Limiting the use of the first language
Honouring a child’s first language (home language) is important for fostering tolerance, diversity and respectful, caring and positive interactions. Traditionally, the French immersion program pedagogy conforms to a monolinguistic instructional approach to L2 teaching and learning and is rooted in three underlying beliefs about second language acquisition that are explained by Lambert (1984, as cited in Cummins, 2014). The first is that all instruction should be carried out exclusively in French. Second, translation is not acceptable in French immersion and third, the L1 and L2 of the students should be kept completely separate. These restrictions on the use of the L1 to support second language learning have very little supporting research and are being challenged by more recent research and discussion regarding the positive effects that the L1 can have on the development of the L2 in an immersion context.
"Bilingual education has traditionally argued that languages should be kept separate in the learning and teaching of languages."
Creese & Blackledge, 2010.
Creese & Blackledge, 2010.