.png)
Friday, 7 March 11:40-12:40
Dual Language Immersion in Early Education: Program Structure, Evaluation, and Impact on German Language Acquisition
The International School of Zurich Nord (ISZN) is undergoing a transformative shift towards dual lingual education (English-German) to meet the evolving needs of our student body and enhance the school's academic reputation. This presentation will highlight the various strategies and methodological approaches implemented at ISZN to successfully manage this educational transition. We will explore a dual language immersion program implemented in early education settings, aimed at fostering German language skills through a natural and contextualized approach.
Launched in 2023, the program integrates a native German-speaking assistant into the classroom, creating a bilingual learning environment where students engage in German during specific interactions, activities, and subjects. We will provide a detailed breakdown of the program structure, which varies across Pre-K to Grade 1 levels, and the methods used to manage different language proficiency levels within the same classroom. Key instructional strategies include German play sessions, German-language Units of Inquiry, and mathematics in German, each tailored to promote vocabulary acquisition and cultural awareness.
Evaluation and Findings: Using data collected throughout the program's implementation, we will discuss measurable outcomes, including vocabulary expansion and improved comprehension, particularly at advanced levels. A comparative analysis with traditional international models reveals the benefits and challenges of the dual immersion approach.
Interactive Component: Attendees will participate in a sample language activity, experiencing firsthand the immersive techniques used in the classroom, followed by a Q&A session to discuss replicability and adaptation of the model in diverse educational settings.
SPEAKER
Silvia Locati, EY Teacher Assistant
Silvia Locati was born in Milan in 1968. After completing her PhD in Italian Literature, she worked at the Institute of Italian Literature at the University of Zurich. In 2003, she moved to China, where she taught at the Department of European Languages at Xiamen University. In 2009, she relocated to Brisbane, Australia, where she continued her career as a teacher and writer. Since 2015, she has been living in Zurich, where she works as a primary school teacher at the International School Zurich Nord.
She is published author of children’s books. In 2010, she published Il Diario di Shaolin (The Diary of Shaolin) with Montedit, a finalist work in the J. Prévert Literary Competition 2010, and La principessa maori (The Maori Princess), a work recognized in the same competition. She also published a collection of short stories, Storie di Natale (Christmas Stories), in 2011, followed by Il tesoro dell’imperatore (The Emperor’s Treasure) in 2014 and Game Over in 2018, all with Montedit.
In 2022, she published L’accademia delle renne di Babbo Natale (Santa Claus's Reindeer Academy) with Orto della Cultura.