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Current Projects in the Area of Language Diagnostics / Language Promotion
Oral Knowledge Processing and its Connectivity
| Universität Hamburg | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Angelika Redder |
 Institut für Germanistik I |
Project number: 01GJ0904 |
| Von-Melle-Park 6 | Volume: 337.394 EUR |
| 20146 Hamburg | Funding period: 01.01.2009 - 31.12.2011 |
The aim of the project is to linguistically determine first and second graders’ oral abilities of knowledge processing and knowledge connectivity – abilities the students need in order to cope with the requirements of classroom discourse. Knowledge is processed in complex speech actions such as describing, reporting, explaining, as well as linguistic means of establishing connectivity (connectors such as "weil", "aber", "dabei", "damit", "also", "da", "denn"; deictic and phoric expressions such as "der"/"die"/"das", "er"/"sie"/"es"). The results provide a basis for the development of a grid of competence which displays oral abilities relevant in grade 1 and 2.
Work plan 2009: project setup; contacting administration, schools, etc.; cross-sectional study (starting 03/09): data collection (phase I) of authentic classroom discourse; digitalisation and transcription of data, identification of oral abilities relevant to master classroom discourse; longitudinal study (03/09 ff.): development of quasi-experimental designs, selection of 20 participants and data collections via quasi-experiments (2 points of time for data collection in 2009), digitalisation and transcription of data.
Work plan 2010: cross-sectional study: data collection (phase II) via quasi-experiments, digitalisation and transcription of data, linguistic analysis, development of profiles for each grade; longitudinal study: data collection via quasi-experiments (2 points of data collection in 2010), digitalisation and transcription, linguistic analysis, development of individual profiles of acquisition.
Work plan 2011: development of a linguistic grid of competence on the basis of the results of the two sub-studies. The grid of competence will provide a background for the development of diagnostic instruments for assessing school-specific oral abilities. In addition, there are various possibilities to integrate the results into the conception and processing of teacher training.
Effects of Explicit and Implicit Language Support of Non-native German Speaking Primary School Pupils
| Freie Universität Berlin | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Petra Stanat |
| Fachbereich Erziehungswissenschaft und Psychologie | Project number: 01GJ0906 |
| Wissenschaftsbereich Erziehungswissenschaft und Grundschulpädagogik | Volume: 353.554 EUR |
| Abt. Empirische Bildungsforschung |
Funding period: 01.03.2009 - 29.02.2012 |
| Habelschwerdter Allee 45 | |
| 14195 Berlin |
Immigrant students in Germany are considerably less successful in school than in many other countries. At the same time, little is known about the effectiveness of measures that aim to support these students. Starting from research within the Jacobs Summercamp Project (Stanat, Baumert & Müller, 2005), this study aims to refine two approaches to second-language support and to test their effectiveness using a field experimental design. The target population are 3rd-grade immigrant pupils who will receive one of the two types of second-language support (explicit or implicit support) between Feb. 2010 and Jan. 2011. In addition, a waiting control group will receive the support a year later, between Feb. 2011 and Jan. 2012. To evaluate the programs, a pre-test and three post-tests will be carried out. The educational research part of the project (FU Berlin) is in charge of the implicit support, the evaluation, and the overall coordination.
If the results show that the treatments do, in fact, yield their intended effects, the findings would have important implications for the support of immigrant students as well as for the initial and in-service training of teachers. To this end, we will document the conceptualization and implementation of the programs. In addition to academic publications, we plan to publish papers for practitioners. Furthermore, parents will be asked to agree that the video footage of the instructions may be used for purposes of teacher training. The descriptions of the programs’ conceptualization and implementation can inform the development of curricula and instructional materials.
Effects of Explicit and Implicit Language Support of Non-native German Speaking Primary School Pupils
| Pädagogische Hochschule Karlsruhe | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Heidi Rösch |
| Fakultät II | Project number: 01GJ0907 |
| Institut für deutsche Sprache und Literatur |
Volume: 128.507 EUR |
| Bismarckstr. 10 | Funding period: 01.03.2009 - 29.02.2012 |
| 76133 Karlsruhe | |
Immigrant students in Germany are considerably less successful in school than in many other countries. At the same time, little is known about the effectiveness of measures that aim to support these students. Starting from research within the Jacobs Summercamp Project (Stanat, Baumert & Müller, 2005), this study aims to refine two approaches to second-language support and to test their effectiveness using a field experimental design. The target population are 3rd-grade immigrant pupils who will receive one of the two types of second-language support (explicit or implicit support) between Feb. 2010 and Jan. 2011. In addition, a waiting control group will receive the support a year later, between Feb. 2011 and Jan. 2012. To evaluate the programs, a pre-test and three post-tests will be carried out. The PH Karlsruhe part of the project is in charge of the explicit support.
