100% Language Immersion: Does It Make Sense?

In the ESOL classes I've taught, I wanted students to be at the driver's seat.  They wrote a Class Constitution (as I've described elsewhere).  They worked with me to develop norms for class.  But I held on to three expectations, posted them on the wall, and preached them when necessary: (1) Arrive on time, (2) Complete homework, and (3) Speak English in class.

As fellow teachers, my old supervisor, and students could attest, I questioned, doubted, revisited all of these.  Against the strong desire to have a class where all the norms were developed by students, these three remained.  Still, the third always bugged me: Was it really right to drop beginning English learners in a 100-percent immersion class?

Looking at it from 30,000 feet, there are two competing ideas.  On the one hand, all teachers must foster a respectful, welcoming classroom culture, and students' native language and culture can be a great foundation for helping them learn a second language.  On the other hand, being immersed in the "target language" (in this case English) to the greatest extent possible is key to learning a second language.

This isn't to propose a false dichotomy, between a 100-percent immersion class and a class where the native language can be used--and in later posts, I'll explain ways the two might be blended.  The fact is, though, that many if not most programs have a contract adult learners sign before enrollment, and how language is used in the classroom and  building is often addressed.  Further, it's natural for language learners to fall back on their native tongue, and a teacher's got to have an approach in mind when teaching: Is this all right, in this classroom?  If so, when?  Or should it be discouraged?

Over the next few weeks, I'll argue different sides of this.  I came down on the side of 100 percent immersion English (with much hemming and hawing, I should note, and allowing some exceptions).  So I'll start next week by revisiting my own bias, and arguing in favor of native-language use in a second-language classroom.

In the meantime, I invite readers to weigh in: What have you experienced in your own language learning?  What approaches do you think might work best?