICIPANTS
- DATA COLLECTION
- PREPARATION
- LESSON OBSERVATIONS
- SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
- DATA ANALYSIS
- LESSON OBSERVATIONS
- SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
- METHODS AND METHODOLOGY
- FINDINGS
- LESSON OBSERVATIONS
- SEMI-STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS
- LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE
- OBSERVED LESSON
- LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS FOR TEACHING IMMERSIVELY
- LANGUAGE SUPPORT TOWARDS THE START OF THE PROGRAMME
- PRESENT DAY SUPPORT AND TRAINING
- CURRENT LANGUAGE DEMANDS
- RECOMMENDATIONS
- DISCUSSION
- LANGUAGE EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING PRE-IMMERSION
- OBSERVED LESSONS
- LANGUAGE REQUIREMENTS, CONCERNS AND SUPPORT
- REQUIREMENTS
- CONCERNS
- SUPPORT
- TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS
- RESEARCH QUESTIONS
- TRUSTWORTHINESS AND LIMITATIONS OF DATA
- SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER STUDY
- CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This study investigates the language demands of English immersion teaching in German-speaking Switzerland, focusing specifically on the perspective of teachers. It examines how the language needs of teachers are currently being met, identifies language problems teachers face, and explores ways to improve the language proficiency of future immersion teachers.
- Language challenges faced by English immersion teachers in Switzerland
- The adequacy of existing language training and support for immersion teachers
- Teacher perceptions of the language demands of immersion teaching
- Recommendations for improving the language proficiency of immersion teachers
- The role of classroom English in immersion teaching
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter introduces the study and outlines its aims, research questions, and methodology. It provides an overview of the context of English immersion education in Switzerland and highlights the challenges faced by immersion teachers.
- Immersion Education: This chapter defines immersion education and distinguishes it from CLIL. It explores the historical origins of immersion programmes, particularly in Canada, and examines the different types of immersion programs. The chapter also discusses the spread of immersion education into Switzerland, highlighting the specific context of this study. This chapter further delves into teaching approaches employed in immersion settings, examining the core features of immersion and reviewing research supporting its effectiveness. Finally, the chapter explores challenges associated with immersion teaching, including shortcomings in students' language skills, a lack of qualified immersion teachers, and challenges related to teacher training, language requirements, and the specific language demands of immersion teaching in Switzerland.
- Design of the Study: This chapter details the research design, methodology, and data collection methods employed in the study. It explains the use of qualitative action research, describing lesson observations and semi-structured interviews as primary data sources. The chapter also discusses the purposive sampling technique used to select participants and provides a summary of the teachers involved in the study. It concludes with a detailed description of the data collection process, covering preparation, lesson observations, and semi-structured interviews, as well as the methods used for data analysis.
- Findings: This chapter presents the findings of the study, drawing on both lesson observations and semi-structured interviews. It explores the teachers' language experiences, analyzing observed lessons and examining language requirements for effective immersion teaching. The chapter further investigates the language support available to teachers both at the start of their immersion teaching journey and in their ongoing professional development. The chapter concludes by outlining the current language demands faced by immersion teachers and presenting recommendations for improving language proficiency.
- Discussion: This chapter discusses the study's findings in detail, exploring language experiences and training prior to immersion teaching, the challenges associated with teaching in immersion settings, and the need for ongoing language support. It critically examines the current language requirements, concerns, and available support for immersion teachers. The chapter also addresses the specific recommendations made by teachers for addressing the language demands of immersion teaching. It concludes by reflecting on the research questions, considering the trustworthiness and limitations of the data, and offering suggestions for further research.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This study focuses on the language demands of English immersion teaching, particularly in the context of German-speaking Switzerland. Key themes include teacher training, language proficiency, classroom English, language support, and the challenges and benefits of immersion education. The research incorporates qualitative action research methods, drawing upon lesson observations and semi-structured interviews with immersion teachers.
- Citation du texte
- Colin Browne (Auteur), 2012, The Language Demands of Immersion Teaching from the Teacher's Perspective in German-Speaking Switzerland, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/282454
