The importance of sucessful relationships and life long learning processes including information research by new technologies and various media emphasize the relevance of a so called “Vocational Literacy” for learners in the VET system. This includes competences of reading comprehension, writing conclusively, presenting and speaking in a specific formal language but also strategic and social skills in order to demonstrate these competences in different situations appropriately.

Because of their migration background, social deprivation or lack of linguistic socialisation an increasing number of learners in the VET system - especially in urban areas - have problems to fulfil the afore mentioned linguistic requirements for a sucessful learning and working life.

The described research project tries to reduce this discrepancy between lingustic demands and skills answering the question: How can tachers in the VET system support their learners’ Vocational Literacy?

According to international linguistic research expertise – that shows the importance of the combination of language learning and professional learning (e. g. Ohm et al. 2007) – the aim of the research project is to develop trainings for teachers in the VET system in order to integrate German language acquisition techniques into their professional subjects.

They are organized in a multi-staged team-teaching process including interdisziplinar and intercultural partners:

•    Firstly, bachelor students of our department are trained in linguistically sensitive didactics. In this context it is plannend to realize common learning and developing processes with language teaching students in England by web-based means, e. g. Skype.

•    Secondly, the bachelor students develop, realize and evaluate lessons in vocational schools together with German language teachers.

•    Finally, the lesson plans are used for trainings with professional teachers in the vocational schools.

The proposed presentation outlines the theoretical background and main structure of the trainings as well as the results of the first evaluation. Examples of didactic materials and methods used/developed in the trainings underline the conclusions in a very practical manner.

Kimmelmann, N. (2010): Sprachförderung durch Fachlehrkräfte und Ausbildende in der beruflichen Bildung – Möglichkeiten und Grenzen. Deutsch als Zweitsprache. Nürnberg: BAMF. Ohm, U., Kuhn, C. & Funk, H. (2007): Sprachtraining für Fachunterricht und Beruf. Fachtexte knacken – mit Fachsprache arbeiten. FörMig Edition. Band 2. Münster: Waxmann.