Die Entwicklung schulisch-standardsprachlicher Kompetenzen in der Volksschule. Eine Quasi-Längsschnittstudie.

Abstract

The article presents the theoretical and methodological reflexions guiding the research project "The Development of Cognitive-Academic Language Proficiency of Monolingual and Bilingual Primary and Secondary School Students. A comparison" (2006–2010). (1) The first part gives an overview of immigrant pupils' situations in the Swiss educational system and shows the reasons for their unsatisfying success in school. Swiss school system is mainly defined by an assimilative philosophy not sufficiently taking into account the specific conditions of the 23.7% of bilingual students in Swiss schools. (2) The theoretical bases of the study refer to the framework of socio-cognitive theory. On the individual level, factors such as the "linguistic self-concept" and "intelligence", and on the exogenous level, context factors such as the "institutional support", specific "classroom programs" for migrant pupils and the "aspirations and support opportunities of the families" are supposed to have a systematic impact on the pace and the level of second language acquisition. We further discuss the theoretical conception of language competencies underlying the project. (3) Finally the methodology of the project, including 1200 monolinguals and bilingual students, is discussed. The project follows the rules of a quasi-longitudinal study measuring the development of language competencies levels twice in the interval of one year in the 2nd/3rd-, 5th/6th-, and 8th/9th-grades. The results will lead to insights in the acquisition process and eventual stagnations in educational language development.