Paper Session: An Active Parent Teacher Organization Supports a Successful Amity Program
Friday, October 22, 3 - 4 pm, Room: Presidents 
Katherine Cramer, St. Louis Park Spanish Immersion Elementary School
Beth Cork, St. Louis Park Spanish Immersion Elementary School

The St. Louis Park Spanish Immersion Elementary School Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) has implemented a successful Amity Aide Program which relies on an active parent community. Strategies for maintaining both parts of the whole program will be presented.

Paper Session: Corrective Feedback in the Dual Immersion Kindergarten Classroom
Friday, October 22, 3 - 4 pm, Room: Alumni 
Megan Unger, Emerson Spanish Immersion Learning Center

This session will present the results of a research study which explored the effectiveness of two methods of corrective feedback, recasts and repetition, at the kindergarten level. It will discuss the design and implementation of the study, as well as its findings and their implications for teaching and learning in the dual immersion kindergarten classroom.

Discussion Session: Secondary Focus on Target Language Production Skills
Friday, October 22, 3 - 4 pm, Room: Northrup 
Martha Johnson, Highland Senior High School

Research shows that at the secondary level immersion students have well developed receptive language skills but are lacking in language production skills (speaking and writing) in the target language. In trying to address this issue, our program has begun to focus on Socratic seminars, public speaking, impromptu and extemporaneous speech combined with developing critical and creative writing skills. Come and share your thoughts and ideas about this important topic!

Paper Session: Uncovering the Hurdles to Learning Japanese for Native English Speakers
Friday, October 22, 3 - 4 pm, Room: Coffman 
Nozomi Takano, Smith Academy of International Languages
Tamayo Hattori, Smith Academy of international Languages
Eric Ottinger, Smith Academy of international Languages

How can we teach the Japanese language effectively in a K-8 immersion program? This paper reveals the difficulties and non difficulties for English-speaking children learning Japanese at Smith Academy of International Languages in North Carolina. It compares studentsí Japanese phonology, morphology, syntax, lexicon and semantics in both oral and writing performance with those of their L1, English.

Paper Session: Using Data to Drive Decisionmaking in Two-way Immersion Programs
Friday, October 22, 3 - 4 pm, Room: Faculty 
Rebecca Freeman Field, School District of Philadelphia; Caslon Inc.

This session demonstrates how educators can collect and analyze qualitative and quantitative data to document students' biliteracy development and academic achievement in two-way immersion (TWI) programs. Ongoing analyses can be used to guide instruction, make decisions about program and professional development, respond to local, state, and federal mandates and accountability requirements, and contribute to the national conversation about the effectiveness of TWI programs. 

Paper Session: What works? Features of Successful Immersion Programs
Friday, October 22, 3 - 4 pm, Room: Regents 
Margot Kinberg, National University

Immersion program research has yielded sometimes ambiguous results. This paper argues that one factor in accounting for this lack of consistency is the presence or absence of certain critical features. Among these are administrative support, parental support and involvement, community acceptance and a belief that the first language and the target language are equally valuable. The paper examines these features in detail and shows how they have been integrated into successful immersion programs.

Paper Session: When the District Says No [to Immersion]
Friday, October 22, 3 - 4 pm, Room: Campus 
Shannon Peterson, Lakes International Langauge Academy
Melissa Martyr-Wagner, Lakes International Langauge Academy

Recently, in response to a groundswell of parent interest, two Minnesota metro-area school districts considered offering immersion (full, one-way) programs. While one dragged its feet for two years, it eventually decided to move ahead. The other dragged its feet for two years and then decided to table the idea indefinitely! Learn how the ìturned downî group of parents moved ahead without district support and created an immersion school for their community.