Research cluster Language-aware subject teaching / language-sensitive teaching and learning
Research cluster Language-aware subject teaching / language-sensitive teaching and learning
The demand for consistent language education in schools and the relevance of the close connection between subject-related and linguistic performance of pupils has become the basis for various approaches and research work since the PISA studies at the latest. At the University of Oldenburg, the approach of language-sensitive teaching and learning is one of the cross-cutting topics within the quality offensive for teacher training (OLE+), which is to be anchored in the curriculum of all teaching degree programmes. The discourse on language education and support has developed rapidly in recent years and is now aimed not only at pupils with German as a second language, but at everyone. Depending on the subject discipline and type of school, different concepts and terms such as language education and support, language-sensitive, language- and subject-integrated or language-aware (subject) teaching, CLILig (Content and Language Integrated Learning in German) have now become established, which are generally characterised by the requirements of the subjects and give different weight to language support. The core idea behind all of these approaches can be summarised as follows:
"The term language-sensitive teaching stands for different teaching concepts that consciously use language as a means of thinking and communicating in order to link subject-related and linguistic learning. An essential element is the targeted linguistic support of pupils integrated into the lessons." (Woerfel; Giesau, 2018)*
The Language-Aware Subject Teaching cluster thus attempts to dovetail all perspectives, including language and subject didactics as well as educational science, and enables a joint exchange on language education topics and the initiation of collaborative research projects. Research work at theinterface between language and subject can promote joint exchange and initiate student participation.
Research questions
In general, the research cluster focuses on theoretical considerations and empirical analyses of the role of language(s) in teaching and learning processes, the development and testing of tools for describing and analysing language(s) in teaching subjects, studies on the effectiveness of didactic and methodological concepts of language education and language support as well as studies on the effectiveness of qualification measures in these areas. Not only the cognitive-linguistic level is considered, but also the hegemonic level, in which linguistic norms, but also (subject) traditions and routines as well as access to education are reflected upon, as is the willingness to engage with pupils' (heritage) languages.
The following questions can guide the planned research activities:
- Which linguistic actions and corresponding linguistic structural and expressive forms are constitutive for learning in the individual subjects in the medial oral and medial written classroom discourse? Which linguistic actions and structural and expressive forms must therefore be acquired? How do these differ over the course of the year?
- What role do the individual (language) registers play in teaching and learning processes in different types of school?
- What similarities and differences between the individual subjects can be described in this respect?
- Which didactic and methodological concepts prove to be effective in promoting language acquisition in subject-specific and vocational contexts?
- How can language education be organised in technical/vocational contexts? Which didactic and methodological concepts prove to be effective here?
- Can language-sensitive teaching scenarios be successfully realised in the digital (learning) space?
- What approaches do the individual subject disciplines choose?
- What consequences do the research results of language (acquisition) didactics have for the didactics and methodology of the individual subjects or for the educational sciences and vice versa?
- Can multilingualism be conceptualised as a resource for subject-related understanding and learning processes?
- What can be said about language education efforts from the perspective of both learners and teachers?
- What are the challenges and limitations of these endeavours?
- What skills should future teachers have in order to fulfil this cross-cutting task?
- How should effective qualification measures in teacher training be organised in these areas?
We would like to ask other interested colleagues to get in contact with the initiators:
*Woerfel, Till; Giesau, Marlis (2018): Language-sensitive teaching. Cologne: Mercator Institute for Language Promotion and German as a Second Language (Basiswissen sprachliche Bildung). Available at: www.mercator-institut-sprachfoerderung.de/de/themenportal/thema/sprachsensibler-unterricht/ [15/06/2022].