After the first results of the Programme for International Pupil Assessment (PISA) and the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS) had been pub-lished, a strong connection between the pupils’ social background and their achievement in school became obvious. Taking into account the trend perspec-tive and comparing the PIRLS 2001 results with the findings of the PIRLS 2006 survey, this has not changed: In Germany, there is a disadvantage for the read-ing achievement of more than one school year for students with a lower social background (Bos, Schwippert, & Stubbe, 2007). Also, the results of the German empirical IGLU-supplementary orthography study (2001 and pilot study 2006) show that children with a migrational and lower social background are less suc-cessful. But also in England, Austria, the Netherlands, Norway and Bulgaria, the connection between the pupils’ results and their background is comparably strong. Due to results shown above, it is important to focus on how the written language competencies of groups with social and migrational disparities can be improved. This will be discussed in the symposium. Therefore, different approaches to fostering the language competencies of groups with social and migrational disparities will be presented: It is shown how children with a lower social background can be prepared for the acquisition of written language competencies in preschool. Then, the approach by Oyanagi in-troduces media-supported measures of support. Furthermore, it is demonstrated which teaching concepts in primary and secondary school are effective for chil-dren with a lower social background who cannot rely on family support and who lack fundamental knowledge when entering school. There will be a focus on em-pirical studies, which investigated this topic in an educational context.

The studies presented in this symposium show a range of methods. Not only quantitative and qualitative approaches, but also longitudinal and cross-sectional designs will be considered in this symposium. The majority of studies follows a longitudinal design with an interventional phase. Van der Kooy, Voss/Blatt/Frahm and Blatt/Pagel all use a control group, the for-mer with a random sample. However, Voss/Blatt/Frahm can only present the re-sults of the intervention group as the data analysis is still in progress. Oyanagi and Pfeiffer both use data from cross-sectional studies, Pfeifer refers to PIRLS 2001. Von Verhallen presents a qualitative study.

All studies present reliable information in order to improve the acquisition and development of written language competencies in different phases of schooling for disadvantaged children. It becomes evident how these different phases are not only intertwined but they also rely on each other. The evidence based design of each study makes it possible to quantify the effects of the particular approaches. Furthermore, the interventional studies give reliable information on the effects and the impact of particular didactic approaches in primary and secondary education and additional treatments in preschool for chil-dren with migrational background and social disparities.