If the results show that the treatments do, in fact, yield their intended effects, the findings would have important implications for the support of immigrant students as well as for the initial and in-service training of teachers. To this end, we will document the conceptualization and implementation of the programs. In addition to academic publications, we plan to publish papers for practitioners. Furthermore, parents will be asked to agree that the video footage of the instructions may be used for purposes of teacher training. The descriptions of the programs’ conceptualization and implementation can inform the development of curricula and instructional materials.
Language-related Expertise in Early Childhood Education
| Universität Mannheim | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Rosemarie Tracy |
| Philosophische Fakultät | Project number: 01GJ0905 |
| Anglistisches Seminar | Volume: 280.981 EUR |
| Lehrstuhl für Anglistische Linguistik |
Funding period: 01.03.2009 - 29.02.2012 |
| Schlossgartenstr. | |
| 68161 Mannheim |
Many initiatives strive to counteract the educational disadvantages of children from immigrant families and socially disadvantaged backgrounds. Communities, pre-schools, schools and other institutions invest in intervention/training concepts and in measures qualifying their personnel. How can one make sure that these efforts result in actual gains in competence, i.e how can the developments in knowledge and behavioral changes of persons administering language training be objectified and measured? These questions drive the applied research that is undertaken here. The project develops measures for testing the competencies of persons conducting language support/training programs for children acquiring German as a first or second language in elementary and primary school settings. The project focuses on (a) fundamental knowledge in the area of German as a target language, language acquisition and bilingualism, (b) the competence to judge the developmental stage and language problems of monolingual and bilingual children as well as their linguistic skills, (c) the ability to judge the formal and communicative suitability and the potential training effects of observed training sessions on the basis of audio and video recordings, (d) the ability to develop adequate training measures for specific intervention goals. The project relies on established linguistic and psycholinguistic methods and tests. The assessment of developmental stages/training needs involves authentic longitudinal acquisition data from children in training programs. Results are of immediate relevance for educational institutions, teacher training, organizations offering professional training, policy-makers and agencies concerned with the educational program evaluation, i.e. for everyone holding stake in objective, standardized parameters for assessing the professional competence that should be part of educators’ repertoires and of professional training. The project aims at enhancing the professional status of preschool teaching.
Empirical Assessment of the Development of Bilingual Children in a Longitudinal Perspective. Transition from Primary to Secondary Education
| Universität Hamburg | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Ingrid Gogolin |
| Fachbereich Erziehungswissenschaft | Project number: 01GJ0903 |
| Institut für International und Interkulturell Vergleichende Erziehungswissenschaft |
Volume: 266.928 EUR |
| Alsterterrasse 1 | Funding period: 01.03.2009 - 29.02.2012 |
| 20146 Hamburg | |
The study observes the language development of immigrant children, both with regard to their German language skills as well as their native languages of Turkish and Russian respectively, at the stage of their transition from primary to secondary school and throughout their first years in secondary education. The following aspects are taken into account: Effect of preceding language promotion, correlations between native language and German language skills, usability of the scientific instruments of the language level assessment for teachers’ diagnostic purposes. The project presents the first German longitudinal assessment of bilingual language competencies of immigrant children in the transition period from primary to secondary education. The assessment will include three measuring points in time. At the first point (2009) and the third point in time (2011) oral and written languages will be tested, while reading comprehension will additionally be tested at the second point in time (2010). Furthermore, data will be assessed as regards the family background, instruction and language promotion measures. The assessment will include children with Turkish and Russian migrant backgrounds who received support within the model programme FörMig. A comparative random sample will be drawn from their monolingual German classmates. The applied test instruments will be further developed for their practical use in instruction.
