Advanced learners of German as a foreign language in an academic context: Some didactic implications of their needs and motivations

Abstract

Very little research has been conducted into teaching advanced learners of German as a foreign language (GFL), and the few publications that exist describe such learners as very heterogeneous in respect of their learning needs, motivations, prior knowledge and expectations. Not surprisingly, didactic suggestions for teaching GFL at an advanced level are also rare, which leaves teachers of German in a difficult situation. As advanced learners of German are an important learner group for the Language Centre of the University of Freiburg (Switzerland), we felt an urgent need to know more about them. A survey was therefore conducted to collect information about their learning context at the bilingual University of Freiburg, the competences they already possess, their motivation to continue learning GFL, and their learning needs. The results of our survey show that our advanced GFL learner groups are a lot more homogeneous than the literature suggests. Among the characteristics they share are: extensive language learning experience, a preference for developing the productive skills, an interest in expanding their mental lexicon, and common topics of interest. On the basis of these findings we examine whether didactic principles developed to teach beginning learners of German as a third language (L3) are also appropriate for advanced learners. (As Provided)