Abstract Summary
This paper will present a critical view towards formats for multilingual teaching with a focus on how these formats can be transferred into regular classes and how monolingual students can profit from them. We will exemplify this using data from both linguistically homogeneous settings as well as heterogeneous mathematics classrooms.
Abstract :
As various studies have shown, eliciting and using family languages in classrooms can help adolescent refugees to show their full knowledge potential, as this enables them to fully access their prior subject knowledge learned in their heritage countries (i.e. Krause et al. submitted). Recently, a variety of ideas, proposals and formats are being developed for this purpose (i.e. García/ Ibarra Johnson/ Seltzer 2017). However, many formats work primarily in controlled settings or linguistically homogeneous groups and thus provide limited insights on how those formats can be applied in regular classes with students with different family languages.
Mathematics is a special case, as it is often suspected to be less language-depended than other subjects – an assumption that can be deemed as simply wrong (i.e. Redder 2019), making mathematics an even more interesting subject of detailed research on multilingual teaching and learning.
In this paper, we will present a critical view towards various formats for this kind of teaching and learning with a focus on the question how – and if – these formats can be transferred into regular classes and how even monolingual students can profit from this approach. We will exemplify this using authentic data from both linguistically homogeneous settings (Turkish-German and Syrian Arabic-German) as well as regular and hence heterogeneous mathematics classrooms.
References
García, O./Ibarra Johnson, S./Seltzer, K. (2017) The Translanguaging Classroom. Leveraging Student Bilingualism for Learning. Philadelphia: Caslon.
Krause, A./Wagner, J./Çelikkol, M./Redder, A./Prediger, S. (subm.) New migrants, new challenges? Activating multilingual resources for understanding mathematics: institutional and interactional requirements. In: Levine, G.S. & Mallows, D. (eds.) Language Learning of Migrants in Europe. Heidelberg: Springer.
Redder, A. (2019) Sprachlich-mentale Fachkonzepte als interkulturelle Herausforderung. Zum Beispiel Arabisch und Türkisch relativ zum Deutschen. In: Der Deutschunterricht 3/19, 86-94.