Evaluating the Potential of Dialogic Reading to Enhance Second Language Acquisition in Immigrant Children
| Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Marco Ennemoser |
| FB 06 - Psychologie und Sportwissenschaft |
Project number: 01GJ0901 |
| Otto-Behaghel-Str. 10, Haus F | Volume: 330.393 EUR |
| 35394 Gießen | Funding period: 01.04.2009 - 31.03.2012 |
The study aims to evaluate the potential of Dialogic Reading (DR) for promoting the language skills of immigrant children. In order to gain detailed knowledge of the effectiveness of DR for this particular target group, a broad range of language skills will be assessed, and effects of DR will be compared to those of two well-structured training programs. Furthermore, the study investigates whether the potential of DR differs for immigrant children as compared to non-immigrant children with language disabilities. In a three-year longitudinal study, a total of 460 children will be monitored from kindergarten until the end of their first grade. Language and literacy skills will be assessed at 5 points in time using appropriate measures. 400 immigrant children will be assigned to 4 training conditions (DR, phonological awareness training, Kon-Lab language skills training, non-specific training). An additional control sample of 60 non-immigrant children with language disabilities will receive the DR training.
Evaluating a Comprehensive Model of Developing Writing Competence in 3rd and 4th graders
| Universität Duisburg-Essen | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Albert Bremerich-Vos |
| Fachbereich Geisteswissenschaften | Project number: 01GJ0902 |
| Germanistik |
Volume: 79.172 EUR |
| Universitätsstr. 12 | Funding period: 01.04.2009 - 31.03.2011 |
| 45141 Essen | |
The project aims to survey main aspects of writing competence in elementary school students, grades 3 and 4. The question examined is: Does a model of type-of-text competence prove reliable if the initial corpus and additional narrative and persuasive texts, generated in tests by the German Institute for Educational Progress (IQB), are holistically rated by trained coders? Furthermore, the correlation between these overall evaluations of the text qualities on the one hand, and judgments regarding the dimensions "content", "composition", and "language use" on the other hand, are examined. In the first step, university students are trained as raters who are to apply a four-level model of text competence to 600 existing essays, written by 3rd and 4th graders. The texts will be arranged in a way that allows a statistically sound analysis of reliabilities. In the second step, the model – modified if necessary – is utilized for the holistic rating of 600 other narrative and persuasive student essays, which are also at hand. In a third step, correlations are calculated between these holistic evaluations on the one hand and already existing assessments of partial dimensions of the latter portion of essays on the other hand. The project aims primarily at fundamental research, it is mainly meant to contribute to the international visibility/communication of the discussion on quality of student essay writing in didactics of German. Furthermore, information shall be gained about the design of competence-oriented and adaptive instruction in German. Teachers obtain modules that are useful for diagnosing both general and specifically narrative or persuasive text competence. The latter have been neglected so far, which cannot be justified from the viewpoint of didactics.
Language Processing in Turkish Children with German as a Second Language. Neurophysiological and Linguistic Investigations
| Universität Konstanz | Principal investigator: Dr. Tanja Rinker |
| FB Sprachwissenschaft |
Project number: 01GJ0978 |
| Universitätsstr. 10 | Volume: 80.357 EUR |
| 78464 Konstanz | Funding period: 01.07.2009 - 30.06.2011 |
The German plural is particularly challenging for Turkish children acquiring German as a second language (Wegener, 2005). While the Turkish plural is formed regularly, the German plural system is very complex. Previous neurophysiological findings regarding adult foreign language learners show that at first noun and plural ending are stored as a lexical unit, after several months, however, nouns and plural ending are combined according to grammar rules (Osterhout et al., 2008). This study uses event-related potentials (ERPs) to investigate whether Turkish L2-learners of German between five and eight years of age still process the German plural nouns as a lexical unit or already employ grammatical rules. After developing suitable stimulus material consisting of sentences with correct and incorrect plural forms, event-related potentials will first be measured in adult Turkish L2-speakers of German and monolingual native speakers of German. The same experiment will be conducted in Turkish L2-learners and monolingual German native speakers between five and eight years of age. In addition, standardized language tests, spontaneous language samples in German and in Turkish, as well as questionnaires will be used.
