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BiLTex – Bilingual Learning Settings to Foster Text Comprehension

The project BiLTex examines potential differences between bilingual and monolingual learning environments for promoting text comprehension. While in monolingual learning environments all information and actions are presented or occur in German, bilingual learning environments implement heritage languages systematically. BilTex investigates whether the inclusion of the heritage language has a positive effect on text comprehension and the learning experience in general for bilingual children.

Migrants in Europe do not give up their heritage languages, so that students with a migration background in Germany often grow up bilingually with German as a second language. Multilingualism is an educational goal of the German school system, which also includes the appreciation and consideration of heritage languages. In addition, the systematic, planned implementation of more than one language for learning processes seems to have positive effects regarding knowledge acquisition, language competence, affect, and motivation.

Concerning the importance of both languages for bilingual students for everyday life as well as their potential to promote learning, institutionalized bilingual learning arrangements could support the educational processes of bilingual students. However, there is little empirical evidence to test this assumption, especially in regard to bilingual students with migration background in the context of monolingual education. Accordingly, the project investigates potential differences between a bilingual and monolingual learning arrangement focusing on text comprehension with bilingual students in fourth grade.

Project Head

Dr. Martin Schastak

Selected Publications

Schastak, M., Decristan, J., Rauch, D. & Reitenbach, V. (2020). The prevalence of bilingual interaction in peer-learning. International Journal of Bilingual Education and Bilingualism, online first.

Schastak, M. (2020). Bilinguale Interaktion beim Peer-Learning in der Grundschule. Eine Mixed-Methods Studie mit bilingual türkisch-deutschsprachig aufwachsenden Schüler*innen Reihe Mehrsprachigkeit und Bildung (Band 4). Leverkusen: Barbara Budrich. Open Access: https://shop.budrich-academic.de/produkt/bilinguale-interaktion-beim-peer-learning-in-der-grundschule/

Duration

08/2020–12/2022