Professional Development Training on Meaning-Focused Language Support in Elementary School Science Classes

The aim of the project is to expand an implicit meaning-focused language promotion approach, which has already been tested during extra classes for children with a non-German native language, by adding elements of linguistic awareness (in terms of Scaffolding) for a more guided acquisition of general and specific (academic) language features. Exemplary, curricular valid language promotion materials for selected topics for third grade science instruction will be developed and 17 teachers will be qualified within a training program over the course of one school year to implement these. By evaluating this approach, the direct effects of the training program on the professional skills of the teachers and the indirect effects on the language and subject-related competence development of the children will be examined. All tasks will be accomplished in a joint process within the research network of the departments of Educational Science of the Elementary and Primary level (Prof. Dr. Ilonca Hardy) and Educational Science (Prof. Dr. Petra Stanat, Dr. Sofie Henschel).