Subcomponents of Writing Literacy: Diagnosis and Didactical Support
| Pädagogische Hochschule Heidelberg | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Joachim Grabowski |
| Fachbereich Psychologie |
Project number: 01GJ0979 |
| Keplerstr. 87 | Volume: 146.072 EUR |
| 69120 Heidelberg | Funding period: 01.07.2009 - 30.06.2012 |
Writing literacy, in the sense of the ability to produce text, is a complex skill comprising many different cognitive, linguistic, motivational, and affective subcomponents. Hitherto, these were predominantly studied and instructed rather holistically, i.e. with respect to individual genres, where the typical composition tasks at school play a particular role. The aim here is to identify, through psychological, linguistic and didactical cooperation, overarching subcomponents of writing literacy, i.e. abilities that become operative in all kinds of writing processes. In doing so, the project collaborators concentrate on skills that (a) are compatible with linguistic insight, (b) correlate with the quality of text products, and (c) are suitable for purposeful didactical measures. Three subcomponents are exemplarily studied: (a) the ability to take a partner’s perspective and to adapt to the addressee’s needs, (b) the differentiated and thematically adequate use of vocabulary, and (c) the creation of coherence by the use of the respective linguistic means of cohesion. Two classes of each fifth and ninth grade will be studied in German Hauptschule, Realschule, and Gymnasium as well, looking for correlation patterns between the general writing ability and the above-mentioned subcomponents within the most central genres of narratives/reports, instructions/descriptions, and argumentative texts. In addition to approved tasks and test instruments, the researchers will also conceive of new writing tasks specific for the subcomponents under investigation.
Subcomponents of Writing Literacy: Diagnosis and Didactical Support
| Universität zu Köln | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Michael Becker-Mrotzek |
| Philosophische Fakultät | Project number: 01GJ0980 |
| Institut für Deutsche Sprache und Literatur II |
Volume: 159.173 EUR |
| Gronewaldstr. 2 | Funding period: 01.07.2009 - 30.06.2012 |
| 50931 Köln | |
Writing literacy, in the sense of the ability to produce text, is a complex skill comprising many different cognitive, linguistic, motivational, and affective subcomponents. Hitherto, these were predominantly studied and instructed rather holistically, i.e. with respect to individual genres, where the typical composition tasks at school play a particular role. The aim here is to identify, through psychological, linguistic and didactical cooperation, overarching subcomponents of writing literacy, i.e. abilities that become operative in all kinds of writing processes. In doing so, the project collaborators concentrate on skills that (a) are compatible with linguistic insight, (b) correlate with the quality of text products, and (c) are suitable for purposeful didactical measures. Three subcomponents are exemplarily studied: (a) the ability to take a partner’s perspective and to adapt to the addressee’s needs, (b) the differentiated and thematically adequate use of vocabulary, and (c) the creation of coherence by the use of the respective linguistic means of cohesion. Two classes of each fifth and ninth grade will be studied in German Hauptschule, Realschule, and Gymnasium as well, looking for correlation patterns between the general writing ability and the above-mentioned subcomponents within the most central genres of narratives/reports, instructions/descriptions, and argumentative texts. In addition to approved tasks and test instruments, the researchers will also conceive of new writing tasks specific for the subcomponents under investigation.
Short- and Long-term Effects of Training Phonological Awareness in Native and Non-native German Speaking Pre-School Children
| Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Schneider |
| Philosophische Fakultät II | Project number: 01GJ0972 |
| Institut für Psychologie - Lehrstuhl IV |
Volume: 236.704 EUR |
| Röntgenring 11 | Funding period: 01.07.2009 - 30.06.2012 |
| 97070 Würzburg | |
In Germany, children growing up multilingually are considerably less successful in the education system than non-immigrant students. To a large extent, this seems due to insufficient German language skills. However, sound evidence for long-term effects of preschool language support in immigrant students is lacking. Therefore, the study aims to explore short and long-term effects of training phonological awareness in both native and non-native speakers of German. Furthermore, the need for specific in-service training of child care professionals and the optimal conditions of elementary instruction in primary school for sustainable effects of support will be tested. The target population consists of immigrant and non-immigrant children in their preschool year. Children will receive language support by the Würzburg training program from Dec. 2009 to May 2010. Half of the child care workers will receive systematic instruction on how to implement the training. In addition, children in the control group will receive non-specific support. To evaluate short-term effects of the Würzburg training program, a pre-test and a post-test will be carried out. Three follow-up tests will be carried out during 1st and 2nd grade to determine long-term effects. If the study reveals short- and long-term effects of training phonological awareness in immigrant children, the results would provide evidence for the effectiveness of this prevention measure in non-native speakers of German. The assessment of prior experience and systematic instruction of child care professionals will help to determine whether or not specific in-service training is necessary. Findings about optimal conditions of elementary instruction can inform approaches to teaching.
