Advanced Language Acquisition
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Advanced Language Acquisition
Our research interest is advanced language acquisition, specifically the acquisition of advanced language skills during the school years.
The researchers involved are focussing on the milestones leading up to the achievement of advanced language skills as well as their precursor skills and are looking at both the oral and written language skills of the pupils. In addition, both receptive (listening, reading) and productive (speaking, writing) skills are analysed and examined regarding their interdependencies, such as the connection between oral language skills and reading skills.
Subject of Research
In addition to the question of the milestones of acquisition, the members of this research group are also interested in the question of which intra- and inter-individual differences can occur in the acquisition process, i.e. at what point deviations and their causes can be recognised (diagnostics). The main focus is on the question of which linguistic phenomena and structures are difficult in advanced language acquisition and for whom these phenomena cause acquisition difficulties. Based on this, the group also investigates how these skills can be promoted in an adaptive, evidence-based manner. The internal and external resources of advanced language acquisition must also be taken into account: Internal resources are, on the one hand, language-internal resources, i.e. helpful linguistic information that, when acquired, leads to better language skills. Internal resources are also cognitive abilities that pupils bring with them, such as language skills in another language or phonological awareness. External resources are influencing factors such as socio-economic factors, but also external influencing factors that have an effect in the classroom, such as the oral language used by teachers to address their pupils, as well as the linguistic-interactional support programmes used by teachers. External resources in the classroom also encompass written language in textbooks and teaching materials in the sense of language input.
Need for Research
There is a general consensus that good language skills are a key competence and one of the most important prerequisites for success at school, a career and, and lastly, societal success. However, there is no scientific consensus on which language skills in which developmental phases are most significant for the acquisition of further skills in other areas, such as learning success in various school subjects, nor on the best ways to diagnose and promote them.
Good language skills are not only essential for German and foreign language lessons but are a prerequisite in all subjects. As the PISA studies have shown, a high level of reading competence cannot be taken for granted. Around 20% of the 15-year-olds examined in Germany do not fulfil the requirements (Weis et al. 2018: 61). This means that the proportion of low-achieving pupils is relatively high. In particular, sense-extracting reading (reading comprehension) is poorly developed. Oral language skills play a role here insofar as children can only understand in reading what they also understand in listening. Good oral language skills are therefore an important prerequisite for the development of reading skills. In addition, a large part of the teaching of learning content in the classroom takes place orally, albeit using the language registers of educational and specialised language. These present high acquisition hurdles, especially for language-poor pupils, but also for pupils who are learning German as a second language.
There are major educational inequalities in Germany, particularly with regard to social background (including migration background). In an international comparison, the gap in Germany is even larger than average. Language performance differences already exist at pre-school age and remain fairly stable over the course of development. Pupils with special educational needs, particularly in the areas of language and communication, also need a learning environment that enables them to participate as much as possible. This is also called for by the United Nations in one of the so-called 'United Nation Sustainable Development Goals': "quality education for all". Schools and pre-school educational institutions are therefore faced with the challenge of creating equal opportunities. However, there is no consensus on the means and concepts with which this can be achieved.
Interdisciplinary Group
There are therefore clear challenges from an educational perspective that require a closer look at the relationships between language acquisition, reading and writing skills, school success and various factors (such as multilingualism, social background, special educational needs). This research must be organised on an interdisciplinary basis, because although individual disciplines can address partial aspects of these challenges (such as factors for successful language acquisition, the influence of multilingualism on language acquisition, which linguistic phenomena are complex and why, how certain linguistic aspects develop), only jointly planned and conducted research can lead to a better understanding of such complex connections. This is why this research group is interdisciplinary: Researchers from the fields of linguistics, language didactics and special needs education cooperate on this research endeavour.
We would like to ask other interested researchers to contact Esther Ruigendijk, the group's spokesperson.