We present findings of a videographic study on primary and secondary school pupils dealing with multilingual activities, such as interlinguistic comparisons and language awareness activities. Our results show that especially activities referring to home languages can be demanding for pupils and teachers and may lead to unintended effects.
This paper presents a videographic study on how Swiss German pupils deal with multilingual activities, such as interlinguistic comparisons and language awareness activities, in the foreign language classroom. The specialised literature discusses various advantages of multilingual approaches, such as increased language awareness and more efficient language learning (e.g. Reich/Krumm 2013) or possible affective advantages like the strengthening of language learning motivation and the valorization of first languages (e.g. Marx 2016). However, there are also researchers who point out that not all children with a migration background appreciate activities referring to (their) home languages (e.g. Schader 2004). In the light of the above, this study examines how pupils in foreign language classes deal with and react to multilingual activities of the type currently integrated in foreign language textbooks in Switzerland. To this end, we filmed 38 groups of three pupils in 5th/6th and 8th grade dealing with prototypical activities, which we had previously identified by analysing English and French language textbooks currently in use in Switzerland. The videos were transcribed and analysed using content analysis. We found large individual differences in the way pupils react to the tasks: especially activities referring to home languages may lead both to intended effects, such as admiration by colleagues, but also to unintended effects such as (variously motivated) reluctance to take on the role of experts of one’s home language. Marx, N. (2016). Introduction to the section „Multilingual and Plurilingual Education and Learning“. Babylonia, 3, 10–13. Reich, H. H., & Krumm, H.-J. (2013). Sprachbildung und Mehrsprachigkeit: Ein Curriculum zur Wahrnehmung und Bewältigung sprachlicher Vielfalt im Unterricht. Münster, München: Waxmann. Schader, B. (2004). Sprachenvielfalt als Chance: das Handbuch. Hintergründe und 101 praktische Vorschläge für den Unterricht in mehrsprachigen Klassen. Troisdorf[quotrightB?]¯: Bildungsverlag EINS; Zürich: Orell Füssli.