Short- and Long-term Effects of Training Phonological Awareness in Native and Non-native German Speaking Pre-School Children
| Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Cordula Artelt |
| Fakultät Humanwissenschaften | Project number: 01GJ0973 |
| Pädagogik | Volume: 119.590 EUR |
| Lehrstuhl für Empirische Bildungsforschung |
Funding period: 01.07.2009 - 30.06.2012 |
| Markusplatz 3 | |
| 96047 Bamberg |
In Germany, children growing up multilingually are considerably less successful in the education system than non-immigrant students. To a large extent, this seems due to insufficient German language skills. However, sound evidence for long-term effects of preschool language support in immigrant students is lacking. Therefore, the study aims to explore short and long-term effects of training phonological awareness in both native and non-native speakers of German. Furthermore, the need for specific in-service training of child care professionals and the optimal conditions of elementary instruction in primary school for sustainable effects of support will be tested. The target population consists of immigrant and non-immigrant children in their preschool year. Children will receive language support by the Würzburg training program from Dec. 2009 to May 2010. Half of the child care workers will receive systematic instruction on how to implement the training. In addition, children in the control group will receive non-specific support. To evaluate short-term effects of the Würzburg training program, a pre-test and a post-test will be carried out. Three follow-up tests will be carried out during 1st and 2nd grade to determine long-term effects. If the study reveals short- and long-term effects of training phonological awareness in immigrant children, the results would provide evidence for the effectiveness of this prevention measure in non-native speakers of German. The assessment of prior experience and systematic instruction of child care professionals will help to determine whether or not specific in-service training is necessary. Findings about optimal conditions of elementary instruction can inform approaches to teaching.
Short- and Long-term Effects of Training Phonological Awareness in Native and Non-native German Speaking Pre-School Children
| Freie Universität Berlin | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Petra Stanat |
| Fachbereich Erziehungswissenschaft und Psychologie |
Project number: 01GJ0974 |
| Habelschwerdter Allee 45 | Volume: 129.838 EUR |
| 14195 Berlin | Funding period: 01.07.2009 - 30.06.2012 |
In Germany, children growing up multilingually are considerably less successful in the education system than non-immigrant students. To a large extent, this seems due to insufficient German language skills. However, sound evidence for long-term effects of preschool language support in immigrant students is lacking. Therefore, the study aims to explore short and long-term effects of training phonological awareness in both native and non-native speakers of German. Furthermore, the need for specific in-service training of child care professionals and the optimal conditions of elementary instruction in primary school for sustainable effects of support will be tested. The target population consists of immigrant and non-immigrant children in their preschool year. Children will receive language support by the Würzburg training program from Dec. 2009 to May 2010. Half of the child care workers will receive systematic instruction on how to implement the training. In addition, children in the control group will receive non-specific support. To evaluate short-term effects of the Würzburg training program, a pre-test and a post-test will be carried out. Three follow-up tests will be carried out during 1st and 2nd grade to determine long-term effects. Of the 40 preschools involved in the study, 10 will be recruited in Berlin. If the study reveals short- and long-term effects of training phonological awareness in immigrant children, the results would provide evidence for the effectiveness of this prevention measure in non-native speakers of German. The assessment of prior experience and systematic instruction of child care professionals will help to determine whether or not specific in-service training is necessary. Findings about optimal conditions of elementary instruction can inform approaches to teaching.
