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students can also communicate with the teacher and among themselves in L1 as and when
necessary. This is the peculiarity, which distinguishes immersion classroom from the
submersion and multilingual classroom, where teachers usually do not know or are not
allowed to use the student’s L1. The ability to use L1 in the classroom makes immersion
program less stressful, and helps in solving discipline problems, especially when applied in
the preprimary level. But according to M. J. Rosanova in the Canadian immersion model, the
teachers refrain from speaking the majority language under any circumstances for at least the
first three years of the program. Researchers agree that the usages of L1 in the pre-productive
target language phase should be limited.
In Warsaw Montessori School: the educational policy is closer to the idea of
Rosanova and states that the usage of children’s L1 in the pre-productive target language
phase should be limited. Through shifting to Polish language (L1) in order to explain valuable
information, teacher is signalizing that L2 is not that important. The major motivation to learn
L2 for preschool children is the necessity to survive, to understand and be understandable, but
not to learn for further carrier or for good grades. The teacher’s knowledge of L1 could be
treated as a good reason for children not to try so hard to use L2. Moreover, if the teacher
starts to use L1 in order to solve some discipline problems, children tend to provoke him or
her with their bad behavior to hear the understandable for them language. In Montessori ETI
program there are two teachers in the classroom. Both of them usually use L2, but only one of
the teachers may switch to L1 in necessary circumstances.
While there is a lack of worked out methodology of teaching in immersion
preschool, the research was conducted on the main techniques used by the experienced
immersion teachers in Casa dei Bambini Warsaw Montessori School. After the analysis of the
data gathered through observation, the following techniques of immersion program are
distinguished as important to help children learn via second language:
- Frequent use of visuals and concrete materials.
- Extensive use of body language.
- Isolation of the difficulty.
- Small steps in learning.
- Repetition of learnt.
- Corrective feedback.
- Materials with self-control.
- Routine activities with predictable vocabulary in use.
The principle, presented by Krashen and called “sheltered instruction” was supported
by the observation of immersion language teaching in Montessori class. By the definition,
“sheltered instruction” is meaningful and comprehensible instruction given for a group of
learners with similar proficiency level (Krashen, 1985). In Montessori preschool it refers to
forming the small group of children of similar social and academic needs and abilities for
instruction, but not making the language class for all children at once. The above mentioned
techniques used by the teachers in immersion program in Poland help to realize the principle
of sheltered instruction in preschool classroom setting.
In order to make the input comprehensible in the instruction, it is important to be
well-prepared for every presentation of the new material and think beforehand which exact
expressions should be said. The same words should be used to present the new vocabulary
and small steps of enriching the input should be taken. With the aim to isolate one difficulty,
the teacher needs to use easy instructions. For example, teacher, when showing the material,
may say “Look! This is apple.” But not “Come here and see what I have. In English we call
this round red fruit an apple.” Moreover, in the beginning phase of language learning, the
teacher should be very consequent in using the same structure, be it “Look here!” or “What is
this” or “What do I have” or any other.
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