ENGLISH IMMERSION PROGRAM IN EFL SETTING: A MODIFIED MODEL, IMPLEMENTATION, AND EFFECTIVENESS

This study reflects the best practice of the English immersion program designed for EFL learners. Through observation in the research site and interview with eight participants (two language managers and six language learners), the modified model is discovered as the guidelines in ruling the project in which curriculum, English proficiency, and language management are the main points. Besides, Informal learning becomes the hot issue of this study since the English zone facilitates English informal interaction between language partners and learners which enhances English learning experiences effectively and motivates them to use English. The finding also reported that English immersion program emerges learning community, personal qualities development, English language acquisition, and self-efficacy, language awareness and language exposure The study may contribute to the body of knowledge in second language acquisition and recommend schools or universities and other related institutions to implement English immersion program as the alternative solution for English language learning in non-native speaking countries.

The Need Analysis of Participation in an English Immersion Village at Kampung Inggris Pare

The privilege of English as an international lingua franca force many countries to open a wider opportunity for society to learn the language. However, the unbalance between societal needs and the role of English as a foreign language in Indonesia sometimes find the obstacles in the process of learning. This paper reveals the learners’ initial perception of English and analyzes the need for participation in an English immersion program. 24 participants from six English institutions contributed to this qualitative study. The data collected through participant observation and semi-structured interviews for three months in Kampung Inggris Pare, Kediri, East Java, Indonesia. Most of the learners had a negative perception of English before participating in this immersion program that they perceived this language was difficult. This perception is associated with negative experiences during the process of learning English at school. However, their awareness of low self-confidence and poor speaking performance in facing globalization invited them to participate in an English immersion village in Kampung Inggris Pare. This paper concludes that the necessities, the lacks, and students' desire underlie the need analysis of participating in an English immersion program in Kampung Inggris Pare.

Changes in University Students’ Perceptions towards a Two-Week Summer English Immersion Program

The present research examined how university students perceived a 2-week summer English immersion program organized and designated by Chinese teachers of English in a highly prestigious university in Beijing and whether their perceptions changed during the period. Data included 208 surveys and 19 informal interviews in week 1 and 207 surveys and 19 interviews in week 2 (the participants were largely the same in both weeks). Analyses of the data showed that in both weeks, most students considered the courses interesting and liked most of them for similar reasons (e.g., being interesting and having much participation), that the program improved students’ English abilities in listening, speaking, reading and writing as well as overall English proficiency, and that the program enhanced students’ interpersonal communication ability, confidence in using English, knowledge of the culture of English-speaking countries, interest in and motivation to learn English. The results also revealed that the participants tended to become more positive about the program, have a more comprehensive view of the program and assess it more objectively toward the end of the program. Evidently, the program helped the students in various aspects. To better help students, it is useful to do needs analyses prior to the program so that more acceptable courses and activities can be designed and offered.Keywords: perception, change, immersion program