Academic Language Competencies: Requirements, Language Processing, and Diagnostic Instruments
| Universität Hamburg | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Angelika Redder |
| Institut für Germanistik I |
Project number: 01GJ0977 |
| Von-Melle-Park 6 | Volume: 348.260 EUR |
| 20146 Hamburg | Funding period: 01.07.2009 - 30.06.2012 |
The cooperation project (psychology/education and linguistics) aims to determine competencies in academic language as well as the underlying typical language competencies students need in order to cope with the requirements of classroom discourse. The results will provide a basis for developing a well-founded instrument for assessing the students’ linguistic competencies. The focus will be on the transition from primary to secondary school. On the basis of a differentiated understanding of "academic language", we will analyse the linguistic competencies necessary for transferring knowledge at school (especially semantics, grammar, metalanguage, and pragmatics).
Work plan of project Linguistics, project year 1: collection and analysis of empirical data regarding school-specific requirements in 4th and 5th grade. Project year 2: collection and analysis of academic language competencies in quasi-experimental settings; compilation of profiles which will serve as a basis for the development of a linguistic competence grid at the transition from primary to secondary school. Project year 3: Combination of the research results of project Psychology/Education and project Linguistics and joint development of suitable test items/further tasks for assessing receptive school-specific language competencies; testing of items/tasks for assessing productive academic language competencies.
The research results will serve as a background for developing linguistically and psychologically based instruments for language diagnosis, which shall be validated and normed in the continuation of the collaborative project (years 4 and 5). They will offer starting points for individual trainings of students as well as the further qualification of teachers.
Academic Language Competencies: Requirements, Language Processing, and Diagnostic Instruments
| Otto-Friedrich-Universität Bamberg | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Sabine Weinert |
| Fakultät Humanwissenschaften | Project number: 01GJ0975 |
| Psychologie I |
Volume: 351.098 EUR |
| Markusplatz 3 | Funding period: 01.07.2009 - 30.06.2012 |
| 96047 Bamberg | |
The cooperation project (psychology/education (PE), linguistics (L)) aims to determine competencies in academic language as well as the underlying typical language competencies students need in order to cope with the requirements of classroom discourse. The results will provide a basis for the development of a well-founded instrument for assessing the students’ linguistic competencies. The focus will be on language competencies in primary school and will be extended later on to transitions from elementary to primary and from primary to secondary school. Based on a differentiated understanding of "academic language", we will analyse the linguistic competencies necessary for transferring knowledge at school (especially semantics, grammar, metalanguage, and pragmatics).
Work plan, project year 1: development of experimental and quasi-experimental tasks for assessing and analysing school-specific linguistic competencies in primary school. Project year 2: experimental analysis of processing of various school-specific linguistic requirements in their potentially differential effects in students of different family backgrounds; establishing a basis for the development of meaningful and valid items for assessing school-specific linguistic competencies. Project year 3: Combination of the research results of project PE and project L and joint development of suitable test items/further tasks for assessing school-specific language competencies; testing of items/tasks for assessing productive academic language competencies.
The research results will serve as a background for developing linguistically and psychologically based instruments for language diagnosis, which shall be validated and normed in the continuation of the collaborative project (years 4 and 5). They will offer starting points for individual trainings of students as well as the further qualification of teachers.
Academic Language Competencies: Requirements, Language Processing, and Diagnostic Instruments
| Freie Universität Berlin | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Petra Stanat |
| Fachbereich Erziehungswissenschaft und Psychologie |
Project number: 01GJ0976 |
| Habelschwerdter Allee 45 | Volume: 186.218 EUR |
| 14195 Berlin | Funding period: 01.08.2009 - 31.07.2012 |
The cooperation project (psychology/education (PE), linguistics (L)) aims to determine competencies in academic language as well as the underlying typical language competencies students need in order to cope with the requirements of classroom discourse. The results will provide a basis for developing a well-founded instrument for assessing the students’ linguistic competencies. The focus will be on language competencies in primary school and will be extended later on to transitions from elementary to primary and from primary to secondary school. Based on a differentiated understanding of "academic language", we will analyse the linguistic competencies necessary for transferring knowledge at school (especially semantics, grammar, metalanguage, and pragmatics).
Work plan project, year 1: development of experimental and quasi-experimental tasks for assessing and analysing school-specific linguistic competencies in primary school. Project year 2: experimental analysis of processing of various school-specific linguistic requirements in their potentially differential effects in students of different family backgrounds; establishing a basis for the development of meaningful and valid items for assessing school-specific linguistic competencies. Project year 3: Combination of the research results of project PE and project L and joint development of suitable test items/further tasks for assessing school-specific language competencies; testing of items/tasks for assessing productive academic language competencies.
