Considering Multilingualism in German L1 Language Lessons
Submitted by:
Kevin H. Isaac
Abstract:
School is a social environment which reflects the multilingualism of society. A German L1 education which considers individual learning conditions needs to respond to the students’ language biographies. By questioning primary school teachers in five German federal states, the study BeLmeR investigates how teachers consider multilingualism of students while teaching L1 language lessons. The aims of the survey are to learn more about the methodological composition of L1 language lessons under multilingual conditions. Of further interest is whether teachers need support by using multilingualism as a resource to cultivate language awareness.
Different approaches exist in German education whereby conceptional as well as practical strategies are in most instances rooted in the language awareness concept (Luchtenberg, 2014). Far-reaching attention is paid to Oomen-Welkes Vielsprachigkeitsdidaktik (2014) and to Rothsteins Sprachintegrativer Grammatikunterricht (2010). Both are based on the assumption, that the reflection of own and foreign languages may lead to better language learning, self-confidence and integration of the students (Andresen & Funke, 2003).
Little is known about the realization in L1 language lessons and empirical studies are a desideratum. To close this gap the explorative study uses a questionnaire consisting of open and closed formats. The data is analyzed by using qualitative and quantitative methods.
First descriptive results show that teachers recognize the potential of language comparison for language awareness. In their own classroom however they prefer activities focusing the encounter of languages and cultures (e.g. foreign songs, food). Getting an insight into structures of foreign languages seems to be less important for teachers in whose classes are more multilingual students than for those in which are less. The latter rather prefer a situational, spontaneous approach to grammar whereas the first seem to experiment less with language. Means of individual support are offered more frequently in classes in which are less multilingual students than in those in which are more.
In further analyses correlations between the implication of multilingualism in teaching and personal teaching experiences of the teachers will be investigated. For a partial sample it will be analyzed how the methodological conception of L1 language lessons effect students‘ achievements in grammar tests.
Bibliography:
Andresen, H.; Funke, R. (2003): Entwicklung sprachlichen Wissens und sprachlicher Bewusstheit. In: U. Bredel, H. Günther, P. Klotz, J. Ossner, G. Siebert-Ott (Hg.): Didaktik der deutschen Sprache. Band 1. Paderborn: Schöningh, S. 438–451.
Luchtenberg, S. (2014): Language Awareness. In: B. Ahrenholz, I. Oomen-Welke (Hg.): Deutsch als Zweitsprache. 3. korr. Aufl., Baltmannsweiler: Schneider Hohengehren, S. 107–117.
Oomen-Welke, I. (2014): Didaktik der Sprachenvielfalt. In: B. Ahrenholz, I. Oomen-Welke (Hg.): Deutsch als Zweitsprache. 3. korr. Aufl., Baltmannsweiler: Schneider Hohengehren, S. 479-492.
Rothstein, B. (2010): Sprachintegrative Grammatikvermittlung. Tübingen: Stauffenburg.