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Assessing the implications of migrant multilingualism for language education

Konsequenzen der Mehrsprachigkeit von Migranten für die sprachliche Bildung

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Abstract

Given the increased influx of migrants into the European Union, the German education system is faced with catering to increasing numbers of migrant children who have already acquired a first language or multiple languages in their home countries. Helping these children successfully develop language and literacy skills in the new majority language, German, and in the first foreign language taught at German schools, English, will be an important challenge, as will the support of these children’s heritage languages. Ultimately, assisting these children in successfully becoming multilingual would substantially benefit the development of their executive control and in turn boost their chances of long-term academic success.

Zusammenfassung

Durch den verstärkten Zustrom von Migranten in die EU ist das deutsche Bildungssystem gegenwärtig mit der Betreuung einer zunehmenden Anzahl von Kindern konfrontiert, die schon eine oder mehrere Sprachen in ihren Herkunftsländern erworben haben. Die Unterstützung dieser Kinder im erfolgreichen Erwerb der neuen Mehrheitssprache Deutsch und der ersten Fremdsprache Englisch sowie der gleichzeitigen Förderung ihrer Herkunftssprachen stellt eine wichtige Herausforderung dar. Letztendlich würde das erfolgreiche Fördern der Mehrsprachigkeit dieser Kinder die Entwicklung ihrer exekutiven Funktionen erheblich begünstigen und gleichzeitig ihre Chancen auf langfristigen Bildungserfolg verbessern.

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Notes

  1. A greater number of fully fluent migrant bilingual children should also increase the future chances of finding suitable candidates for heritage language teacher training programs, which, in turn, would help build a more extensive pool of well-trained heritage language teachers.

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  1. Department of English, University of Münster, Johannisstr. 12–20, 48143, Münster, Germany

    Gregory J. Poarch Ph.D.

  2. Department of Psychology, York University, 4700 Keele Street, M4J 1P3, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Ellen Bialystok Ph.D.

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Poarch, G.J., Bialystok, E. Assessing the implications of migrant multilingualism for language education. Z Erziehungswiss 20, 175–191 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11618-017-0739-1

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