The research results will serve as a background for developing linguistically and psychologically based instruments for language diagnosis, which shall be validated and normed in the continuation of the collaborative project (years 4 and 5). They will offer starting points for individual trainings of students as well as the further qualification of teachers.
A Screening for an Universal Assessment of the Speech-language Status of 4 to 4.5 year old children. Optimization, Validation, Extension, Electrophysiological Foundation
| Johann Wolfgang Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Katrin Neumann |
| FB 16 Medizin und Klinikum | Project number: 01GJ0982 |
| Zentrum der Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde |
Volume: 444.765 EUR |
| Theodor-Stern-Kai 7 | Funding period: 01.07.2009 - 30.06.2012 |
| 60596 Frankfurt | |
The project aims to evaluate cut-off criteria of the speech-language screening (Kindersprachscreening, KiSS) in native German speaking children with (1) normal and (2) delayed language development, and (3) children with specific language impairment, by use of event-related potentials of the electroencephalogram, in particular mismatch negativity. Because it is assumed that a part of speech/language deficits in children can be attributed to central auditory processing disorders (CAPDs), the cerebral physiological correlates of auditory and phonological processing abilities shall be investigated in children with and without language acquisition deficits by measuring auditory discrimination of non-speech physical noise characteristics, speech-like stimuli, and with an auditory scene analysis. The results of these measurements shall be compared with those of classic psychoacoustic tests.
The overall aim of the project is to provide a neuro-physiologically based speech-language screening instrument for pre-school aged children according to psychometric criteria. The project will assumingly provide the basis for the investigation of training and therapy effects including insights into individual language acquisition abilities.
Process-based Assessment of Reading and Listening Skills in Elementary School
| Universität zu Köln | Principal investigator: PD Dr. Tobias Richter |
| Humanwissenschaftliche Fakultät | Project number: 01GJ0985 |
| Lehrstuhl für Allgemeine Psychologie II |
Volume: 115.708 EUR |
| Bernhard-Feilchenfeld-Str. 11 | Funding period: 01.08.2009 - 31.07.2012 |
| 50969 Köln | |
From the perspective of cognitive psychology, reading comprehension is the efficient completion of component processes on the word-, sentence-, and text-level. To date, little is known about the development of these processes during the course of reading acquisition in primary school children. One reason for this is the lack of testing procedures that allow for an efficiency- and process-oriented measurement of reading skills and corresponding auditory skills in primary school children. One goal of this project is to develop appropriate computer-based testing procedures, which will be based on the collection of reaction times. Theoretically, new insights into the structure and development of reading component processes and their efficiency shall be gained. In terms of practical applications, the results will allow for a detailed and support-oriented diagnosis of reading skills both in average and poor readers. Eventually, the results may be used for an improved and adaptive design of reading instruction. In a first step, computer-based tests are developed and tried out, optimized, and validated in a cross-sectional study with primary school children (N=500, grades 1-4). In a subsequent longitudinal study (N=400), the project collaborators will investigate the development of component reading processes throughout the course of primary school.
Process-based Assessment of Reading and Listening Skills in Elementary School
| Deutsches Institut für Internationale Pädagogische Forschung (DIPF) | Principal investigator: Dr. Johannes Naumann |
| Arbeitseinheit Bildungsqualität und Evaluation |
Project number: 01GJ0986 |
| Schloßstr. 29 | Volume: 132.262 EUR |
| 60486 Frankfurt am Main | Funding period: 01.08.2009 - 31.07.2012 |
From the perspective of cognitive psychology, reading comprehension is the efficient completion of component processes on the word-, sentence-, and text-level. To date, little is known about the development of these processes during the course of reading acquisition in primary school children. One reason for this is the lack of testing procedures that allow for an efficiency- and process-oriented measurement of reading skills and corresponding auditory skills in primary school children. One goal of this project is to develop appropriate computer-based testing procedures, which will be based on the collection of reaction times. Theoretically, new insights into the structure and development of reading component processes and their efficiency shall be gained. In terms of practical applications, the results will allow for a detailed and support-oriented diagnosis of reading skills both in average and poor readers. Eventually, the results may be used for an improved and adaptive design of reading instruction. In a first step, computer-based tests are developed and tried out, optimized, and validated in a cross-sectional study with primary school children (N=500, grades 1-4). In a subsequent longitudinal study (N=400), the project collaborators will investigate the development of component reading processes throughout the course of primary school.
