The immersion method: Bilingual education for better future prospects

Our bilingual nurseries and schools give children important cognitive and professional advantages in their lives and thus offer them the best future opportunities.

Bilingualism as a living language model at Phorms

Bilingualism is the ability to understand and speak two languages. Bilingual learning is an extended educational model in which two languages and two cultures coexist on an equal level.
At Phorms, students are taught equally in German and English. For an optimal language acquisition, children learn with us using the immersion method. 

Immersion: the most natural way to learn a language 

Learning by immersion means that the children are immersed in a "language bath". They hear, speak and learn the language in authentic everyday contexts and experience it in their familiar surroundings. They thus learn the new language as naturally as their mother tongue - without any pressure or vocabulary stress. The immersive method places great emphasis on facial expressions and gestures. The children can thus understand what is being said from the context. As receptive skills increase and reading and listening comprehension improve, the children gradually absorb the new language into their everyday language use. 

Immersion as an educational experience at Phorms

Immersion at Phorms means that students learn and experience both languages all day long. This is made possible by qualified teachers who conduct all communication with the children at a mother tongue level in one of the two languages. 

Immersion as an educational experience at Phorms

Immersion at Phorms means that students learn and experience both languages all day long. This is made possible by qualified teachers who conduct all communication with the children at a mother tongue level in one of the two languages. 

Immersion in Phorms Nurseries

Linguists consider the crèche and kindergarten age to be the ideal time to introduce children to a foreign language for the first time. 
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Immersion in Phorms Preschools

In our preschools (receptions), which prepare the children for school in a playful way for a year, an international learning and everyday culture is cultivated.
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Immersion in Phorms Primary Schools

In our experience, the admission to one of our bilingual primary schools is also possible for children without knowledge of a second language.
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Immersion in Phorms Secondary Schools

In our bilingual secondary schools, we also welcome students who previously came into contact with the English language exclusively through normal school lessons.
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Immersion as a pioneer for the future

The Phorms immersion programmes provide students with very important cognitive, social and professional benefits for their lives. They provide them with the skills to interact confidently and confidently in a globalised world and increasingly integrated world community. 

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The bilingual learning journey

With the immersion method, children acquire languages automatically based on meaningful daily learning rather than rote memorisation. Here, we explain how children learn other languages and the cognitive benefits derived from these learning environments

Bilingual people have a more rounded perspective

Multilingualism helps develop tolerance for people with different languages and cultures. Professor Matthias Hutz on intercultural skills in connection with the immersion method

Soaking up language

Yared Dibaba is not only a multitalented artist, but a multitalented linguist, too. Born in Ethiopia, he plunged into the German language and culture at the age of four – and learnt German via immersion. He is a fan of ‘Plattdeutsch’ and speaks not only German and English, but also Oromo, Swahili, Amharic and French

Soak up language every day with Phorms

With the immersion method, children pick up languages automatically – without the stress of vocabulary lists. In the Phorms nurseries and reception classes, children always have contact with one English-speaking and one German-speaking teacher on a day-to-day basis. At primary school, four subjects are taught in English and, at secondary school, the students can choose international qualifications in addition to the German Abitur. In addition, all Phorms schools cover regional differences in their curricula. Phorms teachers from Berlin Süd, Hamburg and Frankfurt offer a glimpse behind the scenes at our schools.

Children at bilingual schools – Tips on how to best support your child

It’s an exciting time in the field of language education: bilingual immersion education is a model that can assist schools in realising children’s multilingual potential. But what exactly is an immersion programme, how can I help as a parent and what does it mean for my child? Helena Curtain, an expert in language and immersion education, answers some important questions regarding immersion programmes