Verbal representations of language awareness in inclusive learning groups
Submitted by:
Katharina Böhnert
Abstract:
Inclusive learning-teaching situations challenge teachers and students in multiple ways: Learning together in either one common subject or in only one common situation has to be planned thoroughly considering the wide range of the students’ individual capacities. Therefore, an important challenge of inclusive pedagogics is to combine the curricular content with special demands. As stated by Hennies & Ritter (2014, p. 7), inclusive pedagogics are in the process of being established as a research field in Germany. Pilot studies have recently been conducted aiming at detecting learning conditions of inclusive settings to further define adaptive learning-teaching concepts.
The study presented in this submission deals with language awareness of inclusive learning groups, i. e. classes in which students with and without disabilities are learning together. For that purpose, 31 lessons in inclusive learning groups have been recorded and analyzed to give evidence for language awareness such as comments on linguistic forms and funtions. In contrast to the beliefs of the teachers examined that mentally disabled students do not handle meta-reflexive activities well, one major finding of this ongoing study is that most students of special needs are able to reflect on linguistic forms and functions. This ability is predominantly shown in oral interactions and less in written elaborations. Furthermore, mentally handicapped students are rather prone to comment on the phenomenon itself than to refer to grammatical categories. Hence, it can be concluded that reflecting on linguistic forms and functions can be presented to all students and only the level of elaboration has to be suited to the students’ individual abilities. In conclusion to this finding, a model of differentiated language instruction has been developed. Recognizing all students’ capacity of language awareness – even if it occurs at different rates and to different degrees– provides a basis for collaborative learning in inclusive learning groups. The model of differentiated language instruction aims at supporting each student in L1 education individually and thus ensures a feasible inclusion in many social and cultural fields (Hart et. al. 2004).
References
Hart, S. / Dixon, A. / Drummond, M. J. & McIntyre, D. (2004). Learning without Limits. London et. al.
Hennies, J., & Ritter, M. (2014). Zur Einführung: Deutschunterricht in der Inklusion. In: Hennies, J. (Eds.). Deutschunterricht in der Inklusion. Auf dem Weg zu einer inklusiven Deutschdidaktik (pp. 7-17). Stuttgart.