Competency-level Description for German as a Second Language in Middle Schools
| Universität Hamburg | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Inci Dirim |
| Fakultät für Erziehungswissenschaft, Psychologie und Bewegungswissenschaft | Project number: 01GJ0981 |
| Sektion 1: Allgemeine, Interkulturell und International vergl. Erziehungswissenschaft |
Volume: 75.314 EUR |
| Von-Melle-Park 8 | Funding period: 01.07.2009 - 30.06.2010 |
| 20146 Hamburg | |
In 2006, the development of four-level descriptions for primary and secondary schools began at the University of Hamburg. This initiative corresponds to the BLK program FÖRMIG in Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein. These descriptions shall support teachers of all subjects to systematically and structurally observe and describe the German language competence and development of students learning German as a second language. Teachers will also be able to discuss and examine their first impressions with parents and colleagues (cf. BECK & SCHOLZ 1995). Since June 2007, the manageability and coherence of NB DaZ Sek. I have been tested at FÖRMIG-based schools in Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein; the interim results show that the descriptions are considered useful for the exchange of information. Those involved hope to see the NB DaZ Sek. I further implemented in the future. The aims of this project are to examine inter-rater reliability and construct validity before implementation.
Family Support in the Acquisition of Discourse- and Text Competence in Secondary School (FAcTS)
| Technische Universität Dortmund | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Uta Quasthoff |
| Fakultät Kulturwissenschaften | Project number: 01GJ0983 |
| Institut für deutsche Sprache und Literatur |
Volume: 257.384 EUR |
| Emil-Figge-Str. 50 | Funding period: 01.10.2009 - 30.09.2012 |
| 44227 Dortmund | |
Taking into account the close linkage between SES (socio-economic status) and educational success in Germany, the project aims at the identification of critical features of the interactive support provided by families that can explain differences in the acquisition of key competences responsible for school achievement: Starting with grade 5, the acquisition of oral and written argumentative competences will be investigated. Special emphasis will be laid on those children who unexpectedly perform in a positive or negative way with regard to their socio-economic background. Method: The basic sample (N = 700) of 5th-graders and their parents will be observed over a period of three years and investigated once a year. Patterns of communicative practices which differ in their support of acquisitional processes will be reconstructed qualitatively in a systematic subsample of 36 families. Here, oral parent-child argumentations and cooperative interactions oriented towards revisions of argumentative texts will be videotaped and analyzed linguistically. The prognostic relevance of factors explored in this manner will be quantitatively tested. In addition to scientific publications, a manual will be prepared delivering guidelines to families on how to foster the linguistic and communicative development of their children at different ages.
Family Support in the Acquisition of Discourse- and Text Competence in Secondary School (FAcTS)
| Universität Bielefeld | Principal investigator: Prof. Dr. Elke Wild | |
| Fakultät für Psychologie und Sportwissenschaft | Project number: 01GJ0984 | |
| Abteilung für Psychologie |
Volume: 285.589 EUR | |
| Universitätsstr. 25 | Funding period: 01.10.2009 - 30.09.2012 | |
| 33615 Bielefeld | ||
Taking into account the close linkage between SES (socio-economic status) and educational success in Germany, the project aims at the identification of critical features of the interactive support provided by families that can explain differences in the acquisition of key competences responsible for school achievement: Starting with grade 5, the acquisition of oral and written argumentative competences will be investigated. Special emphasis will be laid on those children who unexpectedly perform in a positive or negative way with regard to their socio-economic background. Method: The basic sample (N = 700) of 5th-graders and their parents will be observed over a period of three years and investigated once a year. Patterns of communicative practices which differ in their support of acquisitional processes will be reconstructed qualitatively in a systematic subsample of 36 families. Here, oral parent-child argumentations and cooperative interactions oriented towards revisions of argumentative texts will be videotaped and analyzed linguistically. The prognostic relevance of factors explored in this manner will be quantitatively tested. In addition to scientific publications, a manual will be prepared delivering guidelines to families on how to foster the linguistic and communicative development of their children at different ages.