Plurilinguism between biography and professionalisation. Case studies on language learning memoirs, academic learning and professional expectations

Author(s):

Martin Kunz(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2011

Network:

27. Didactics - Learning and Teaching

Format:

Paper

Session Information

27 SES 08 B, Language Learning and Bilingual Education

Paper Session

Time:

2011-09-15

08:30-10:00

Room:

KL 24/222,1 FL., 64

Chair:

Gérard Sensevy

Contribution

In this paper I present results of a qualitative empirical study that has been presented at ECER 2007 with theoretical focus. The framework is given by a) research on foreign language education and teacher education with focus on plurilinguism and migration (Byram/ Béacco 2007; Vetter 2009; Sercu 2005; Hu 2003), b) studies on teacher professionalisation as biographical development (Dirks 2000; Hericks 2006; Fabel/ Tiefel 2003) and c) research on learner development and educational experience (Bastian et al. 2006; Meyer 2007; Terhart 2009).

A general starting question is how education systems can react appropiately to heterogenous dispositions of teacher students and their individual learning processes and competence acquirement. As biographical dispositions and motivations play an essential role in constructing professional beliefs and orientations, teacher education has also to consider the passage from pre-experiences to academic learning.

Within the debate on teacher competencies in dealing with plurilinguism and intercultural aspects, migration experience can be identified as a disposition playing a major but also problematic role. Migration experience is seen both as resource and obstacle. If academic learning shall contribute to build up competencies in dealing with plurilinguism, it is questioned in how far teachers students‘ pre-experiences with language acquisition, learning and migration can function as resource to professionalisation. It is until now unclear in what consists this resource and how it may be considered.

The study is taking up one missing aspect in this debate: the perspective of teacher students themselves, not only but especially those with migration experience, on these questions. How do these students experience academic demands and requirements from their own, biographical perspective? What (subjective) influence has academic learning culture on their readiness to see plurilinguism as a major part of teaching French as foreign language?

Method

The empirical part is based on case studies on learning biographies, academic learning courses and professional expectations of French as foreign language teacher students at university. The data consists of narrative interviews with teachers students in Germany that have in common plurilingual biographies, mostly in the context of migration. The data analysis looks at discourse and narrative structures in order to reconstruct a biographical language learning habitus. The focus is on experiences with multilingual situations and on beliefs and professional expectations that deal with plurilingualism and foreign (French) language learning.

Expected Outcomes

A major aim of the the study is to identify typical biographical signifcant learning processes and to discuss these as domain specific (French as foreign language) courses of professionalisation. The case studies shall provide insights about how learning situations in teacher education should be structured in order to enhance professional development in dealing with plurilinguism in a positive way, but also to identify obstacles against these aims. Therefore the students‘ subjective view on their education as well as on learning spaces beside and before university, is essential. The sample of the study may furthermore contribute to show the heterogeneity of real (in the sense of empirical) learning biographies and professionalisation processes and provide a basis for developing concepts of plurilinguism, dealing with heterogeneity in foreign language teacher education.

References

Bastian, J./ Borries, B. v./ Combe, A./ Gebhard, U./ Hu, A./ Kaiser, G./ Koller, H.-C./ Meyer, M. A./ Mielke, R./ Murmann, L./ Oettingen, G. (2006): Folgeantrag auf Förderung des Graduiertenkollegs 821: „Bildungsgangforschung“. Manuskript Hamburg. Byram/ Béacco 2007: Guide for the Development of Language Education Policies in Europe. Strasbourg. Fabel / Tiefel 2003: Biographische Risiken und neue professionelle Herausforderungen. Wiesbaden. Hericks 2006: Professionalisierung als Entwicklungsaufgabe. Rekonstruktionen zur Berufseingangsphase von Lehrerinnen und Lehrern. Wiesbaden. Hu, A. 2003: Schulischer Fremdsprachenunterricht und migrationsbedingte Mehrsprachigkeit. Tübingen. Meyer 2007: Abschiedsvorlesung: Allgemeine Didaktik aus der Perspektive der Bildungsganforschung. Manuskript Hamburg. URL: http://www2.erzwiss.uni-hamburg.de/personal/meyermeinert/Abschiedsvorlesung.pdf – last access 01.04.2007. Sercu et.al. 2005: Foreign Language Teachers and Intercultural Competence. An International Investigation. Clevedon. Terhart 2009: Didaktik. Eine Einführung. Stuttgart. Vetter 2008: Sprachenbewusstheit von Französischlehrerinnen. Hindernis oder Chance für einen mehrsprachigkeitsorientierten Fremdsprachenunterricht? Habil. Univ. Wien.

Author Information

Martin Kunz (presenting / submitting)

Universität Hamburg

Graduiertenkolleg Bildungsgangforschung

Hamburg

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